Territorial Marketing And Sustainable Commercialization Of Bijao Leaves In Gastronomic And Cultural Markets
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/gzn96s19Keywords:
Sustainable Marketing; Intangible Cultural Heritage; Traditional Products; Territorial Development; Cultural Identity.Abstract
Bijao leaves (Calathea lutea) have historically been used in Panama and other Latin American regions as a natural input in traditional gastronomy, food preservation, and community cultural practices. Nevertheless, their potential as a sustainable economic asset remains underexplored and rarely analyzed from a marketing perspective. This study aims to examine the commercialization opportunities of bijao leaves through a sustainable and territorial marketing approach, identifying key attributes that enable their integration into gastronomic, tourism, and cultural markets.
A mixed-methods exploratory design was adopted, combining semi-structured interviews with producers and value-chain stakeholders, along with surveys administered to consumers interested in traditional and sustainable products. Findings reveal that purchase intention is primarily associated with attributes such as cultural authenticity, territorial origin, environmental sustainability, and traditional culinary use. Significant structural limitations were also identified, including production informality, limited standardization, low commercial visibility, and weak integration into specialized markets.
Based on the results, a strategic commercialization model is proposed, integrating cultural storytelling, origin certification, differentiation by culinary use, and a multichannel distribution structure focused on gastronomic and tourism niches. The study concludes that bijao leaves can be positioned as a sustainable cultural product when marketing strategies balance cultural preservation, environmental sustainability, and economic viability, thereby contributing to territorial development and strengthening local economies.
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