Global Agriculture Information Network

Required Report - Public distribution

**Date:** 12/5/2007

**GAIN Report Number:** CS7016

CS7016

**Costa Rica**

**Retail Food Sector**

**UPDATE**

**2007**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Katherine C. Nishiura

U.S. Embassy

**Prepared by:**

COBOLCOR USA LLC

**Report Highlights:**

The Costa Rican retail food sector is expected to grow at a rate of 20%
a year. Total food imports in 2006 reached \$924 million. With over 320
supermarkets, 13,000 traditional markets, and expansion expected in the
gas mart/convenience store sector, the sector continues to seek and want
U.S. products \-- although competitor countries are both aggressive, and
expanding in all food categories. The 25+ retail food executives
interviewed for this report clamored for U.S. private label products,
novelty food and beverage items, and more canned products. They seek to
continue and expand their relationships with U.S. exporters whom they
hope will show a greater interest in making and packaging food products
appropriate for the tropics.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Annual Report

San Jose \[CS1\]

\[CS\]

Table of Contents

**SECTION I. MARKET SUMMARY and BEST PRODUCT PROSPECTS**

**SECTION II. ECONOMIC OVERVIEW**

**SECTION III. ROAD MAP FOR MARKET ENTRY**

A. Key Distribution Channels

B. Retail Food Sector Structure

> 1\. Super Stores and Supermarkets

a\. Market Structure

b\. Store Trends

c\. Entry Strategy

d\. Distribution Channels

e\. Company Profiles

2.  Convenience Stores and Gas Marts

> a\. Market Structure

b\. Entry Strategy

c\. Distribution Channels

d\. Company Profiles

3.  Traditional Markets

> a\. Market Structure

b\. Entry Strategy

c\. Distribution Channels

d.  Sub-Sector Profile

**SECTION IV. COMPETITION & ADVANTAGES and CHALLENGES**

**SECTION V. CONTACTS AND FURTHER INFORMATION**

**SECTION I. MARKET SUMMARY**

The Costa Rican retail food market landscape consists principally of
five major grocery store chains contributing to over 265 supermarkets,
and some 13,000 traditional mom-and-pop/neighborhood stores. In the
middle, are a few, popular, new, and evolving convenience stores and gas
marts. Experts in all three sectors proclaim growth rates of
approximately 20 percent in 2007 and into the future.

The small Costa Rican market of 4.4 million is dynamic, evolving and
uniquely challenging for the U.S. new-to-export, or mature international
food conglomerate. Often rated as 'user-friendly' it is an ideal gateway
to the larger Latin American market of over 550 million residents, many
of whom are young. Known for it's beach and mountain resorts, the
country adds more than 1.7 million tourists and thousands of affluent
pensioners to its retail food base every year. Tourism is estimated to
reach an annual growth of 10 percent over the next six years. Fueled by
this growth, the total value of imported consumer-oriented food is
expected to increase over 15 percent per year over the next three years,
or some 45 percent between 2007 and 2010.

Costa Ricans spend about 30% of their income on food products. The local
food industry (comprised of about 20% large companies and 80% small and
medium-sized enterprises) has been steadily growing and incorporating
technological advances to increase exports and offers a wide variety of
products for local consumption: fresh and processed tropical fruits and
vegetables, bakery products (bread/cookies), pasta, sauces, snacks,
juices, and of course, dairy products, red meat, poultry and
fish/seafood.

In 2006 total food imports reached \$924 million. Imports from
neighboring countries (Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua) include a
large variety of products such as fresh fruit and vegetables, liquor,
cereals and beans. Other major suppliers that seek to increase their
exports to Costa Rica include Canada, Chile and, most recently, China.

Several large wholesalers and importers distribute products to the three
food retail sub-sectors. Supermarkets and convenience stores extensively
use in-house procurement departments. Distribution channels are similar
for all products, although some (fresh fruit, vegetables) require
special handling.

The Costa Rican consumer is receptive to imported foods, and shows a
trend toward buying more convenience foods (encouraged by supermarkets,
superstores and convenience stores). U.S. food products, despite tariff
disadvantages that can range from 15-50 percent, are viewed as
reasonably priced, and highly consistent in quality, value and appeal.
Despite the kudos, Costa Rican food executives encourage U.S. food
manufacturers and suppliers to:

-   Promote private label brands/products,

-   Promote novelty food and beverage items (spawned by tourist and
    pensioners),

-   Become more aggressive (in all sectors: especially canned and fresh
    fruits and vegetables, processed foods, etc.),

-   Demonstrate greater interest in '*tropicalizing'*' products for the
    Costa Rican market (*tropicalizing* refers to
    characteristics/concepts such as: packaging in smaller volumes &
    appropriate for the heat of the tropics; incorporating popular local
    flavors, i.e. fruit, etc.),

-   Demonstrate greater interest in providing environmentally friendly
    packaging, and

-   Demonstrate greater interest in Central America's smaller, but
    viable markets.

**BEST PRODUCT** PROSPECTS

+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| #### Table 1.                    |                                   |
|                                  |                                   |
| #### L                           |                                   |
| ist of Best Prospects for Costa  |                                   |
| Rica's Retail Food Market - 2007 |                                   |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **Baking soda**                  | **Kosher foods**                  |
|                                  |                                   |
| **Beverages**                    | **Lentils**                       |
|                                  |                                   |
| -   Chocolate drinks             | **Low calorie** food products     |
|                                  |                                   |
| -   Energy drinks                | **Malt** -- not roasted           |
|                                  |                                   |
| -   Grape drinks -- light        | **Margins**                       |
|                                  |                                   |
| -   Ice tea -- all types         | **Meats**                         |
|                                  |                                   |
| -   Milk & lactose-free drinks   | \- Beef jerky                     |
|                                  |                                   |
| ```{=html}                       | -   Beef, chicken, turkey         |
| <!-- -->                         |     patties; breaded and non-     |
| ```                              |     breaded                       |
| -   Novelty drinks - all         |                                   |
|                                  | -   Ham - frozen                  |
| ```{=html}                       |                                   |
| <!-- -->                         | -   Pork meat -- to include       |
| ```                              |     prepared and frozen           |
| -   Soy drinks, soy milk         |                                   |
|                                  | -   Prepared meat                 |
| -   Water -- especially vitamin  |                                   |
|     and flavored                 | **Mushrooms**                     |
|                                  |                                   |
| **Biscuits**                     | **Nuts/Peanuts** -- mixed         |
|                                  |                                   |
| **Cake and brownie mixes**       | **Prepared foods** - novelties    |
|                                  |                                   |
| **Candy**                        | **Private label foods** -- all    |
|                                  |                                   |
| **Cheeses**                      | **Seafood**                       |
|                                  |                                   |
| #### Coffee supplies             | -   Canned crustaceans and        |
|                                  |     mollusks                      |
| -   All coffee supplies          |                                   |
|                                  | -   Mollusks -- fresh and frozen  |
| -   Cream flavorings for         |                                   |
|     coffee - powder & non-powder | -   Frozen mixed/variety (used in |
|                                  |     gumbos and soups)             |
| -   Syrups                       |                                   |
|                                  | -   Fresh fish -- refrigerated,   |
| **Condiments** -- any new        |     frozen & fresh; specialty     |
| variation of mayonnaise, ketchup |     high-end fish                 |
| and mustard (all three very      |                                   |
| ubiquitous                       | -   Salmon: smoked & fresh        |
|                                  |                                   |
| **Cookies**                      | -   Tuna - canned                 |
|                                  |                                   |
| **'Fiesta products'** -- i.e.    | **Snacks**                        |
| avocados, chili, tostadas, etc.  |                                   |
|                                  | **Soup** -- Instant/cup           |
| **French fries**                 |                                   |
|                                  | **Vegetables**                    |
| **Frozen foods**                 |                                   |
|                                  | **-** All                         |
| **Frozen vegetables**            |                                   |
|                                  | -   Canned corn                   |
| **Fruit** - all fruits           |                                   |
|                                  | -   Canned peas                   |
| -   Apples                       |                                   |
|                                  | **Vegetable oil**                 |
| -   Canned fruit                 |                                   |
|                                  | #### Wine                         |
| -   Grapes: especially for times |                                   |
|     other than December and      |                                   |
|     January                      |                                   |
|                                  |                                   |
| #### Gourmet foods               |                                   |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

Source: COBOLCOR staff collected this **List of Best Prospects** from
the following sources (July and September 2007):

-   Over 20 interviews with executives from the country's major: food
    chains, food distributors, importers and food chambers,

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-   Review of trade data from countries presently experiencing growth in
    their exports to Costa Rica,

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```
-   The author's observations and conversations with frequent U.S.
    travelers, residents and visitors to Costa Rica ,

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```
-   Visits and analysis of over 20 retail food outlets, and

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```
-   Interviews with traditional market owners.

**SECTION II. ECONOMIC OVERVIEW**

In 2006, Costa Rica imports, in all sectors, reached \$11 billion of
which \$2 billion were from the U.S. The country's exports totaled \$8
billion principally in fruit, coffee and textiles. Costa Rican
food-related exports increased some 22 percent in 2006 to nearly all its
trading partners, with a 30 percent increase in food-related exports to
the U.S.

The U.S. exported \$311.5 million worth of food and agricultural
products to Costa Rica in fiscal year 2006, of which two thirds were
bulk commodities. U.S. products accounted for 44 percent of all
agricultural and 25 percent of all food and beverage products.

The 20 percent growth experienced in all three retail food sectors
reflects a number of major social and economic changes. According to
statistics gathered by the National Institute of Statistics and Census
(INEC) the following list of changes occurred in the some 5,000 urban
and rural residents interviewed from 1988 to 2004. The dynamics of these
changes (see the list below and Table 2) have caused repercussions
within the retail food sectors.

-   Have smaller households (from 4.6 to 3.7) with a larger percentage
    of older adults

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```
-   Have higher per-capita income (GDP in 2006 was \$12,500)

```{=html}
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```
-   Have spending habits that focus on products and services appropriate
    for adults

(instead of toys, milk and school supplies, for example)

-   Live among more foreigners and immigrants

-   Mortality rate has decreased

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```
-   Life expectancy increased to 78.7

-   Have a larger cohort (64.3 percent) of individuals 15 to 64 years of
    age

-   Average years of education increased, and

-   Women entering the workforce increased 10 percent.

+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| #### Table 2.               |             |             |           |
|                             |             |             |           |
| #### Consumer Expenditure   |             |             |           |
| s Structure by Area accordi |             |             |           |
| ng to Consumer Goods Groups |             |             |           |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| **Consumer Goods Group**    | **Total     | **Urban     | **Rural   |
|                             | Country**   | Area**      | Area**    |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| Food, tobacco and beverages | 21.9        | 20.0        | 27.4      |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| Clothes and shoes           | 6.9         | 6.6         | 7.6       |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| Home rent and services      | 10.6        | 10.9        | 9.8       |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| Furniture & home            | 8.9         | 8.7         | 9.6       |
| accessories                 |             |             |           |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| Healthcare                  | 4.7         | 5.1         | 3.6       |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| Transportation              | 14.8        | 15.1        | 14.1      |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| Communications              | 4.7         | 5.0         | 3.6       |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| Entertainment & cultural    | 7.9         | 8.2         | 6.9       |
| activities                  |             |             |           |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| Education                   | 3.5         | 4.2         | 1.6       |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| Food and beverages outside  | 8.7         | 8.6         | 9.0       |
| the home                    |             |             |           |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| Other goods                 | 7.4         | 7.6         | 6.8       |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+
| **Percentage of             | **30.6**    | **28.6**    | **36.4**  |
| expenditures in food**      |             |             |           |
+-----------------------------+-------------+-------------+-----------+

\* Source: INEC (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censos) -*National
Census of Income and Statistics conducted this s*tudy of 5,000 urban and
rural residents from 1988 to 2004. Urban areas of the Greater
Metropolitan area include 60 percent of the population located in urban
areas such as San José (the capital city), Alajuela, Heredia, and
Cartago**.**

The consistency and resilience of the Costa Rican economy is evidenced
by growth in both imports and exports, and GDP, as well as a recent
decline in inflation.

#### GENERAL ECONOMIC INDICATORS: Charts 1, 2 , 3 & 4

![](media/image2.wmf){width="3.497916666666667in"
height="1.9305555555555556in"}

![](media/image3.wmf){width="3.497916666666667in"
height="1.8444444444444446in"}

![](media/image4.wmf){width="3.497916666666667in"
height="1.7284722222222222in"}

![](media/image5.wmf){width="3.4993055555555554in"
height="1.6958333333333333in"}

Source for Charts 1-4: Banco Central de Costa Rica

**SECTION III. ROAD MAP FOR MARKET ENTRY**

A.  **Key Distribution Channels**

Flow charts in the following sections describe the principal channels of
distribution in Costa Rica's three-tiered food retail system. A
noticeable trend in the industry is the use of in-house purchasing
departments, especially by supermarket chains who directly contact both
local and foreign suppliers and import directly. As well, retailers use
all, or most of the following channels to obtain both standard and new
products for their outlets:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| #### Table 3.                                                         |
|                                                                       |
| #                                                                     |
| ### Procurement/Distribution Channels used by Retailers in Costa Rica |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1.  Established importers and wholesale distributors with             |
|     'infrastructure muscle': (trucks, computerized warehouses around  |
|     the country, etc.) to include some of the nation's long-standing  |
|     and important distributors such as: Grupo Constenla S.A.,         |
|     Mercantil de Alimentos S.A., Distribuidora Pedro Oller (DIPO),    |
|     Mercasa, S.A., Interfrutd.                                        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 2.  Importers and representatives with exclusive arrangements         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 3.  Wholesalers                                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 4.  Manufacturers in Costa Rica, Central America, and around the      |
|     world                                                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 5.  Retailers' (PriceSmart and Wal-Mart) regional offices in Panama   |
|     or Guatemala (mainly)                                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 6.  Retailers' (PriceSmart and Wal-Mart) offices in the U.S.          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 7.  Brokers, suppliers and consolidators within the U.S. (mainly      |
|     Florida, Georgia and Texas)                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 8.  Local producers and suppliers (to include farmers' markets and    |
|     wholesale distribution centers for fish, meat, vegetables and     |
|     fruit)                                                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

Source: COBOLCOR

The 13,000 traditional market owners use some of above channels but also
rely on entities like the Costa Rican Chain of Food Retailers (Cadena de
Detallistas)\* with their numerous warehouses and self-serve
distribution centers. However, over the last several years owners of
traditional markets also use wholesale/membership clubs, warehouse
supermarkets, and other supermarket formats in completing their
purchases and identifying new products, and cheaper prices for their
clients.

An analysis of the changes which have been occurring, since the late
1990s, in supply and distribution trends in the Costa Rican market can
be found in a 2005 study by three professors of the Costa Rican
university E.A.R.T.H. \[M.Figueroa, I. Alvarado, J.French; *Tierra
Tropical* (2005) 1 (1): 37-43), ISSN: 1659-2751\]. The authors
identified three different distribution schemes presently operating at
various levels in the country:

-   Producer -\>Intermediary Supplier -\>Intermediary Distributor -\>
    Supermarket -\> Client

-   Producer -\> Intermediary Distributor -\> Supermarket -\> Client,
    and

-   Producer -\> Supermarket -\> Client.

Note: \* Please note that the *Chain of (Food) Retailers* (Cadena de
Detallistas) is different from the *Chamber of Retailers (Cámara de
Detallistas).*

They conclude that:

-   The presence of the Intermediary Supplier and Intermediary
    Distributor models will continue to decrease, and

-   The changes in distribution channels which force growers to deal
    directly with supermarkets, are forcing growers to: 1) produce
    better quality, 2) produce products with adequate phytosanitary
    prerequisites, and 3) produce more quantity.

**B. RETAIL FOOD SECTOR STRUCTURE**

**1. Super Stores and Supermarkets**

**a. Market Structure**

Costa Rica's five principal supermarket chains consisting of
Consolidated Supermarkets United (CSU/ Wal-Mart Central America) Grupo
Zeta (Mega Super), Automercado, Perimercados and PriceSmart account for
over 268 supermarkets (119 in 1999; 223 in 2004). By 2009, projections
are that these five chains alone will account for over 300 supermarkets.

Through acquisitions, mega-mergers, buy-outs, and intense competition,
\-- and not *without* intense controversy from growers, suppliers,
distributors, traditional market owners, food chambers, consumers and
others \-- these five mega-retailers, in eight short years more than
doubled their footprint. It is said the growth of the supermarket
phenomena in Latin America took only 10 years what took nearly 60 years
in the U.S.

A study by a prominent Costa Rican food chamber in 2002 stated that 50
percent of Costa Ricans frequent large supermarkets while 50 percent
frequent the small traditional markets.

Costa Rica's ride into fast-track supermarket development was spawned
from a combination of factors: the country's rich democratic and stable
heritage, a high rate of literacy, sound economic growth, relatively low
rates of inflation and solid rates of employment. Eventually these
factors led to the arrival of dozens of multi-national manufacturing
firms, fast-food chains (KFC arrived in San José some 30 years ago) and
eventually the designation as a major, coveted and highly-prized
international tourist destination and home to pensioners and sometimes
international super-stars, to name a few.

The five major retailers offer all Costa Ricans a rich mix of shopping
formats in stores ranging from 1,000 square meters to over 26,000 square
meters. Formats sometimes include smaller square footage variations of
standard sizes found in the U.S., but include:

-   Limited-assortment store

-   Membership wholesale clubs

-   Mini-Clubs (1/4 the size of wholesale clubs with a cash & carry
    concept and some 60 per cent of the SKUs of normal wholesale clubs)

-   Super warehouse stores

-   Supercenters

-   Supermarkets

-   Superstores

-   Super Warehouses

-   Warehouse stores, and

-   Internet-based grocery distribution

These 10 formats allow every socio-economic strata and population group
to find either prices that meet their budget, or in the case of the
upper-class or pensioner community \-- a variety of high value products.

Some individuals buy their basics (called 'canasta básica') in the most
economical store, and then purchase a variety of products in other
retail formats. Three of the nation's five largest chains penetrate the
market at more than one format level. Food retail executives stated
plans to open new supermarkets in both urban and tourist areas
especially in the extremely popular province of Guanacaste
(vacation/beach area) before the close of 2007 as well as into the
future. The increasing number of pensioners and tourists flocking to
Costa Rica are seen as reason enough for expansion.

Wal-Mart for example just opened the seventh of it's largest, most
*Wal-Mart-like stores* in the province of Cartago and will open another
four stores by year's end. Mega Super (Grupo Zeta) has eight stores
planned for construction by the end of 2007, and Auto Mercado has two
more planned for 2007, and two to three more for 2008.

### 

### b. Store Trends 

Walking into most Costa Rican larger and newer supermarkets is
reminiscent of walking into a newer U.S. grocery store.

Costa Ricans make their major grocery store purchases every two weeks,
or as Latin Americans say, '*every 15 days'*. Going to the large, new,
brightly lighted stores with aisles upon aisles of food selection and
options from all over the world, has turned into a kind of *outing
experience* that can occupy hours of a family's time. Supermarket
purchases are supplemented with smaller purchases during the week at the
traditional neighborhood store called *pulperia* or at 'mini-supers.'
(See section on Traditional Markets).

As the five mega-retailers try to win new customers, some stores compete
not only on price and selection but by providing numerous ancillary
services under the same roof. A partial list of services or kiosks found
in a supermarket's compound includes:

-   Bakery

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-   Banking services

-   Bill payment services: utilities, credit cards, etc.

-   Cafeteria services

-   Car and tire centers

-   Carry out services

-   Catering services

-   Cell phone sales and service

-   Coffee bars

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-   Deli services

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-   Dry cleaning services

-   Fashion boutiques/kiosks

-   Florists and plant shops

-   Jewelry stores

-   Office services

-   Pharmacy

-   Photo services

-   Shoe repair

-   Snack/soda shops

-   Sushi-to-go

-   Video rental

Most large supermarkets also offer a combination of 'loyalty points',
their own credit cards, and a number of other amenities, like exercise
programs to further entice and win-over customers.

Some 867,000 Costa Ricans (20.3 percent of the population) have access
to the Internet and are comfortable cyber-surfing for groceries. The
high-end supermarket that in 2002 pioneered on-line grocery sales and
home delivery, experienced a 10 percent growth in it's on-line sales in
2006. Other chains now offer the same service. Some food importers and
distributors are also taking cyber-orders and making 'home deliveries.

All five major supermarket chains have sophisticated web sites. While
U.S. supermarket web sites address food prices and recipes, Costa Rica's
supermarket web sites focus on concepts more important to the latino
consumer:

-   the experience of shopping in a store,

-   how the store satisfies the necessities of customers and the
    customer's family, and

-   how 'their' supermarket offers a tranquil and pleasant environment
    with service that

is efficient and personalized.

> **c. Entry Strategy**
>
> Supermarket executives interviewed indicate most of their stores carry
> between 3,500 to 30,000 SKUs and a range of 300 to 5,000 brands.
> Approximately:

-   55 percent of their stores' products are imports (averages between
    50 and 60 percent), and

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-   32 percent of all imports are from the U.S. (averages between 20 and
    40 percent).

> See Section on Best Product Prospects for a summary of new food
> products of interest to retailers. All food retail executives
> repeatedly stated strong interest in:

-   Being *the first* to bring new, different and exciting food products
    from the U.S. to their stores,

-   Adding, or expanding private labels from the U.S., and

-   Continuing, and/or expanding their relationships with U.S. suppliers
    and consolidators.

> One major super warehouse retailer interviewed sites the following
> recent growth patterns and trends:

  -------------------------------------- --------------------------------
  **Food item**                          **Growth Percentage**

  Beer & Wine                            35 %

  Candies and Chocolates                 30%

  Canned Fruit                           20%

  Canned Vegetables                      20%

  Cereal                                 10%

  Fish & Seafood                         15%

  Fresh Fruit                            10%

  Fresh Vegetables                       10%

  Frozen Vegetables                      30%

  Organic foods                          15%

  Pet food                               15%

  Snacks, all kinds                      40%
  -------------------------------------- --------------------------------

> Source: COBOLCOR

Several executives sited interest in the following items and activities:

-   more fresh food products,

-   generic labels with products in larger sizes and with simpler
    labels,

-   possibly establishing a whole section within a supermarket offering
    tourists, pensioners and others, niche-brand products, and

-   receiving training on special handling of high end food products
    (beef, processed foods, etc.).

c.  **Distribution Channels**

#### Flow Chart 1.

![](media/image6.wmf){width="5.995833333333334in"
height="3.7534722222222223in"}

Source: COBOLCOR

c.  **Company Profiles**

#### Table 3.

#### Super Stores and Supermarkets -- Company Profiles

Source: COBOLCOR & interviews with food sector executives July 2007.

**2. Convenience Stores, Gas Marts**

**a. Market Structure**

Gas stations in rural and tourist areas appear to be without an
organized convenience store system or network. There are some
convenience store/gas mart hybrids located in large, important highway
intersections that resemble 'mini-supers' (derived from the traditional
market, the pulperia). The gas station and the convenience store are
usually owned by the same proprietor. In urban areas convenience stores
are run by three major players Shell, AM/PM and Texaco (Chevron).

Shell expects a 10 percent growth (2007) in food sales in it's 10 gas
marts nationwide. From 2003-2007 Shell experienced a 20 percent growth
in the energy drink sub-sector, their most important product. A portion
of Shell's convenience stores serve a limited sit down breakfast and
lunch menu and many stores carry more over 1000 products and 1000
brands. Seventy percent of their products are imports, and 80 percent of
those imports, snacks, are from the U.S.

Another major player, AM/PM (6 AM to 12 Midnight) has 13 urban stores
selling some 2,500 products (mostly food-related) from some 600 brands
in stores that are 150 to 350 square meters. Approximately 25 percent of
AM/PM products' are imports. AM/PM's prepared food sector experienced an
astounding 400% growth, in 2006 over the previous year. Growth in
prepared foods is attributed, in part, to San Jose's traffic congestion
requiring people to leave home early, without breakfast, and eat lunch
at locations close to work instead of returning home for lunch as Costa
Ricans historically have done. G*allo pinto* (rice and beans), the
nation's national dish, is now sold at convenience stores and consumed
from plastic containers at work.

AM/PM plans to open seven more of its urban stores by 2009 and expand
it's prepared food kitchen operations due to the growth in this sector.
AM/PM is intent on selling products that are only quick, tasty,
convenient and freshly made in AM/PMs kitchens and/or on location in
their small self-serve counters which feature a variety of snacks and
take-out foods. Every month AM/PM sells some 7,000 pizza baguettes. And
while frozen foods are not desirable in these enterprises, *fiesta
products* (avocados, guacamole, chili, tostados, beer, wine) are.

While recognizing the need for their stores in resort locations AM/PM
does not plan to expand into outlying areas for six to seven years
citing infrastructure concerns.

Meanwhile, AM/PM has invented a new high-end hybrid within the
convenience store sector and recently opened four *Fresh Market*
convenience stores, or *food boutiques* catering exclusively to the
upper class female shopper, affluent pensioners and ex-pats -- to name a
few. These 350 square meter food boutiques feature some 3,500 products,
representing some 800 brands.

The future of convenience stores and gas marts, may lie, in part, with
the tourist industry where the seven-to-14 day vacationer often requires
nothing more than a quick familiar snack or familiar soda drink purchase
from a gas mart or convenience store rather than a supermarket visit.

Nearly 1.8 million tourists leave some \$1.6 billion in tourist revenues
in Costa Rica. An average of 1,888 international flights a month
(472/week; reported for the first half of 2007) land in this country the
size of West Virginia \-- a 37 percent increase over 2006. Tourists in
rental cars and large tourism buses can overload existing and oftentimes
scarce gas stations on the country's sometimes-desolate roadways. The
void in gas marts is being met with hybrid enterprises that combine
mini-supers (derived from the traditional market, the pulperia, see
section on traditional markets) and gas stations, usually owned by the
same local proprietor. Growth in this area is both expected and
necessary.

c.  **Entry Strategy**

The nation's convenience stores and gas marts are both evolving and
experiencing spotty growth. Variations exist between the numerous urban
gas-marts and convenience stores, and the infrequent stores in areas
outside of San Jose, along the nation's roadways, or in the rural,
mountain and beach regions of the country.

Convenience store executives indicate that while price is not a factor
for the convenience store customer, quality, flavor and the novelty of a
product are important. Executives encourage U.S. food and beverage
exporters to be more aggressive in bringing new products to their stores
despite the high tariffs associated with key convenience store products
like drinks, snacks and chocolates.

Costa Rican imports of soda and flavored water doubled from \$7.9
million in 2004 to \$15.6 million in 2006 indicating substantial growth
that could continue in the future. The U.S. share of that import
category was overshadowed by imports from Austrian and Central American
suppliers. Executives noted that tasty, new beverages, mainly from
Central American suppliers are important for their expanding and
evolving inventories, however supplies are often inconsistent. U.S.
products, on the other hand, they say, are always consistent in quality
and supply. U.S. imports of cookies, pastries, chocolate, candy, as well
as fruit and vegetable juices, mainstays of convenience stores, jumped
from \$13.9 million in 2004 to \$24.1 million in 2006, however,
additional new U.S. products in these categories are sought-after. See
Table 4.

**c. Distribution Channels**

#### Flow Chart 2.

#### ![](media/image7.wmf)

#### 

Source: COBOLCOR.

**d. Company Profiles**

#### Table 4.

**Convenience Stores, Gas Marts -- Company Profiles**

Source: COBOLCOR & interviews with food sector executives July 2007.

**3. Traditional Markets**

**a. Market Structure**

> Estimates are that there are over 13,000 traditional grocery stores in
> Costa Rica. The concept of the traditional grocery store, or
> "pulperia" (*pul-per-ia*; also called *bodega*, or *tienda de alta
> frequencia* in other countries) is popular in Costa Rica and
> throughout Latin America.
>
> These grocery stores which can be the size of a large closet, or as
> large as 5,000 square feet (called mini-supers), are, still today, the
> backbone of Latin America's food retail industry. It can be said that
> tastes are first cultivated in this very traditional, neighborhood
> store.
>
> Depending on it's size, a pulperia can stock from 300 to \>1000 items.
> Despite it's limited variety (by U.S. standards), some customers are
> known to visit their favorite neighborhood pulperia, as often as four
> times a day. And while middle class Costa Ricans enjoy their bi-weekly
> visit to a large supermarket, many supplement the large weekly
> purchase with visits to these popular traditional markets which pepper
> most urban and rural neighborhoods.

There are three key distinguishing features of the Costa Rican, and
Latin American pulperia:

-   food items are sold in small packages, or the smallest unit packaged
    by manufacturers (i.e. small envelopes found in box with 10 small
    envelopes);

-   food items are in limited quantity; and,

-   an easy line-of-credit (no application, no credit cards required) to
    loyal clients is readily available.

> A recent **Wall Street Journal** *Americas* article *(Proctor &Gamble
> battles to conquer the poor; the conglomerate learns the importance of
> the corner store,* No.626, July 23-29, 2007) underscores the
> importance of these traditional Latin American markets. According to
> the article, Procter & Gamble (P&G) views these traditional markets as
> an important 'gateway' to creating and maintaining loyal customers.
> Contrary to what was anticipated, at least in the case of Mexico,
> Wal-Mart's arrival was not viewed as competition to the some 620,000
> traditional Mexican markets. Rather, P&G ranks the traditional stores
> as their number one client, \-- and Wal-Mart, number two.
>
> Immigrants living in Costa Rica for dozens of years report having
> never shopped in a non-traditional store preferring to use the
> pulperia for all grocery purchases.
>
> Rural pulperias and mini-supers or traditional mom-and-pop stores also
> fill an important niche providing rural residents, *tourists and
> pensioners* in remote beach and mountain resorts with all the basic
> conveniences not presently filled by gas marts, convenience stores or
> large supermarkets.
>
> A new, expanded version of the pulperia, called 'mini-supers' has
> arrived and fills a position in between the large retail supermarket,
> the convenience stores and the pulperia. These mini-supers carry
> thousands of products and are a combination of a 'dollar store' and a
> pulperia containing a large variety of non-food items.

**b. Entry Strategy**

Traditional Markets can be used as an entry strategy and learning
laboratory for U.S. exporters. U.S. exporters often think only in large
sales and larger volumes. A small market like Costa Rica is seen as
unattractive or a waste of time. However***,*** many U.S. food
manufacturers are already packaging, for their U.S. consumers, food
items which could have instant and ready appeal to Costa Rica's 13,000
pulperias as well as the millions of 'stores of frequent use' (tiendas
de alta frequency) that dominate Latin America's food retail sector.

> A pulperia, for example, will sell the one-hundred-calorie cookie
> package (found in boxes containing 10, 100 calorie packages), or a .06
> oz cylinder package of powder ice tea mix individually. A box
> containing 10 small envelopes, for example, produces 10 customers in
> Costa Rica's traditional markets. For financial and cultural reasons
> customers only purchase items for that day or the next day.

c.  **Distribution Channels**

> Traditional Markets distribution channels incorporate wholesale and
> warehouse stores. Most pulperia owners buy one or two weeks worth of
> merchandise for their stores, in addition to making extra daily
> purchases. Historically they have relied on established distributors,
> wholesalers and importers such as Grupo Constenla, Distribuidora Pedro
> Oller, Interfrutd and others.
>
> However, the arrival of wholesale membership clubs and warehouse
> stores allows the pulperia owner to use these large retail outlets to
> take additional control over pricing, packaging (most is done in the
> confines of the traditional market) and inventory.
>
> In warehouse and wholesale membership stores, traditional storeowners
> can purchase a large bag of rice or a large package of breaded chicken
> breasts and then sell them in small bags, packages or units. This
> concept, prevalent throughout Latin America, is the polar opposite of
> what occurs in the U.S. but is designed to save clients money as they
> purchase just enough for a day's meals in these ubiquitous stores.
>
> A key distributor for the traditional market owner is the Costa Rican
> Chain of Food Retailers (Cadena de Detallistas) who for over 40 years
> has served pulperia owners through numerous self-serve warehouses
> offering over 6,000 items from some 600 suppliers. In 2004-2005 the
> Chain's revenues grew 21 percent while their client base (pulperias
> and mini-supers) grew 35 percent. The Chain of Retailers has their own
> private label that they would like to expand \-- allowing them to
> lower costs for their members.
>
> Distributors of bread, milk, snacks and other food items continue to
> make deliveries to pulperias and mini-supers although this form of
> distribution is increasingly viewed as too expensive and dangerous
> (robberies often occur). Local farmer's markets, as well as wholesale
> distribution centers for fish, meat, vegetables and fruit are also
> used by the traditional storeowner.

#### Flow Chart 3

> ![](media/image8.wmf){width="5.996527777777778in" height="3.74375in"}

Source: COBOLCOR

**d. Sub-Sector Profile**

#### Table 5.

**Traditional Markets -- Profile**

Source: COBOLCOR & interviews with traditional market owners July 2007.

**SECTION IV. COMPETITION**

**Local Producers**

There are over 1,300 companies in the Costa Rican food-processing
sector. Encouraged by a relatively stable economy and government
campaigns to foster the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises,
the Costa Rican food industry is steadily growing, incorporating
technological advances that offer a wide range of locally produced and
processed items. The food manufacturing sector represents 40 percent of
the national manufacturing production and in 2006 this sector exported
over \$740 million.

Costa Rica has been incorporating advanced technologies into the
conservation of locally produced foods \-- preserves, concentrates, deep
freezing, canning, and packaging thus opening the door to new markets
and diversity, both for internal consumption and also for export. Key
Costa Rica exports include coffee, bananas, sugar, preserves, jellies,
heart of palm, concentrated tropical fruits, macadamia nuts, jalapeño
peppers, food pastas, tropical sauces, tuna, and canned sardines \--
among others.

Tropical fruits and vegetables like bananas, pineapples, cantaloupes,
watermelons, mangos, yuca, ginger, yams, malanga, roots and tubers,
vegetables and greens \-- produced both with conventional methods as
well as organically \-- have been very important products in the
international markets, as much as for fresh food consumption as for
fresh raw ingredients.

Locally produced products that present competition to U.S. exporters
include: meats (processed), dairy products, coffee, spices and
condiments (sauces), vegetable oils, candies and chocolates, pasta,
snacks, bakery and pastry products, soups (powder), beverages (beer,
bottled water, fruit juices), and, of course, tropical vegetables and
fruits.

Neighboring countries (Central America, Mexico and Panama) have the
advantage of proximity and export large amounts of certain food products
to Costa Rica such as fish, beans, breakfast cereals, avocados, fresh
fruits and vegetables. Relations between Canada and Costa Rica are
strong and are highlighted by a 2002 bilateral treaty - the Canada-Costa
Rica Free Trade Agreement (CCRTA).

Chile and China are also major food competitors for the U.S. in Costa
Rica. Analysis of some trends and observations of these markets follows.

Table 6 provides an overview of food imports, by sector and by country,
from 2004-2006.

### 

### Canada and Chile

-   Chilean and Canadian fruits and vegetables, and especially potatoes
    from Canada enter the Costa Rican market free of import duties
    giving both importers a price advantage. Although Chilean fruit
    compliments the U.S. market's fruit, furnishing product during
    opposite seasons, retail food executives noted that Chilean
    suppliers are becoming more aggressive within the Costa Rican
    market,

-   In 2006, Chile exported \$9 million of processed tomatoes
    (paste/sauce; vs. less than \$1 million from the U.S.) and Canada
    exported \$4 million of frozen fries (potatoes),

```{=html}
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```
-   Some \$4 million french fries from Canada enter Costa Rica annually,

```{=html}
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```
-   Canada also exports corn, soybeans, food preparations, wheat, and
    dried and shelled kidney beans,

-   Total Canadian imports grew from \$82.7 million in 2004 to \$90
    million in 2006,

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```
-   Total Chilean imports grew from \$109.8 in 2004 to \$217.2 in 2006,
    and

```{=html}
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```
-   \$5.3 million of condensed milk was imported from Chile in 2006.

### 

### China

Costa Rica's relationship with China changed significantly in the last
two years. In 2000 Costa Rican imports from China amounted to \$115
million. In 2006, imports from China reached \$618 million.

-   Chinese imports grew from \$272 million in 2004 (3.3 percent of all
    imports), \$409 in 2005, and \$554 (4.8 pecent) in 2006

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   The U.S. is the main supplier of bulk items such as corn (maize),
    rice, soybeans and wheat (See Table 6 ), however in the past two
    years China's imports of beans reached over \$8 million a year, a
    category historically dominated by Nicaragua, Argentina and
    Honduras,

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Chinese imports of both fresh and dry vegetables grew from \$1.6
    million in 2004 to \$2.8 in 2006 making it Costa Rica's key exporter
    in that category

-   The Cadena of Detallistas (Chain of Food Retailers) which services
    thousands of traditional markets throughout the country indicates
    that Chinese suppliers are gaining audience in their organization.

### CAFTA/DR

New-to-export companies should be aware of the importance that trade
agreements, tariffs and trade barriers have in doing business
internationally.  The CAFTA/DR Trade Agreement is one such example.

On Sunday, October 7, 2007 Costa Ricans, in a referendum election, voted
to approve, by a narrow margin, the Central America-Dominican
Republic-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA/DR).  Costa Rica has
been the only missing participant of this Central American trade
agreement.  In order for this agreement to enter into force however,
Costa Rica still needs to pass all of the implementing legislation by
February 29, 2008.

CAFTA/DR is designed to reduce and then eliminate tariffs and trade
barriers in a reciprocal nature with the U.S. The US Trade
Representative has covered all aspects of this agreement extensively on
their website.  Please consult their web site (http://www.ustr.gov/) for
current and historical information on CAFTA/DR.

US exporters should also be aware of Food and Agriculture Import
Regulation Standards for exporting to Costa Rica, as well as Export
Certificate requirements. This information can be found on in FAS GAIN
reports CS7012 and CS7015.

Finally, the following tables present a snapshot of the major food
imports in the last three years:

#### Table 6.

Source: Data from Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas y Censos
(INEC![](media/image9.wmf){width="6.0in" height="4.222222222222222in"}),
[http://www.inec.go.cr](http://www.inec.go.cr/)

#### Table 7

![](media/image10.wmf){width="6.0in"
height="8.114583333333334in"}Source: Data from the Instituto Nacional de
Estadistica y Censos, http://www.inec.go.cr

#### Table 7 (continuation)

![](media/image11.wmf){width="6.0in"
height="5.958333333333333in"}Source: Data from Instituto Nacional de
Estadistica y Censos, http://www.inec.go.cr.

The nearly 25 Costa Rican retail food executives interviewed for this
report provided valuable insight and observations about retail food
industry and what it takes for U.S. food manufacturers to enter, and to
be successful in this market. The overwhelming sentiment from the
executives was that importing food products from the U.S. is
'predictable,' a 'charm', and -- 'easier than any other country.' That
said, it could be questioned as to why the following list identifies
more 'challenges' than ' advantages.'

It simple terms, the following should be noted:

-   Retail food executives interviewed displayed keen interest in
    sharing information that would be beneficial to U.S. exporters since
    they *truly* want to import food items from the U.S. but recognized
    that other food exporters (especially from Chile, China and Canada)
    are steadily gaining market share.

-   The 'Challenges' list contains relevant information from the media,
    visits to all kinds of retail and wholesale food outlets, visits
    with government officials, conversations with every-day citizens as
    well as others.

#### Chart 5. Advantages and Challenges for U.S. Food Exporters

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **Advantages**                    |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| ● Costa Rican food importers,     | ● Costa Rica's growing middle     |
| distributors and retailers        | class, many who frequently travel |
| unequivocally say importing from  | to the U.S., find, identify and   |
| the U.S. is: 'a charm', 'very     | boaster acceptance of U.S.-made   |
| easy,' easier than with any other | food products.                    |
| country, likes the U.S.           |                                   |
| 'follow-through.'                 | ● A new generation of two-person  |
|                                   | working households, means limited |
| ● Costa Rican food retailers want | time for meal preparation and a   |
| to establish more relationships   | demand for U.S. prepared, and in  |
| with more suppliers and/or        | some cases frozen, foods.         |
| manufacturers. "There's lots of   |                                   |
| room for more U.S. products,"     | ● U.S. manufacturers presently    |
| they say.                         | packaging one hundred calorie     |
|                                   | packaged cookies and small        |
| ● Most large retailers expressed  | packages of ice tea mix in small  |
| keen interest in bringing on, or  | units, for example, are ideally   |
| adding U.S. 'private label'       | suited, for Costa Rica's 13,000   |
| brands/items.                     | traditional markets, gas marts    |
|                                   | and convenience stores.           |
| ● Despite '0' tariffs on frozen   |                                   |
| french fries from Canada and      | ● Consistency in value and supply |
| relatively high tariffs for U.S.  | characterizes U.S. products over  |
| french fries, importers/retailers | products from competing           |
| (\<\>30 percent) purchase some    | countries.                        |
| U.S. french fries and want more.  |                                   |
|                                   | ● Food products found in          |
| ● Booming tourism industry        | Chinese-American                  |
| dominated by U.S. tourists,       | communities/cities may be ideal   |
| pensioners and expats fosters a   | for the anticipated arrival of    |
| need for, and an appreciation of  | wealthy Chinese travelers who are |
| both general and niche food       | being courted to come to Costa    |
| products from the U.S. (i.e.      | Rica for business and tourism.    |
| tender beef, smoked salmon).      |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **Challenges**                    |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| ● Retail food executives complain | ● Organic products, while still   |
| U.S. food suppliers and           | of interest, and considered 'a    |
| manufacturers cannot give Costa   | trend' are not dominating the     |
| Rica retailers any purchase price | market in any significant way.    |
| advantage due to it's small       | Local organic farmers can meet    |
| market and volume.                | national needs.                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ● Frozen foods, while evident in  | ● U.S. exporters don't have a     |
| all supermarkets, and especially  | marketing strategy and are        |
| the wholesale clubs, are still    | unwilling to commit advertising   |
| met with (cultural/culinary)      | dollars for popular newspaper     |
| resistance and avoidance.         | campaigns or radio campaigns. One |
|                                   | executive cites how a popular     |
| ● Chilean and Canadian fruits and | U.S. beer failed due to a lack of |
| vegetables (and especially frozen | advertising.                      |
| french fries from Canada) enter   |                                   |
| the market with "0" import taxes. | ● Importers, especially of        |
|                                   | high-end products (for high-end   |
| ● Chinese food imports, while     | restaurants and hotels) seek      |
| still small, are seen as          | education for their sales force   |
| unbeatable in some areas. Garlic  | on the finer points and values of |
| flowers sell at approximately 150 | U.S. food products (i.e. handling |
| colones (30 cents), a price local | special cuts of beef).            |
| growers cannot compete with.      |                                   |
|                                   | ● Fruit importers say they try to |
| ● Costa Rican retailers seek      | stretch-out their imports from    |
| packaging that is ecologically    | Chile (whose fruit enters with 0  |
| sensitive, not a strength of U.S. | tariffs) thus trying to post-pone |
| manufacturers/packagers.          | imports from the U.S. (U.S. and   |
|                                   | Chilean fruits complement each    |
|                                   | other's seasons).                 |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **Challenges (continued)**        |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| ● U.S. exporters, according to    | ● Some major retailers and        |
| the Ministry of Health,           | importers (Wal-Mart,              |
| consistently fail to fill out     | Perimercados, Belca Importers)    |
| product registration and 'free to | have their own cattle farms, meat |
| sell' forms correctly causing     | processing plants, bread          |
| delays in processing entries of   | processing facilities, etc.       |
| new products.                     | reducing the need for some        |
|                                   | imports.                          |
| ● U.S. food products are not      |                                   |
| (generally) geared for the small  | ● U.S. exporters can't expect     |
| traditional markets (13,000       | they'll get the same price for    |
| pulperias) which sell items in    | their prices in Wal Mart Costa    |
| their smallest unit possible      | Rica as they do in Wal Mart U.S.  |
| (small cans, small packages,      | Recognizing this, Proctor &       |
| small envelopes).                 | Gamble reduced their introductory |
|                                   | prices and gained market share,   |
| ● Retail food executives say U.S. |                                   |
| companies lack an aggressive      | ● Importers and distributors have |
| approach to the Costa Rican       | to assign as many as 20-30 people |
| market.                           | to add Spanish labels to imports. |
|                                   | Central American standardization  |
| ● Food manufacturers and fruit    | of label requirements will assist |
| and vegetables growers from       | in this endeavor.                 |
| Canada, Mexico, Latin America     |                                   |
| (Chile and Perú) and China have   | ● While the market is replete     |
| become increasingly aggressive    | with experienced importers and    |
| thanks, in part to preferential   | distributors, a need for          |
| tariffs and trade agreements and  | 'additional logistical' support   |
| budding new cultural, commercial  | (regional warehouses) was stated. |
| and economic relationships.       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ● Larger versions of the          |                                   |
| traditional market/storeowners    |                                   |
| (often owned by people of Chinese |                                   |
| heritage) or "mini-supers"        |                                   |
| (numbering in the thousands\<\>), |                                   |
| coupled with Costa Rica's new     |                                   |
| relationship with China means     |                                   |
| that Chinese food suppliers are   |                                   |
| garnering attention with          |                                   |
| distributors and chambers.        |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

**SECTION V. CONTACTS AND FURTHER INFORMATION**

For questions in relation to this report or assistance in exporting to
Costa Rica, please contact the U.S. Embassy in San José at the following
address:

**I. U.S. Embassy San José, Costa Rica.**

Department of Agriculture

Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Unit 2507

APO AA 34020

Phone: (506)-519-2333 Fax (506) 519-2475

E-mail: <agsanjose@usda.gov>

Katherine.nishiura@usda.gov

Website: www.fas.usda.gov

Ms. Katherine Nishiura, Agricultural Attaché

Ms. Justina Torry, Assitant Attaché

Mr. Víctor González, Agricultural Specialist

Ms. Illeana Ramírez, Agricultural Marketing Specialist

Ms. Cynthia Smith-Palliser, Agricultural Marketing Assistant

Ms. Rosa Murillo, Administrative Assistant

Department of Commerce- Commercial Service Unit 2508

APO, AA 34020-9508

Phone: (506) 519-2000 extensions 2202, 2207, 2299, 2263

Fax: (506) 231-4783

E-mail: san.josecr.officebox@mail.doc.gov

Website: http://www.buyusa.gov/costarica/en/

Mr. James Mc Carthy, Commercial Attaché

Mr. Víctor Cambronero, Senior Commercial Specialist

Mr. Rodrigo Rojas, Commercial Specialist

Mr. Roy Fernández, Commercial Assistant

Ms. Eugenia Solera, Commercial Assistant

Mr. Emilio Cordoba, Administrative Assistant

Department of State-Economic Section-Unit 2501

APO AA 34020-9501

Phone (506) 519-2022 Fax (506) 232-7944

Website: www.usembassy.or.cr

Mr. Mark E. Kissel, Economic Counselor

Mr. José María Quirós, Economist

##### II. Business, Country, Industry and Trade Associations and Chambers

AMCHAM (Local American Chamber of Commerce)

Cámara Costarricense-Norteamericana de Comercio---AMCHAM

(Costa Rican-American Chamber of Commerce --AMCHAM)

U.S. Mailing address: SJO-1576 P.O. Box 025216

Miami, FL 33102-5216

International mailing address:

Apdo. 4946-1000

San José, Costa Rica

Phone (506) 220-2200 Fax (506) 220-2300

E-mail: <chamber@amcham.co.cr>, Website:
[www.amcham.co.cr](http://www.amcham.co.cr/)

Cámara de Comercio de Costa Rica (Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce)

Apartado 1114-1000

San José, Costa Rica

Phone (506) 221-0005 Fax (506) 233-7091, 223-1157

E-mail: <camaraco@racsa.co.cr>, Website: www.camara-comercio.com

Contacts: Alonso Elizondo, Executive Director; Carola Medina,
Administrative Assistant International Commerce Center

Cámara de Comercio Exterior de Costa Rica y de Representantes de Casas
Extranjeras (CRECEX)

(Charmber of Foreign Commerce of Costa Rica and of Representatives of
Foreign Firms)

Apartado 3738-1000

San José, Costa Rica

Phone (506) 253-0126 Fax (506) 234-2557

E-mail: <crecex@racsa.co.cr>, Website:
[www.crecex.com](http://www.crecex.com/)

Contact: Mr. Luis Fernándo Monge, Executive Director

Cámara de Industrias de Costa Rica

(Costa Rican Chamber of Industries)

Apartado 10003-1000

San José, Costa Rica

Phone: (506) 202-5600 Fax: (506) 234-6163

E-mail: <mcastillo@cicr.com> / dejecutiva@cicr.com

Website: [www.cicr.com](http://www.cicr.com/)

Contact: Mr. Jack Liberman, President

Mrs. Martha Castillo, Executive Vice President

Cámara Nacional de Agricultura y Agroindustria

(National Chamber of Agriculture and Agribusiness)

Apartado 1671-1000

San José, Costa Rica

Phone: (506) 280-1569// (506)2225-8245

Fax: (506) 280-0969

E-mail: <cnaacr@racsa.co.cr>, Website: www.cnaacr.com

Contact: Mr. Alvaro Sáenz, President

Ms. Gabriela Sandí, Executive Director

Cámara Costarricense de la Industria Alimentaria -- CACIA

(Costa Rican Chamber of Food Industries)

Apartado Postal 7097-1000

San José, Costa Rica

Phone: (506) 234-1127 Fax (506) 234-6783

E-mail: <info@cacia.org>, <mmontero@cacia.org>, Website: www.cacia.org

Contact : Mr. Mario Montero, Executive Director

Coalición de Iniciativas de Desarrollo

(CINDE/Costa Rican Investment and Trade Development Board)

Apartado 7170-1000

San José, Costa Rica

Phone (506) 201-2800 Fax (506) 201-2867

E-mail: <invest@cinde.org>

Website: www.cinde.org

Contact: Ms. Gabriella Llobet, General Manager

Mr. Emmanuel Hess, Services Support Director

Office in New York (CINDE/Costa Rican Investment and Trade Development
Board)

Phone: (212)997-9662 Fax (212)997-9839

E-mail: pmadrigal@cinde.org or cindeny@cinde.org

Contact: Ms. Pilar Madrigal, CINDE NY Executive

####### III. Comprehensive Economic Information 

Central Bank of Costa Rica www.bccr.fi.cr

Ministry of Foreign Trade www.comex.go.cr

Costa Rican Foreign Trade Corporation www.procomer.com

Bureau of Labor Statistics http://stats.bls.gov

####### IV. Statistics and Population 

National Institute of Statistics and Census-INEC www.inec.go.cr

####### V. Newspapers 

La Nación: [www.nacion.co.cr](http://www.nacion.co.cr/)

La Prensa Libre: www.prensalibre.co.cr

El Financiero: [www.financiero.co.cr](http://www.financiero.co.cr/)

The Tico Times: www.ticotimes.net

La República: www.larepublica.net

#