UZTA: The New Tool That Facilitates Information Exchange Between Producers and Consumers, Developed by BCC Innovation and Hispavista
BCC Innovation, the technological gastronomy center of the Basque Culinary Center, together with software developer Hispavista, has launched the innovative tool UZTA at Ordiziako Azoka today. UZTA is a digital solution designed to optimize and automate information management in markets. It streamlines the collection of product availability data from producers, organizes the information intuitively, allows market managers to handle it easily, and disseminates it across various channels to keep consumers efficiently and attractively informed.
Ordiziako Azoka, the first initiative to adopt this pioneering tool, will integrate UZTA into its daily operations. During the presentation, Ainhoa Juaristi, Product Developer at BCC Innovation, explained: “UZTA facilitates communication between producers and market managers, enabling updated information to reach the end user.” This new solution marks significant progress in market digitalization, simplifying management for producers and enhancing communication with end consumers.
According to Adur Ezenarro, Mayor of Ordizia:
"Over the past few years, our goal has been to secure the market's future and gather as much support as possible. Today, we want to emphasize this commitment, as well as the role of new technologies. It is an essential investment, and projects like UZTA will greatly help consolidate the positioning of the Ordizia market."
Iker Barrena, CEO of Hispavista Labs, added:
"This is just the beginning. The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence is a positive development for producers. These technologies simplify processes and deliver benefits."
Features and Benefits of UZTA
UZTA offers local producers at the Ordizia market simplified management tools. They can communicate product availability via WhatsApp, using either text or voice messages. The information is then projected to consumers, providing greater visibility for the producers. This helps save time, enhance visibility to potential clients, and improve collaboration within the value chain, ultimately optimizing resources and profitability.
During the launch event, Leire Arandia, Director of the D’elikatuz Center and manager of Ordiziako Azoka, spoke with Iñaki Intxausti, an organic vegetable producer and seller at the market. Intxausti highlighted that using UZTA in his daily operations will “attract new customer profiles to the market. It is a tool that will be gradually implemented and will contribute to boosting sales.”
The UZTA project has also benefited from the collaboration of Diara Design and Enraiza Derechos, which helped design and develop an accessible tool tailored to the needs of local markets while maintaining a societal focus. The initiative has been funded by the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council, supporting its commitment to technological innovation and sustainable development in the agri-food sector.
How Does UZTA Work?
UZTA is straightforward and accessible for all market stakeholders:
- Producers inform market managers about product availability for the upcoming market via WhatsApp (text or audio).
- The tool automatically collects and organizes this information, presenting it in a clear and intuitive format for market managers.
- Managers review and confirm the details before sharing the information with consumers through various communication platforms.
This process ensures that consumers receive up-to-date, visually accessible information about product availability and market highlights, making it easier to make informed purchases while supporting local producers.