Mariana Lovera, Customer Development Manager at Caldic Iberica, has a true knack for spotting potential opportunities. When a customer bid was put out for emulsifiers, she jumped at the chance to take the relationship to the next level. What followed was a journey marked by resistance, strategic pivots, and sheer determination.
From the start, Mariana encountered skepticism. The principal supplier advised against pursuing the bid, citing price level and a low likelihood of success in that segment. But Mariana had other ideas. She mobilized internal resources and brought in key colleagues to craft a proposal. The logic was sound: we were offering a technically superior product, and our exceptional service as a distributor.
I knew the costing made it a long shot, but I wanted to show the customers Caldic’s true potential: we adapt to our customers' needs, we act, and we deliver.
“I knew the costing made it a long shot,” Mariana says. “But I wanted to show the customers Caldic’s true potential: we adapt to our customers' needs, we act, and we deliver.”
But the supplier was right - our initial offer was undercut by stiff competition. Mariana, however, refused to back down. She proposed running industrial trials with one shipment of the emulsifiers, successfully negotiating the price from a still-skeptical supplier. The container reached the customer just as the next tendering cycle was about to begin.
The product’s performance in testing was stellar. The customer’s technical team responded positively, impressed by the high quality and consistency. But even with glowing trial results, product cost continued to present a challenge. Mariana found another solution. “This was where local expertise and global reach really came into play,” she said. “I dug into our supplier’s network and found a viable alternative in Malaysia.”
With support from Caldic colleagues in Malaysia and the commercial team in Iberica, Mariana developed a new proposal featuring non-European-origin ingredients that was similar in quality, but closer to the price point the customer wanted.
“We were now offering a full value solution: technical quality, local support, logistical flexibility, and a pricing model that worked.”
This time, the customer agreed, conditionally. Since this would be their first collaboration with the Malaysian site, they required a full supplier audit. The clock was ticking, and Mariana and her team responded with urgency. While the audit documentation was compiled and submitted in time, another challenge surfaced: the customer had requested some modifications.
This moment marked a turning point. The principal supplier, now fully invested, sprang into action. Their quality team worked closely with Caldic to implement the changes. All documentation was submitted along with a comprehensive corrective action plan. But the final test was still to come: a formal verification audit by the customer’s quality team.
Representatives from Caldic, the customer, and the supplier convened at the Malaysian facility for a multi-day assessment. Every process was examined, every requirement scrutinized, and, finally, the customer issued a clean approval.
While she celebrates this success, Mariana has already set her eyes on the next target. “We’re already preparing for the next tender window. There’s so much more potential in this relationship. The customer has seen what we’re capable of, and we’re ready to take this even further.”
When asked why she pursued a deal even the supplier considered a lost cause, Mariana says, “I believe in Caldic’s value proposition more than I fear the odds,” she said. “We have local expertise, global scale, high-quality products, and a motivated team that will go above and beyond. That’s what makes us different. That’s what makes us the trusted partner that empowers innovation in our partners.”
Mariana was recognized by the supplier with an award for Commercial Excellence for her determination in pursuing the project against all odds.
Las tendencias alimentarias cambian rápidamente: bienestar, sabor, productos vegetales y sustentabilidad. Caldic fusiona aprovisionamiento global con laboratorios locales para cocrear soluciones deliciosas, funcionales y de moda. Apoyamos a las marcas alimentarias a escalar más rápido, reformular con sabiduría y entregar lo que los consumidores anhelan.
