About me
My name is Armenia Rua and I was born in Chaves not many years ago. I lived in Caneiro, in the parish of Madalena, where I spent my childhood and teenage years. My soul and heart are “flavienses” and I keep many good memories of this very noble city.
My parents are from Silva and Campo d'Égua, villages of Valpaços county, where they have some farming properties. I always remember when Friday came around, of packing my luggage and go to the village to spend the weekend. From an early age I began to help my parents in every kind of farming service.
I was destined at the age of 18 to join the University of Minho to attend the Mathematics and Computer Science Course. I graduated and stayed here in the “City of Archbishops”. I worked for a few years as a programmer analyst, until I decided to go back to school, and get a new graduation in Computer Education. I'm currently a Junior and High Schools’ Computer Teacher.
The Groselha-espim
The idea of Groselha-espim was born in July 2012, although I started to sell my first preserves in 2009.
It all started when a great friend of mine, Ivone Alves, suggested that we make Pumpkin Preserve. My aunt Leontina offered me a pumpkin and from my parents' house I brought the walnuts. The preserve turned out fabulous. From then on I began to make preserves, jellies, marmalades and liqueurs with all the fruits from my parents production.
In 2011, I became a mother and left the jams and liqueurs aside. In 2012, the need sharpened the ingenuity, and I returned again with more enthusiasm and willingness to share all the treasures of Trás-os-Montes, Portugal.
Groselha-espim was officially launched on September 3, 2012 and at May 5, 2013 it became a national trademark registered with INPI.
Since November 2014, Groselha-espim has been recognized as an Artisan Productive Unit with no. 122740, and me, Armenia Moutinho Rua, artisan no. 112470, by CEARTE and IEFP. On the same date, it also adhered to Portugal Sou Eu.
Since January 2015, it has become an associate of GS1 Portugal and now includes Barcodes in all of its items, already with bilingual labeling.
In March 2016, Groselha-espim ceases to be an individually developed activity and became the company "Groselha-espim, Unipessoal Lda."
Actuallly, the team of Groselha-espim is formed by me and my small assistant who, by his will and determination, supports and helps me in all phases of the production process: from harvesting, to cooking, labeling and even promoting our products in events in which we participate. I am "Groselha", he is my "Espim", and it's the huge love that joins us that gives strength and encouragement to this project.
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