The San Pedro native who taught Canada how to eat jamón

Food and drink

After building up his ARC brand for exporting Iberian products, Antonio Romero has just opened his first shop-bar in Spain, in Marbella

Marina Martínez

"They didn't know what it was, they thought it might be bacon, prosciutto or wild boar." Antonio Romero knew exactly what he had to do: teach Canadians how to eat jamón. He started by organising events and even giving it away for free. Today, twelve years after arriving in Vancouver, this man from Malaga can proudly claim to have built ARC Ibérico Imports and Antonio Romero Productos Españoles, two brands through which he is introducing Iberian produce and other Spanish goods to the other side of the Atlantic, from preserves to olive oils and carabinero prawns.

"Above all, we are doing educational work. We have organised many events, especially to position the Spain brand in Canada. Always with the idea that we don't sell products, we sell experiences," says Romero, who grew up surrounded by hams in his family's bar, Los Labradores, in San Pedro Alcántara.

His own label, Antonio Romero Productos Españoles, was born out of difficulties with certain distributors and has since expanded into charcuterie, preserves, oils, crisps, olives and nuts. "We have always been very passionate about premium products," he emphasises. Antonio is now a distributor in Canada for brands such as Cinco Jotas and Cola Cao. His motto says it all: Born in Spain.