essential COSTA RICA is the country brand of this Central American nation, which represents a competitiveness tool that unifies the promotional efforts that the country carries out in terms of attracting investment, promoting tourism, and promoting exports. The brand has five values that define it: excellence, sustainability, social progress, innovation and Costa Rican origin.
essential COSTA RICA reflects the natural beauty of Costa Rica and introduces less internationally recognized facets of the country: the smiling and warm “pura vida” Ticos, as well as workers in a variety of technical and specialized jobs. It shows, a country that bet on education and health by abolishing its army and that today has become a country that produces specialized, niche goods and high added value. The talent of the Costa Rican is reflected, as well as his commitment to quality and sustainability.
The Costa Rican products and companies that have the license to use the country brand are showing the world that, apart from the recognized quality, they also meet high standards in social, environmental and innovation matters.
The development of essential COSTA RICA implied an intense process of research, analysis, design and testing in international and national audiences, in which specialized companies in communication, perception and development of country brands participated.
Country brand creation process:
We invite you to learn more about essential COSTA RICA at www.esencialcostarica.com
We produce and export diversity
The Costa Rican export sector has opted for a diversification strategy, both in products and in destinations. In 2013, Costa Rica exported to the world US $ 11,405 million in goods, US $ 5,966.6 million in services, 4,463 products were exported, 2,470 companies exported goods for more than US $ 12,000 to 152 destinations.
Innovation, creativity, new trends and differentiated products are a common denominator in Costa Rican export products. This Central American nation exports from agricultural products such as pineapple, banana, melon, watermelon, tubers, chayote, rambutan and carbon neutral banana; up to goods from the food industry with high added value such as "gluten free" foods, low in calories, healthy snacks, among others. Additionally, Costa Rica has stood out for the export of high technology products such as medical devices, products for the aeronautical industry such as electronic devices for aircraft engines and metal-mechanical parts; as well as in the export of services such as creation of animated series for television, development of video games, applications, software, etc.
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
Agricultural production is the second export sector that generates the most foreign exchange for the country.
More than 336 products, grown in Costa Rican lands, are exported to 110 destinations around the world, including demanding and dynamic markets such as: Germany, Italy, France, Holland, the United States, China and Japan.
Costa Rica is:
Costa Rica is consolidated as the main supplier of chayote and tropical roots to the United States.
The range of fresh Costa Rican products is extensive. Some such as coffee, cocoa, mango, melon, watermelon and sugar cane are consolidated products that are part of the national culture. Others like pineapple and tubers show continuous growth.
There are also other new generation products, such as rambutan and papaya, where biotechnology has managed to develop hybrids such as Pococí papaya, which offers a higher degree of sweetness (degrees brix).
Costa Rican fresh products meet the quality standards required by international markets, which ensure the protection of the environment and the safety of workers, such as the Global G.A.P., which certifies good agricultural practices.
In addition, aware of the importance of food safety, the country maintains an openness to undergo inspections and evaluations, which has consolidated international respect. Within the country, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has a department -State Phytosanitary Service- that carries out periodic visits to producers and exporters, to verify that the requirements demanded by international markets are fully met.
On the other hand, Costa Rica supports world trends and, thinking about the environment, the country is developing a new link in its production chain made up of: organic agriculture, controlled production, green products, fair trade, and biotechnology applied to agriculture.
The discoveries in the field of biotechnology - made in state and private Costa Rican laboratories - have allowed the generation of vegetables resistant to pests and diseases typical of tropical climates, as well as the generation of new seeds (oil palm), new fruits (Pococí papaya) and the implementation of living organisms (Mediterranean fly) as pest biocontrollers.
In Costa Rica there are 11 thousand hectares of organic coffee, banana, cocoa, orange, pineapple, sugar, vegetables and medicinal plants, whose demand exceeds supply.
Organic production is a system of agricultural management and food production that considers: environmental practices that preserve resources, a high level of biodiversity, the application of demanding standards on animal welfare and, finally, production with natural substances and processes.
The agricultural sector also has other export products such as plants, flowers and foliage. Almost half of exports are made to the United States, while European Union countries such as the Netherlands, Germany and Italy are other main destinations.
The sector is classified into:
FOOD INDUSTRY
With extensive experience, the Costa Rican food industry has developed products with high added value. Since the 1970s, this sector has ventured into the implementation of quality and safety systems that have allowed it to position itself - successfully - in international markets.
Costa Rican foods have international certifications such as: FSSC 22000 (part of The Global Food Safety Initiative –GFSI-), ISO, Kosher, USDA Organic, Fair Trade, Kosher, among others; that guarantee the country's commitment to quality, health and the environment.
The agroclimatic conditions of Costa Rica are optimal for the cultivation of a wide variety of tropical and exotic fruits, which are exported processed as juices, purees, pasta, canned or frozen jams for the production of other products and dehydrated through technologies innovative. Furthermore, by-products such as orange and banana essential oil extracts are marketed.
Pineapple, banana and mango appear as the main flavors of concentrated juices for export. Costa Rica is the number one exporter of pineapple juice (° Brix 20), worldwide. As a seller of fruit purees and pastes, the country has a privileged position that is only surpassed by countries of the European Union.
The sauce industry represents one of the most dynamic and versatile sectors in Costa Rica. In order to please the most demanding palates and international market trends, significant investments are made in research and development. In addition, mass consumption products such as tomato sauce and exotic mixtures are exported, which take advantage of the variety of fruits that the country has and the extensive crops of hot chili.
Additionally, Costa Rica markets canned palm hearts. The product is exported in various presentations: aluminum can, glass bottle, either whole or in pieces. Also frozen, fresh vacuum packed and in processed foods.
Dairy products, roasted coffee, sugar, bakery and pastry products, prepared food, fruit and vegetable snacks, sugar substitutes, gluten-free bakery premixes and a myriad of specialty foods are also part of the Costa Rican food industry.
Precisely to promote these value-added goods, PROCOMER recently created the Costa Rica Food Industry website, which compiles a sample of 40 high-quality products and 31 companies from the food industry. This website groups the products into the categories of Drinks and spirits, Meat and fish, Canned fruits and vegetables, Frozen or dehydrated fruits and vegetables, Dairy, Pastas and cereals, Pastries, confectionery and sweeteners, Slasas and condiments and Snacks and superfoods.
This tool is used to market Costa Rica's export offer at international industry fairs.
You can access this site at www.crfoodindustry.com
SPECIALIZED INDUSTRIES
The industrial sector of Costa Rica is characterized by its high-quality products, which are manufactured and distributed in subsectors such as: construction, hardware, textiles, wood and its manufactures, electrical and electronic, graphic industry, chemical-pharmaceutical, among many others.
The diversity of the offer is due to the development capacity of the companies that managed to establish themselves in the country and the Costa Rican entrepreneurship to start their own production companies, which in both cases have taken advantage of the high level of education and ingenuity hand in hand of Costa Rican work.
Building: the construction boom crossed borders and has turned the country into an important supplier of construction services and materials for Central America and the Caribbean. The main export products of the construction sector are:
For its part, the sustainable use of resources has been fundamental for the development of the precious wood industry. Costa Rica contributes to generating a global trend that supports sustainable cultivation, scheduled reforestation, and certified wood production. Additionally, the furniture industry has boomed in recent years, managing to enter markets such as the United States.
Engineering: a large number of companies have managed to develop in this area, such as metal mechanics, electronics and plastic injection. These companies operate in the country under the definitive regime, inward improvement or, they are installed in the free zone regime in order to meet the needs and demands of their international clients. The quality of the workforce and the specialized technical personnel available in the national territory (mechanical engineers, electronic engineers, industrial engineers, specialized technicians, electronic welders and programmers, among others) has been the hook for attracting markets such as American and European in specialized industries such as: telecommunications, aeronautics and aerospace, medical industry, renewable energy and automotive. The requirement of this type of industry means that national supply companies must comply with international standards, making its control standards and quality levels excellent.
Printing and lithography: additionally, the quality of the service in the national printing industry stands out for the technology used, which meets the technical specifications required worldwide and allows the generation of a highly competitive product.
Pharmaceutical chemist: while the medical, chemical and pharmaceutical industry of the country has been making important advances in the field of medical products and drugs. As far as the chemical field is concerned, it has been diversifying and specializing, such as with hospital-grade and food-grade cleaning products, which guarantee the elimination of bacteria in production machinery, in clinics or hospitals; as well as in the manufacture of biodegradable cleaning products that are friendly to the environment. In the case of the medical industry, Costa Rica specializes in the production of devices such as flexible tubes, patches, industrial gases, among others.
SERVICES
Costa Rica's service sector has experienced significant growth in the last decade. During 2013, Costa Rica exported US $ 5.85 billion in services, which represents 33% of the country's total exports and 13% of its GDP.
San José, the Costa Rican capital, was statistically ranked as the First Outsourcing City in Latin America according to Tholons (100 Top Destination Ranking). In addition, it is the most innovative country in Latin America according to the Competitiveness report of the World Economic Forum and occupies the third position in the international index of Intellectual Property Rights in Latin America (Property Rights Alliance).
The country has a track record in attracting foreign direct investment, more than 120 global service firms have settled on Costa Rican soil due to its competitive infrastructure, specialized human capital and strategic geographic location, which ensures ease of development of commercial activities Furthermore, it has political stability and an excellent business climate.
Costa Rica presents itself to the world as a country that offers high added value services, in sectors such as medical services, digital technologies, engineering-architecture and design, audiovisual entertainment, thus allowing it to compete in the most demanding markets.
Medical services: Costa Rica, a country with an enviable climate and great stability, is a highly recognized tourist destination worldwide. Tourism in the country goes far beyond sun and beach tourism or mountain tourism. Costa Rica is one of the main medical destinations in the world, a position it has acquired thanks to the high quality of the services offered and lower costs compared to countries such as the United States and Canada, which can result in savings of 15% per year. 40%, depending on the procedure. It has hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) and clinics that have AAAASF (American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities) accreditation.
Costa Rican health professionals are highly qualified and bilingual. Patients who choose Costa Rica to receive health services can find a complete service in the country, which includes everything from logistical aspects such as transportation and lodging, to packages that allow them to visit attractive tourist destinations within the country, all this added to the high quality of the health services offered.
The highest technology is available to carry out all kinds of treatments, for example:
Information and communication technology (ICT) sector: Costa Rica is a global player in this sector, with a wide range of products and services, highly qualified personnel and companies with extensive experience. One of the main advantages that differentiate us worldwide is the ability of Costa Rican human capital to add value to the development of international projects.
The Costa Rican ICT sector was born more than 25 years ago, becoming one of the most organized, dynamic and innovative sectors in the country. During 2013, it represented 4.50% of the country's GDP, generated around $ 2.03 billion in exports and exceeded 42,000 direct jobs. As a result of the global trend, Costa Rican companies are increasingly focused on providing software solutions such as nearshore and offshore outsourcing, SaaS -Software as a Service- and mobile application software.
The main advantages that make the country highly competitive in the ICT sector are:
The wide range of ICT products and services Costa Rica includes:
The Digital Technologies sector also includes two additional subsectors: videogames and digital animation.
Video game: this industry offers intellectual property (content) available for PC, mobile and PSP, PS Vita consoles and has quality services such as:
Digital animation: this sector has high potential and has managed to export animated products developed 100% by local talent such as television series, films for DVD and cinema, special effects for films, commercial advertisements, multimedia, among others. In the field of production, human talent is characterized by a rapid learning line, highly competitive production costs, outstanding animation direction input, fast delivery, and content generation. In the area of post-production and digital intermediation, total solutions are offered to give the final finish to the product.
The animated languages that the studios handle are the most varied, artistic, commercial and experimental, 3D, 2D, vector animation, stop motion, among others. This operation has brought Costa Rican animation to countries such as the United States, Ireland, Germany, France, India, China, Colombia, Korea, Canada, England, Hungary, etc.
In the digital animation sector, the following services are offered:
Engineering, construction, architecture and design: Costa Rica offers an adequate balance between country strength, human talent and technology that has allowed the internationalization of engineering, construction, architecture and design services in foreign markets. The sector has acquired experience in the design of anti-seismic, urban, commercial and industrial structures; as well as in the development of tourist and environmental projects in accordance with the latest trends in engineering and world architecture.