Casa Mendes Gonçalves, owner of the Paladin brand, started producing fig vinegar in Colega and today exports sauces and condiments to 31 countries (including Angola, Morocco, Spain). Its competitors are large multinationals, but its founder, shareholder and CEO Carlos Mendez Gonçalves is intimidated and says he wants to keep his company 100% family-owned.
Casa Mendes Gonçalves, owner of the Paladin brand, started producing fig vinegar in Colega and today exports sauces and condiments to 31 countries (including Angola, Morocco, Spain). Its competitors are large multinationals, but its founder, shareholder and CEO Carlos Mendez Gonçalves is intimidated and says he wants to keep his company 100% family-owned.
Carlos Mendez Gonçalves, once a candidate for the EY Entrepreneurship Award, tells Jornal Economico that the company is a “heart project” and has been approached by several private equity funds that want to be partners to help Casa Mendez. Gonsalves grows up and wants to maintain the family business. “Casa Mendes Gonçalves has been a family business for 42 years and we will continue like this,” says the entrepreneur. “We are very committed to making Paladin a reference sauce brand, working on other sauces in key categories such as ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard. Also, we are focusing on improving quality,” declares the manager, “all tomatoes used in ketchup production are 100% Portuguese.”
The company currently has more than 400 employees, from 12 different nationalities, of which 90 are immigrants from 12 countries. Of these 90 migrants, 60 are refugees or asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Iraq. “I often tell them, let’s change the world by changing our world,” says the CEO.
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Jean Rhys is a contributor to OE Mag, covering news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current affairs and developments that matter to them. Her work highlights relevant stories, emerging trends, and key issues, presenting them in a balanced, accessible, and reader-friendly way.