The institutional delegation from Lanzarote, led by the President of the Cabildo, Oswaldo Betancort, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, José Valle, the Managing Director of the Centres for Art, Culture and Tourism, Ángel Vázquez, and the Managing Director of SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote, Héctor Fernández, has made significant strides in positioning the Island within the HEB supermarket chain. HEB is a prominent retailer in the southern United States and Mexico, serving as a platform for marketing gourmet products.
This initiative, as outlined in a press release issued by the Cabildo on Friday, came to fruition during a visit to one of HEB’s outlets in San Antonio, alongside a delegation of local producers. This visit was part of an official mission that began in New York, featuring high-level meetings with the Consulate of Spain, Turespaña, and the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, aimed at providing guidance to companies seeking to enter the American market.
President Oswaldo Betancort stated after the commercial meeting that, “this step is a generational opportunity for growth, creating jobs for our families and taking the Lanzarote brand to the world with the help of our finest ambassadors: the local producers.”
José Valle remarked that the trade mission to the United States once again demonstrates the efficacy of the public-private partnerships promoted by the Cabildo of Lanzarote. He added, “We are supported by a unique historical bond with San Antonio, established in 1731, which opens doors and fosters confidence in our commercial relationships.”
Producers from the Island Participate in the Mission
The Lanzarote companies involved in this mission—Bernardo’s Gourmet Products, Bodega El Jable de Tao, Bodega La Geria, Bodega Vega de Yuco, Quesería El Faro, Salinas de Janubio, and Sweetba—showcased their offerings of wines, cheeses, jams, mojos, salts, aloe, and baked goods in Texas.
“The opportunity for our products to be positioned in a chain like HEB opens the door to an immense market. For a family business like ours, this means securing the future of our workers and our cultural and gastronomic legacy,” emphasised Carlos Padrón, Director of Salinas de Janubio.
Marco Taborra, Export Manager at Bernardo’s Gourmet Products, added, “We have always dreamed of seeing our products on the shelves in the United States. This positioning confirms that the quality and authenticity of Lanzarote have a place at the international table.”
The day concluded with the professional and commercial forum “Lanzarote 360º-Texas 2025”, held at the Thompson Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk, where producers, importers, exporters, and local culinary entrepreneurs engaged in presentations, tastings, and networking opportunities to unlock new prospects.
Lanzarote 360 has been carried out in partnership with the Centres for Art, Culture and Tourism (CACT), SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote, and renowned local chef Sergio Remolina, as a follow-up to the visit made by the president and Lanzarote companies in 2024 along with the Government of Spain as part of “Spain Fusión.”
Over the past year, the Cabildo, through Economic Promotion, SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote, the Centres for Art, Culture and Tourism, the Chamber of Commerce, and Proexca-Government of the Canary Islands, has assisted local companies and producers with the processes for obtaining FDA licenses and permits in the United States, while also building bridges with major importers and distributors in Texas, with the aim of strengthening Lanzarote’s internationalisation strategy and consolidating its presence in the United States, both in tourism and in the commercial promotion of its most emblematic products.
