The University of Celaya in collaboration with the Government of the State of Guanajuato and the Association of Producers of Cajeta de Celaya, seek the declaration "Geographic Indicator of the Cajeta de Celaya" in order to give recognition and protection at national and international level of a product that gives us identity, for the benefit of producers and consumers. Why carry out this process? Because Cajeta de Celaya is linked to cultural, traditional and historical factors, the result of processes and traditional knowledge transmitted from generation to generation by a community of a particular region, that is why it can be considered as intellectual property.
In this process, the University of Celaya conducted the technical study with feedback from cajeta producers, historians and photographs taken by the Guanajuato state government and drafted the rules for the use of cajeta production. The study describes:
a) The historical, traditional and generation-to-generation approach to the production of cajeta.
b) The production approach: ingredients, blending, family business, "at the cajeta point" and elements such as the copper ladle and the wooden spoon (which gives a particular flavor to the cajeta).
c) Photographic evidenceThe cajeta producers were already constituted as an A.C. and in 2018 the protection of geographical indicators was added.
The holder of the geographical indication of "Cajeta de Celaya" is the Mexican State certified through IMPI. The reputation of a geographical indication is an intangible collective good. "Cajeta de Celaya" would be named to any produced within the geographical indication zone and complying with the established rules of use.
The importance lies in the fact that if it is not protected, it could be used without restrictions, its value would diminish and it would eventually be lost, besides, protection is not only local, regional or national, but international, through trade agreements. Europe, for example, requested Mexico to protect 350 geographical indicators (Spain alone has more than 60), as did the USA and the World Trade Organization (WTO), among others.
In Mexico there are only 18 appellations of origin and 13 or 14 geographical indicators. The advantages of this declaration are the protection of the product, which by having a geographical indicator becomes worth twice the price, because the consumer pays for the guarantee of origin, since for any producer of cajeta to sell it as "CAJETA DE CELAYA" would have to:
a) Obtain a certificate issued by La Uni de Celaya (who made the technical study) and
b) Obtain authorization from IMPI confirming that its production process complies with the rules of use registered with the geographical indicator, the relationship between the product, the quality and the place on which the protection is based prevents its transmission to producers outside the demarcated region.
This whole process also ensures quality because producers are less tempted to substitute traditional procedures for possibly less expensive ones, and it also encourages economic development based on traditional knowledge.
Obtaining protection of a geographical indication will also prevent the registration of the indication as a trademark by a third party, avoiding the risk of "Cajeta de Celaya" becoming a generic name.
With this, the University of Celaya consolidates its performance as an institution committed to the development, culture, history and future of our city.