The Cuban confectionery company Proxcor SA, located in the Caibarién municipality, Villa Clara, produces about 25 tons of sweet cookies and 10 tons of sorbets per day. Most of this production is intended to be sold in Tiendas Caribe and CIMEX, that is, it is sold in Freely Convertible Currency (MLC).
The biggest concern is not just the money but the excessive price of candy for children. A Toco brand package weighs 500 grams and costs $4.80 MLC. This figure is equivalent to $1,080.00 CUP, according to the exchange rate of the informal exchange market. For obvious reasons, delicious sweet cookies are far from the average purchasing power of Cuban families.
The joint company Proxcor SA was created after the merger of the Slovak group Proxenta and Corporación Alimentaria SA Coralsa. A few months ago, the production of jams began in the old factory of Caibarién, now a completely renovated center and equipped with cutting technology.
“The current daily production should be increased in the coming months when the factory reaches its optimal speed.” This is what Zuzana Školárová, general manager of Proxcor SA, commented on the Provincial Radio Network in Villa Clara.
Miscellaneous sales
The businessman also pointed out that a small part of the production is destined for specific centers such as aquariums, zoos and game rooms.
The sale of these “selected areas” is done in national currency and does not include the high demand due to the influx of children. The amount is $190.00 CUP, a cost that is very different from what MLC stores show, almost $1000.00 CUP difference.
The manager of Proxcor SA explained to the aforementioned media outlet that in order to obtain economic benefits it is necessary to sell cookies to MLC. Likewise, the factory exports a part of the production to collect foreign currency and inject it back into the production process.
For the second half of 2024, the factory will join other production lines. During this stage, different types of candies and cereals will be made. The new sweets will also be sold at MLC.
It is estimated that the facility will produce about 17 thousand tons of jams per year when it reaches maximum operation. In this way, the demand of the Cuban market will be covered between 35% and 40%.
