The Kibus project is simple but effective: to reach the end customer with the best, fresh and seasonal produce from each city. Through its online platform, each market stallholder has a virtual stall where they display their products, prices and available offers. This allows consumers to replicate the shopping experience at the market, while maintaining a relationship of trust with their usual stallholders. In addition, customers can select the delivery time slot for their order, providing them with flexibility and convenience.

Founded in 2019, Kibus' success lies in its ability to adapt to changing consumer needs and offer a practical solution to improve the shopping experience for thousands of people who are concerned about healthy eating and committed to sustainability. "I had just sold a transport company dedicated to serving large companies and I wanted to focus on the end customer. On the other hand, as a father, I was concerned for my children to eat better: more fruit, more vegetables, more seasonal produce... But when I left work, I didn't have time to queue for long periods of time, or the market was already closed," explains Eduardo Sanjurjo, manager and founder of the initiative.

It began in A Coruña, where they continue to operate in the markets of Elviña and Plaza de Lugo, and they are currently present in 17 markets throughout Spain, in communities such as the Basque Country, Madrid and Alicante. In Galicia they operate, as well as the city of A Coruña, in Ferrol (Mercado de la Magdalena), Santiago (Praza de Abastos), Ourense (Praza de Abastos) and Vigo (Mercado O Calvario).

For consumers, Kibus is an alternative combining fresh, quality produce, sustainable shopping and support for local commerce. "We try to replicate the shopping experience in the market itself as closely as possible. Consumers decide which product and quantity they want to buy to avoid food waste, which grocer to buy from, and leave a note... It's a trust-based shopping experience," says Sanjurjo.

For the stallholders, it means an opportunity to digitalise and compete through a new sales channel that complements their in-person activity. "We deliver within a radius of 15-20 km from each square. In many cases, these are users in locations that, because of distance, would not normally buy from the market. In addition, 80% of sales on the platform are made from Monday to Friday, while the main days of the on-site market are Fridays and Saturdays," explains the founder, explaining the complementarity that Kibus offers sellers.

From producers to large communities

Among his new challenges, in addition to establishing Kibus, the company has started a new line of business that follows the same philosophy, but now focuses on directly digitalising producers and putting them in contact with large communities. "We have created a pro version of Kibus, under the commercial name of Galia, and we have digitalised the producers' processes so that large communities can have access to local, close-by and seasonal products," he explains. "In addition to digitalisation, we have also added logistics and marketing. These are small producers who, if they didn't have a digital tool like this, would not have access to large communities," he says. The first big project in this business area was for the Inditex canteen, but they have already extended it to old people's homes, schools, hospitals and catering companies.