Good Practice - Project
Paisagindo.bio – feito no Alentejo, com vagar (slowly made in Alentejo)
CAP funds provide an opportunity for a family farm to increase the production of organic teas and spices.
General information
RDP Priority
- P2. Competitiveness
RDP Focus Area
- 2A: Farm’s performance, restructuring & modernisation
RDP Measure
- M04: Investments in physical assets
Beneficiary type
- Small-Micro Enterprise
Summary
Paisagindo.bio is a Portuguese family firm from the Alentejo region processing Mediterranean aromatic and medicinal plants for high-quality organic teas and spices. They use traditional sustainable techniques free from pesticides. CAP funds for young farmers helped the company invest in a development project to grow, process, and market more organic products.
The main target group is consumers who are concerned about food safety and are looking for products that promote well-being and health. These consumers value natural and organic products, free from chemical additives, and seek to stay informed about sustainable and healthy practices. They prefer products that guarantee quality, transparency, and respect for the environment.
Results
- Customer growth increased to around 10 000 clients in the online shop alone and around 200 local shops and supermarkets;
- Safeguarding 5 permanent jobs (3 women and 2 men) and 1 part-time job;
- Converting a high-quality grazing area to an agricultural system with permanent crops and low water requirements;
- Reconstructing ruined buildings with natural materials as warehouses, social facilities, and plant dryers; and
- The brand contributes to the local economy by supporting regional farmers and suppliers, promoting sustainable practices, and protecting jobs in the community.
Promoter
Paisagindo, Lda
Funding
Total budget: 11 442 (EUR)
RDP support: 5 721 (EUR)
Private/own: 5 721 (EUR)
Keywords
Resources
Documents
Good practice report : Paisagindo bio
(PDF – 3.58 MB)
Context
Generational renewal funds for rural development in Portugal first provided an opportunity for Vanda and Ângelo Penetra to diversify from landscape ecology and botany into the commercial production of aromatic and medicinal plants from 3 ha of land. Investment support from the 2014-2020 mainland Rural Development Programme (RDP) in 2018 then helped launch their brand, called paisagindo.bio, and expanded product ranges to include infusions, signature functional tisanes, and seasonings in personalised packaging. The company focuses on plant crops that thrive in the local climate, as well as some exotic spices such as ginger or cinnamon, sourced from Asian organic producers.
Despite being in a remote and sparsely populated region, the firm successfully distributes products nationwide. Leveraging digital and social media promotion, they have achieved significant growth, driven by customer satisfaction and word-of-mouth recommendations. This growth occurred without traditional marketing or advertising, because the small company lacked substantial funding for such efforts. Today, they are proud to have thousands of loyal customers across the country and throughout Europe, supported by a large network of local shops and supermarkets nationwide.
Objectives
Project aims covered:
- Safeguarding 5 jobs and creating conditions to increase employment;
- Maintaining business principles as a local, artisanal company, centred on efficiency and ecological, social-economic sustainability;
- Conserving agro-sylvo-pastoral systems; and
- Increasing media communication to raise awareness of the benefits of consuming local products that help protect landscapes, culture, and heritage of EU rural areas.
Activities
Actions co-funded by the 2014-2020 RDP created conditions to maintain and consolidate the company by improving conditions and maintenance of the fields, harvests, processing, and storage of raw materials produced. This involved:
- Machinery purchases to help with clearing and harvesting, such as weeders, hedge trimmers, blowers, and mechanical pruning shears, reducing labour costs and making practices more efficient;
- Creating pre-drying sheds to reduce the moisture content of the plants, taking advantage of the heat and low relative humidity of the interior of the Alentejo region to pre-dry the plants directly after cropping;
- Extending a drying kiln to reduce productivity bottlenecks; and
- Using a thermal blanket to protect frost-sensitive plants and increase annual production by reducing waiting times by around two months for the first harvest.
Main results
- Customer growth has increased to around 10 000 clients in the online shop alone and around 200 local shops and supermarkets.
- Creating 5 permanent jobs (3 women and 2 men) and 1 part-time job for young people below 40 years from the local village (except for the manager/founders, who are 42 and 43 years old).
- Converting a high-quality grazing area to an agricultural system with permanent crops and low water requirements.
- Reconstructing ruined buildings with natural materials to serve as warehouses, social facilities and plant dryers.
- The brand contributes to the local economy by supporting regional farmers and suppliers, promoting sustainable practices, and protecting jobs in the community.
Key lessons
- Social media influencers have had a major impact on sales because, without further expenses to the project, and by their recognition of the product quality and health benefits, they were able to reach a wider customer range faster than classic marketing approaches.
- Increasing domestic demand for products allowed changes to the initial production plan (sale and export in bulk), making it possible to sell mostly on the national market. This increased revenue and reduced carbon footprints while supporting both the local and national economies.
- By adopting sustainable agricultural practices and using traditional plants adapted to the soil and climate conditions, the beneficiary contributes to the economic and social development of local communities. They encourage organic farming methods that improve farmers' quality of life and preserve natural resources.
We take pride in our handmade, eco-friendly approach. Our products are composed exclusively of plants, honouring the highest sustainability standards. Each blend and seasoning is crafted with care and validated by specialists, offering not just incredible flavours but also a healthier lifestyle. Our passion shines through every product we create, delighting the palates of thousands of customers who incorporate our products into their daily routines. They enjoy a more natural and incredibly delicious way to enhance their drinks and food, all while supporting a brand devoted to the well-being of the environment and the local community.
A young company with a lot of potential to move into big markets, due to the high quality of all the products they supply. Not to mention that everything is organic, i.e. without the use of any chemicals. It's also worth visiting the facilities, as I have done, and I was surprised by all the logistics they have in place.
Contact Information
Email: geral@paisagindobio.pt