Located in the city of Lincoln, province of Buenos Aires, Kwezi is a company that manufactures functional gluten-free foods, such as whole wheat flours, premixes and snacks.

Among its products, the following can be mentioned: wholemeal white sorghum, wholemeal Yamani rice, and teff, white sorghum, Yamani rice wholemeal flours, and also wholemeal universal premix (with white sorghum and Yamani rice wholemeal flour), teff brownie premix, pop sorghum and vegetable medallion premix with flour and pieces of white sorghum. Kwezi has a production capacity of 50 tons per year. Every product of Kwezi has the "Gluten Free" certification, issued by the Ministry of Health of the Province of Buenos Aires.

Kwezi cultivates conscientiously and produces intelligently, taking care of every detail of the process, for example, after cleaning and classifying the cereals, ground in a specially designed mill, according to the ancient design of stone mills, which, with slow movements, avoids overheating, preserving the nutrients and flavor of the flour.

The INTI provided technical assistance in the development of teff flour, a very ancient cereal of African origin from the family of millet, with several nutritional properties. They also worked on the development of sorghum flour, pop sorghum, Yamani rice wholemeal flour and the hulling of the whole grain of white sorghum.

Carina Margaria, director of Kwezi, said: “we are practically the only ones in Latin America that produce teff flour, which is highly required for its nutritional properties. One of its main characteristics is that it provides slow absorption carbohydrates, which offers long-lasting energy, this is why it is highly consumed by athletes, due to its satiety effect. On the other hand, it is one of the few cereals which has vitamin C,” added Margaria.

They are currently working to introduce their products in the United States, Europe and Asia.

She remarks: “We are eager to satisfy customers who are increasingly committed to environmental care, who seek a healthy lifestyle and who care about the origin and process of the food they consume.”

• HS CODE (NCM)
- 1102.90.00.900D / Teff Wholemeal Flour
- 1102.90.00.400B / Yamani Wholemeal Flour
- 1102.90.00.900D / White Sorghum Wholemeal Flour

The sustainable food market is a global trend. Legume flour leads the market for its great health benefits, such as maintaining blood glucose level, improving digestion and helping to regulate weight. On this path, La Troja, located in the city of Oncativo, province of Córdoba, produces a wide range of foods with added value based on legumes.

Among its products, the following can be mentioned: native flours, precooked flours, extruded products, modified vegetable proteins, grain selection, deactivated soybeans, and legume-based foods. All its products are certified "Gluten Free" by the Department of Food of the province of Córdoba.

The firm approached the INTI with the objective of developing two products based on legume flour, one related to the application in the meat industry and the other to the development of a drink. This allowed them to expand their offer of products and is currently in permanent contact with the INTI in order to enhance capabilities in future developments.

“With the goal of including added value to our production, we have become the only ones in Latin America to work with a grain selection equipment composed with a mill that manufactures flour and a twin-screw extruder to manufacture extruded and precooked products,” explained Lucas Marinsalda – Managing Partner of the company.

They have been recently engaged in exports to Chile and Lucas Marinsalda commented about this experience: “It was a wonderful experience, because with our ally, an ingredient distribution company, we have developed products such as mayonnaise, vegan medallions, and instant soups, which, together with our application notes, were submitted to their customers to start working.”

Currently, La Troja is planning to develop strategic business alliances in every country of the American continent.

Their aim is to add value to Latin American companies and provide solutions to produce food in a sustainable way, with a focus on caring for the environment, animals and people's health.

“We are a company with a great opportunity, but at the same time we have a great challenge: to show the world the benefits of our raw materials based on legumes,” concluded Marinsalda.

• HS CODE (NCM)
- From extruded products
- 1106.10.00.200B / of chickpeas
- 1106.10.00.400M / of lentils
- 1106.10.00.100 W / of peas
- 1106.10.00.500T / of beans
- Flours
-1106.10.00.100W / Pea flour
- 1106.10.00.200B / Chickpea flour
- 1106.10.00.300G / Broad bean flour
- 1106.10.00.400M / Lentil flour
- 1106.10.00.500T / Bean flour

Argencrops, located in Perico, city of Las Pampitas, province of Jujuy, produces more than 9,000 tons of legumes per year, 95% of which are exported to more than 45 countries in America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and Southeast Asia.

They specialize in all varieties of beans, such as common, black turtle, red, mung, cranberry, cinnamon, round, adzuki and also produces pisingallo corn, chickpea, and chia seeds.

INTI specialists provided the company with training in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for Food and gluten-free foods. Diagnostic audits were also performed to obtain the Bureau Veritas HACCP certification and the “Gluten Free” certification issued by the National Food Institute (INAL) of Jujuy.

Currently, Argencrops is working together with an English-Spanish company in the development of ingredients with different formulations, such as flours to prepare just with water and in the microwave oven, also muffins, cupcakes, and several bakery products based on the vegetable protein.

Since the joining of the founders’ daughters, they were able to engage through social networks and, thus, they began to receive notifications from Iraq, Syria, Libya, and the entire Middle East. Thanks to this modality, 30% of its exports are destined today to that region of the world, which is a new market for this company from North Argentina.

Argencrops is seeking to expand its exports to Southeast Asia, a market that this year became interested in Argentine legumes.

"Our company is authorized to perform the complete production in the plant, which implies that the product is packaged and sealed from origin. We are the only producer in the Northwest region of Argentina that processes legumes with a safety certification,” clarified Rita Villafañe - Commercial Manager.

“We define ourselves as an entrepreneurial company opting for new projects and products. Thanks to the guaranteed traceability, our products have a high-quality guarantee," added Agustina Villafañe, Responsible for the area of Administration and Human Resources of the company.

• HS CODE (NCM)
- 0713.33.29.111Z / Common bean H.190
- 0713.33.29.112B / Common bean 191/220
- 0713.33.29.113D / Common bean of 221 EN +
- 0713.33.29.190Y / Common bean
- 0713.33.29.210C / Oval bean
- 0713.33.99.119K / Light red kidney
- 0713.33.99.129N / Dark red kidney
- 0713.33.99.929G / Cranberry beans
- 0713.33.99.999E / Cinnamon / Bayo / Palmeña beans
- 0713.31.90.900N / Mung bean
- 1005.90.10.219X / Pisingallocorn bagged in a package heavier than 2 kg.
- 0713.20.90.110X / Chickpeas
- 0713.20.90.911T / Chickpeas bigger than or equal to 9 mm
- 0713.20.90.912V / Chickpeas bigger than or equal to 8 mm but smaller than 9 mm
- 0713.20.90.913X / Chickpeas bigger than or equal to 7 mm but smaller than 8 mm
- 0713.32.90.100G / Adzuki beans
- 1207.99.90.300Q / Chia seeds

For over 25 years, Pérez Mercader S.A. -a family company located in the city of San Salvador, the National Capital of Rice, in the province of Entre Ríos- has dedicated to rice processing.

With a production capacity of 2,000 tons of raw material per month, it industrializes three different qualities of polished rice, which are marketed under different brands:

El Galeón, grade 1 quality, the seeds are classified by color, size, without defects and according to a single variety. It is found in presentations of 500g -1kg -1lb - 2lb - 5lb -10lb - 25lb - 50lb. Secondly, el Mesonero, Chapetón grade 2 quality, in presentations of 500g - 1kg. Lastly, el Remolón, second quality rice that is sold in the domestic market.

Two types of conventional rice flour and a pregelatinized flour are also marketed under the brand El Galeón, registered as Gluten-Free Food (GFF) by the Food Control and Bromatology Institute (ICAB).

Together with the INTI they have worked on different projects to develop a flour gelatinization, rice oil extraction and a flour premix formulation. They are currently executing a project of balanced food for animals.

The company has a quality certification of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) issued by the International Agricultural Organization (Organización Internacional Agropecuaria, OIA) and a KOSHER certification issued by UK Kosher. It is currently working to acquire the Global Standard certification equivalent to GFSI.

Abroad, its main markets are the United States, Brazil and Chile. It is currently aiming at expanding its presence in Europe, Canada and Australia.

Regarding its exports, Claudia Mercader, marketing manager said: "In the markets where there is high consumption of rice, buyers know how to select, and there is where we differentiate ourselves, because we are true specialists in rice."

• HS CODE (NCM)
-10062031 / Hulled rice
-11029000 / Other cereal flours
-10063011 / Polished or glazed rice