Social media is making dulce de leche a scalable model for SMEs
Videos featuring desserts, home recipes and comparisons of texture have increased the visibility of dulce de leche and cajeta. For artisanal producers and food entrepreneurs, the traditional dairy product has become a basis for differentiated confectionery offerings aimed at consumers in cities.
The trend has also created an outlet for adding value to raw milk. Rather than selling milk at the farm gate, where margins can be reduced by intermediaries, producers can process it through controlled evaporation, sugar concentration and caramelisation. The resulting product can command a higher price than unprocessed milk, according to the source.
This model encourages the collection of milk in local dairy-producing areas. The source says producers give priority to fresh milk with suitable levels of butterfat and natural protein, linking the quality of the finished product to the characteristics of the raw material.
Emerging brands are combining established dairy-making practices with new formulations and packaging. Their products may be sold in designed jars with fewer artificial preservatives and additions such as specialty coffee, coarse salt, liqueurs or nuts. Improvements in spreadable and filling textures have also allowed dulce de leche to be supplied to artisan bakeries and specialty coffee shops as a premium ingredient.
Digital distribution has enabled small agro-industrial businesses to sell directly to consumers through e-commerce platforms and rapid-delivery applications. This approach avoids some of the entry fees, shelf-placement charges and delayed payment periods associated with large supermarket chains. It also gives producers immediate payment and direct contact with customers, supported by marketing focused on authenticity, traceability and artisanal preparation.
Business analysts and agri-food specialists cited in the source identify the main challenge as building operations that remain financially viable beyond the temporary attention generated by digital algorithms. They say businesses need to formalise supply chains, comply with official food-safety and commercial-labelling rules, and invest in semi-automated equipment to increase output while maintaining quality.
