Costers del Sió
Costers del Sió is a family-owned winery located in Balaguer, within the Costers del Segre wine region, that has been producing high-quality wines with a strong sense of identity and ties to the local area since 1992. The project combines traditional viticulture, organic farming practices, and advanced technology to process each grape variety individually and create wines that reflect the unique character of the Flix estate and the Ribera del Sió microclimate. With a well-established export strategy, the winery has progressively expanded its international presence through commercial agreements and partnerships with specialised distributors in strategic markets.
Costers del Sió wines cross borders thanks to proximity
Reverse trade missions promoted by the Catalan Chambers of Commerce, which provide internationalisation services within the framework of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), have become a key tool for offering global opportunities to Catalan companies and facilitating commercial connections without the need to travel abroad.
These initiatives allow buyers, distributors, and potential partners from around the world to visit the region, discover the Catalan business ecosystem first-hand, and generate new business opportunities. This has been the case for Costers del Sió wines, which have strengthened their international projection and gained access to new distribution channels.
Bringing international markets closer to companies
For Costers del Sió, the coordination and facilitation provided by the Catalan Chambers of Commerce has been instrumental in attracting importers, distributors, and key market influencers from strategic markets to visit the winery and experience the products in their real context: the territory, the production process, and the people behind every bottle.
The Chambers’ contribution — from identifying target markets to preparing tailored agendas and organising B2B meetings — has enabled the company to access qualified markets, optimise time and resources, and ensure effective follow-up of generated opportunities. This support also facilitated concrete commercial agreements, such as the one reached with Wineprom doo, a specialised wine importer and distributor based in Belgrade, Serbia. The agreement allows Costers del Sió to strengthen its presence in the Serbian market through a partner focused on medium and high-range wines with a growing presence in retail and horeca channels.
At the same time, the winery also participated in international business events such as the Olive Oil Business Forum, jointly organised by PRODECA, ACCIÓ, and the Chamber of Commerce of Lleida. The event brought together Catalan producers with international buyers from six European and Asian countries, creating new business opportunities. Within this framework, Costers del Sió reached a commercial agreement with Selfridges, the iconic British premium department store chain, opening the door to increased international visibility for its extra virgin Arbequina olive oil and access to high-value retail channels in the United Kingdom and beyond.
A gateway to internationalisation
For many SMEs, reverse trade missions represent a first internationalisation experience with lower risk and high potential return. In an increasingly competitive global environment, these initiatives are consolidating their role as a strategic tool to strengthen the international presence of Catalan companies and connect local talent with global opportunities.
For the winery from Lleida, participating in these initiatives has not only generated new business opportunities and additional revenue streams, but has also contributed to market diversification, reduced market concentration risks, and reinforced brand positioning and international visibility. At the same time, these agreements demonstrate the added value of the Enterprise Europe Network in identifying suitable partners, facilitating business connections, and transforming international contacts into tangible commercial results within the agrofood and wine sectors.