My secondment, from the 2nd of September to the 2nd of October, allowed me to visit SONAE, one of the main Portuguese trading companies. From this business conglomerate, the Continente hypermarket chain stands out, offering a wide range of food products, from fresh products to personalized and healthy food. Sonae gave me the opportunity to visit the head office in Matosinhos, where I could see each of the products that they offer to consumers. They are making a big effort implementing a new range of functional foods, in which the products developed by the different research groups under the auspices of the FODIAC project will be included. Thanks to this secondment, I could have a broader vision of how the development and commercialization of new food products works.
On the other hand, I was able to enjoy the magic and charm of Porto; from a walk along the Duoro River, to immersing myself in the architecture of the old town adorned with impressive tiles, while enjoying an explosion of flavors with typical dishes based on codfish.