Delikatetxe

Delikatetxe is a food processing cooperative operating with a circular economy model, strategically positioned to tackle food waste within the local Basque and Navarrese food systems. Founded in 2019 by three partners, including co-founder Edurne García Arrieta, the cooperative began commercializing its products in 2021 from its production facility in Elorrio, Bizkaia. The venture was born from the insight that free-range hens (bearing quality labels like Eusko Label and Reyno Gourmet) were being discarded after their egg-laying cycle because their tougher meat had fallen out of culinary favor and was not commercially viable.

The company's business model centers on upcycling these hens, which would otherwise be wasted, into value-added food products. Delikatetxe collects the hens from small, local family farms and uses them as the primary ingredient for its product line. This B2C and B2B operation generates revenue through direct sales online and distribution to butcher shops, delicatessens, gourmet stores, and major retailers like BM, Eroski, and El Corte Inglés. It also caters to the hospitality sector with specific products and produces white-label broths for other brands, including two consommé varieties for Eroski's premium Seleqtia label.

The product portfolio showcases a range of items derived from these hens, including their flagship slow-cooked, naturally clarified, and fat-free chicken broth. Other offerings include chicken burgers (in plain, onion, leek, and carrot varieties), meatballs in sauce, and confit chicken breast. The cooperative also valorizes aesthetically imperfect but high-quality local vegetables, incorporating them into products like onion confit and bottled leeks. Operating from a retrofitted factory that honors the traditional Basque farmhouse (baserri) aesthetic, the company utilizes solar panels and an efficient production process to minimize its environmental footprint.

Keywords: circular economy, food waste reduction, Basque Country food production, upcycled food, local sourcing, free-range hen products, sustainable food processing, cooperative business model, farm-to-table, Km0 products, Eusko Label, chicken broth, artisanal food, gourmet products, local farm support, food processing innovation, B2B food supply, private label manufacturing, agri-food cooperative, Elorrio