MSP Issue 30

CASE STUDY
CUINATS JOTRI and SEALPAC:
TRUE CRAFTSMANSHIP
in CONVENIENCE FOODS
Around the world, the demand for convenience foods and ready meals is continuously on
the rise. In Spain, Cuinats Jotri (www.cuinatsjotri.com) addresses this growing segment with
a mixture of products that stand out due to the craftsmanship with which they are made.
This craftsmanship is also reflected in their packaging. We spoke with Mr. Josep Soler, Chief
Executive Officer at Cuinats Jotri, about the company’s strategy and how SEALPAC equipment
assists in achieving its image of high-quality, home-made convenience foods.
FAMILY COMPANY
Cuinats Jotri was officially founded
in 2001 by its current CEO, Mr.
Josep Soler, and can be regarded as
a true family company. Both his son
(production) and daughter (finance)
are active in the company today.
However, the history of the company
actually goes back to 1982, when
the family first started a butchery.
In 2001, due to the growing demand
for convenience foods, the butcher’s
activities were ceased and focus
was shifted to ready meals. What
Cuinats Jotri’s convenience
foods are made with topquality
products and
highest craftsmanship. /
Полуфабрикаты компании
Cuinats Jotri изготавливаются
с большим мастерством
из высококачественных
продуктов.
started with supplying to acquainted
partners slowly turned into a full
service manufacturer delivering
convenience foods to deli stores,
butchers and catering companies.
To be able to keep up with the growth,
in November 2013 Cuinats Jotri
moved to its current facility in Juià,
close to the city of Girona. Nowadays,
Cuinats Jotri employs 50 people
and achieves a production volume
of approximately 700 tons per year.
This is divided in around 200 tons of
frozen product (which are sold under
the brand name Origen) and 500 tons
of fresh product (sold under the brand
name Jotri). All these products are
supplied to customers by means of
Cuinats Jotri’s own vans.
PURE CRAFTSMANSHIP
Regardless whether fresh or frozen,
what characterizes Cuinats Jotri’s
products is the craftsmanship with
which they are made. Where do
you still see employees manually
cutting, preparing and mashing
tomatoes to make the best pasta
sauce around? Josep Soler explains:
“We are strongly known for our
craftsmanship. Sometimes we try to
modify our products, but customers
somehow always ask us to stick
with the original. For example, we
thought it would be more convenient
if we sold our pasta sauce in bottles.
But as soon as we started supplying
them, sales went down dramatically
and we were asked to go back to our
traditional thermoformer packs. We
even have customers that ask us to
supply packs without labels, so they
can tell their customers the product
was hand made in the store!”
40 | MSP Magazine • February/March 2018