CORABASTOS celebrates 51 years as the most relevant Central de Abastos in the country, serving the capital and the Andean region with a growing national connection and a Latin American program. It is a specialized logistics center where the producers from 32 sectors meet with their high-quality offering, collecting and marketing equally, to consolidate their facilities as a commercial hub that guarantees the country’s food security.
There are 42 hectares of warehouses and commercial spaces that have sold about 187 million tons of food and products for more than half a century and received more than 32,400,000 vehicle trips with products from the Colombian countryside.
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Every day, around 10,000 vehicles unload 13,000 to 18,000 tonnes of food, negotiating with 5,600 traders in attendance, which reaches 200,000 visitors on peak days.
Inside, a group of 60 uniformed officers and 350 guards, in private security concession, guarantee peace and coexistence in their storage and commercialization warehouses, parking lots, public spaces and administrative areas, Safe Public Spaces Bogotá, with 125 collaborators working in its administrative areas.
And 117 people are in charge of maintaining the optimal sanitary conditions required for this 420,000 square meter environment, where shoppers from 20 towns in Bogotá, La Sabana’s neighboring municipalities, and hotel and restaurant owners gather from all over the city. It invites families to re-enact the beautiful tradition of the Sunday market.
“CORABASTOS is not only a logistics hub for bulk purchases; A place where housewives and families can come with complete confidence and security and shop at our popular warehouses, by the kilo, by the pound or as much as they need, with adequate nutrition.”, confirms Javier Salcedo, general manager of CORABASTOS.
The director adds “At present, a large part of the traders are producers, and the people of the country strive every day to achieve the best crops and bring them to the central region, guaranteeing the best quality products, but the best price in the market, impossible. Fits large surfaces or fruit chains”.
National festival every year
The 51st anniversary of CORABASTOS was, as usual, graced with great commercial and entertainment events for the delight of its merchants, Kennedy town and visitors to the town and agricultural producers. Its traditional and star event “El Ofertón”, brings together more than 50 related brands on the commercial floor, with unbeatable prices and the famous “ñapa” for all buyers.
Corporación de Abastos de Bogotá AgroExpo 2023 is organized as a co-working space for businessmen to close new businesses in Colombia and other sectors abroad. Renowned artists were invited to the CORABASTOS facilities of Jesse Uribe and Paula. Zara is well-loved and appreciated by those who attend the celebration and its indoor roads are the site of the Virgen del Carmen Heritage Festival, a 5K marathon, speed and skill competitions such as pea or potato peeling and auto games such as shell and polirana. .
THE FUTURE OF CORABASTOS
“The pandemic has taught us that there are other ways to buy services and products, and to buy them safely. For this reason, in two months, we are going to introduce our own app to the country, through which housewives can buy from home or from our key partners, the shopkeepers, from their business, with the best quality and price without competition. in the market. Technological advances go hand in hand with logistics and cannot be postponed as they will give CORABASTOS life over time.”, confirms the manager.
The Corporation also leads socially and environmentally responsible projects such as the conservation and financing of the Sugua La Vaca wetland south of the power plant, the “Zero Waste” project to compost all organic waste produced by commercial activity. Biggest donor to Bogotá’s food bank by tons per day.
In terms of international projection, CORABASTOS is a member of FLAMA, the confederation of Latin American distribution markets, in which they hold a leadership position, recognizing its position as the second most important distribution center in Latin America, working hand in hand with the FAO in its general policy of “Zero Hunger and Waste”.
Likewise, he directs from headquarters the network of national distribution centers located in the country’s 14 largest sites, which accompanies CORABASTOS in the government’s proposals, in which the idea of turning the union into a confederation stands out. , given its strategic nature for the nation’s food security.
Corporation officials travel to different areas to celebrate with local producers, trade tables that allow them to take their crops directly to the platform and establish direct communication channels so that they can denounce speculators’ abuses against them or arbitrary practices against fair trade.
Lastly, in collaboration with organizations such as SENA and the Davivienda Foundation, they are planning new training courses in finance, administration, good waste management and access to basic education for the children of traders. who work in their facilities.
“We are already seeing the results of the new management planning that started 15 months ago. CORABASTOS is notable again, it has regained its value as a district, national and international brand, we continue to honor the designation given to us by FAO as heroes during the epidemic, we raise and recognize the work of field producers, our collaborators and everyone. The Colombian people who trusted us and turned it into food and brought it to their home table”, assures CORABASTOS General Manager Javier Salcedo.
