“This is a difficult period, one of the most difficult since I’ve been in the sector. But, if we get discouraged, we change arms, then misfortune knocks on our door. I always try hard to round off the thorns of the rose, but I also know that it’s not always in bloom”, he notes.
“Honestly, what I do is always think the same thing, which is: this is a phase and this phase will be overcome.” Which is to say, the best thing is to continue working and preparing the company for potential setbacks, “because the better prepared we are, the better it will be to overcome the crisis”, he adds.
Focus on the regional economy
Leonor is not a woman to be easily discouraged. He lost his father when he was just over 20 years old, as he has said publicly more than once, and soon ended up at the helm of a family company that operated in a world [ainda mais] male, leaving his Social Service career behind. He has made the organization grow since then and, alongside Jaime Quendera, the winemaker who adds experience and agility, keeps the company 100% family-owned and an important business hub in the region and the country.
In recent years, it has ventured into the Douro and Vinhos Verdes regions, and although it is still far from the activity it does in Setúbal, the fact is that these were two bets that it has been winning, and in which it expects to continue investing.
“Always invest. Because I always think about the prospect of doing the best for the economy. I buy a lot of grapes”, revela. “And this has a social role that is relevant. There were many colleagues who got discouraged and stopped buying, but I think I have to buy from everyone [os produtores na região]for the sake of… notice: I didn’t come here. I’m from here. I’m rural. I was born here and it is in my way of being, in my feeling, to help the region and want it to continue to be a wine-growing region”, he assures.
Therefore, “I want to continue to help the economy and I also buy wine here in the region. There are colleagues who cannot sell it, but I am lucky enough to have a brand practically made, and that helps”, he says almost with shame.
Here, Leonor once again draws attention tothe importance of having Jorge Quendera as responsible for your winemaking – Quendera is considered one of the greatest experts in the region, where he has worked for decadeshaving been a consultant for several major brands, for which he won dozens of international awards, in addition to having a career closely linked to Adega Cooperativa de Pegões.
“Our winemaker, who is spectacular, is very aware of what each country likes, and has the ability to adapt, to adapt our wines to market trends. And our commercial director, who also has a lot of experience abroad, has done this work”, of being able to make up for declines in some geographies with increases in others.
Furthermore, the work of continuing to explore new markets is something that is encouraged by Leonor Freitas, a self-confessed lover of wine fairs and discovering new potential customers.
“We have a commercial director who is always out there, doing this work, and we have another here in Portugal. But our big growth last year was due to exports”, he notes.
The USA, which increased tariffs on products imported from the European Union, including wine, is a relevant market for Casa Ermelinda Freitas, but is not on the list of the largest, meaning the impact was mitigated by other geographies. The company has its main export markets in Brazil, Germany and the United Kingdom, and has guaranteed consistent sales to these regions, congratulates Leonor.
Less obvious markets, like the Netherlands – “look how big a consumer it is!” -, are also part of the portfolio of countries to which Casa Ermelinda Freitas exports.
“We’re trying to understand and we’re getting to know other markets. We don’t miss an international fair and this makes people see that there is persistence in quality, because we are there every year. Quality never diminishes”continues in style and justification, admitting that the fact that they continue to collect prizes in national and international competitions also helps. “Of course.”
“I think we have been gaining confidence in those markets where we are already more developed. And we take advantage of all markets, even if we start with a pallet. Even if we sometimes get lost in the first orders. What we don’t want is to lose the market”, he explains further.
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