When I arrived in Chile, I was surprised by European influence on the architecture, and there was interesting graffiti art everywhere. It was so beautiful!
A Taste of Chilean Culture
One thing I noticed is that the people there like to eat long lunches and dinners over the weekend, and most stores stay closed. Chileans eat a lot of bread and like to drink good wine — their wines are so good, they can satisfy the taste of even the pickiest sommelier. On my trip, I learned that wine is one of the country’s leading global exports.
We visited Cousiño-Macul to try different wines and learn about the history of the family owned winery. They had an impressive wine collection from the 1800s to 2022. I was impressed by their quality dry wines, especially the Cabernet Sauvignon (Double U:) from 2021.
Drinking Chilean wine was an essential part of the trip experience — and so were the sweets! I discovered Cuchufli at a local Starbucks. Cuchufli is a sweet treat popular in Chile and Argentina. It has a tubular shape and is filled with dulce de leche and covered with chocolate. It is sold everywhere in Chile. I ended up buying a lot of Cuchufli to bring back home; it was the most delicious thing I tried in Chile!
I also learned that people don’t call it “Chilean sea bass” here, they simply call it sea bass or merluza. When we went to Valparaíso, I was able to try the sea bass at a local restaurant and it was delicious, with a very different taste from the ones they sell in the U.S.
We also got a “taste” of the local mining industry, which is one of the most developed businesses in Chile. Sewell Mining Town was one of the most impressive business visits of the entire trip. It’s a historical town that is part of UNESCO World Heritage and has a fascinating history. The most interesting fact I learned during our visit here is that people still work in the mine to this day. Typically, it’s a tradition to follow the footsteps of their ancestors: a grandfather, father, and son might all work in the mining industry.
The Business of Sustainability
A lot of Chilean businesses are passionate about sustainability. It is very impressive that even small companies are eco-friendly, and care about the environment. In Chile, the community is very sustainable. The concept of “disposable culture” is not culturally accepted. People drink their coffee from actual glass cups. Eat their food from glass plates and bowls. On very rare occasions, they do offer a disposable take-out option.
I had the opportunity to talk with the founder of one sustainable business. Pina handbags are a dream come true for the artist and founder, Pina. She uses recycled materials to create beautiful custom-made artistic handbags. The quality of the handbags is great. Her creative mindset and passion for sustainability were able to stand out from the crowd.
Karün, a sustainable eyewear company, was the most outstanding business visit in Santiago for me. They did a lecture to present their business to us. They use recycled materials only, such as cigarette butts. They were established in Patagonia, but do have an international business model and offer their products to North America and Europe. They were established in 2012, but were able to grow rapidly, and did collaborations with celebrities such as Lionel Messi, Shailene Woodley, and then also collaborated with National Geographic.
The Lessons Learned
This trip showed me the importance of international business and speaking multiple languages. I got extremely motivated to become fluent in Spanish after this trip. A good relationship with foreign partners can lead to many business opportunities!
This opportunity to analyze different business models was a very important way to boost my critical thinking and grow my mindset as a future business leader. It is an experience that I will never forget. This trip showed me that the world has many great businesses that can be successful, profitable, and sustainable at the same time.
About the 51ԹϺ MBA
The 51ԹϺ MBA offers a rich variety of opportunities for anyone interested in the demanding world of business. For graduate students interested in a similar opportunity, check out next year’s international seminar course held during the summer semester. This trip is part of an elective course in the Lee Business School for students to explore the competitive environment of an international business in the EU, Asia, South America, or other emerging markets.
