-Anima Kitchent is a company that currently has approximately 140 employees and offices in Madrid, Mexico City and the Canary Islands. Born in 2002 in Mexico under the name Anima Estudios, she landed in Madrid in 2015 and reached the Canary Islands in 2016. Is this a success story?.
Undoubtedly, this is a success story for us, it has been a long and challenging but also satisfying road. Our Canary journey began with a team of 17 animators in a shared space and a project called Cleo and Cuquín; Today, we work with more than 140 people in facilities over 1,200 m2 under a multi-project concept, both on our own intellectual properties and on long-term international projects for third parties. Moreover, today we can say that Anima Kitchent is a Canary company with 100% domestic capital and DNA.
-Anima Kitchent specializes in 2D and CGI animation, creating, producing and managing high-quality brands, as well as developing original content focused on children and families, with series on Netflix and HBO. Is specialization the key to success?
Our focus has always been on developing children’s entertainment brands; We are aware that there are a variety of products in this market niche. In our case, our expertise in producing preschool content helps us differentiate ourselves and position ourselves as leaders in this field, but this does not prevent us from realizing animation projects with different goals, styles or typologies. Focusing on what you think you know how to do is your best weapon; Being aware that there is a lot of room to innovate, adapt to market trends, but always know what your competitive advantage is and take advantage of it.
-They had to compete with major production companies and animation studios. How did you manage to grow and position yourself in such a competitive market?
Fighting giants is always complex, in our case it has always been at the forefront to be able to offer a high quality product at a competitive price in Europe, thanks to the quality of our product, the know-how of our team and tax incentives. The fact that your content is broadcast on international platforms such as Netflix, YouTube, HBO MAX is also a letter of introduction to what we can do as a studio. Be constantly the center of attention.candlestick.
-Expanding to the international market may be another key to success. Did this happen in your case too?
In our industry it is almost impossible not to do this; Although we consider ourselves content creators, we are also a company that provides services to third parties; because doing so is not only potentially profitable, but also gives you greater stability and positions you on the international stage as a real option for these majors and international. Manufacturing companies that want to outsource all or part of their production. On the other hand, when an audiovisual project is published on global platforms such as Netflix or YouTube, it already puts you on the international map and this exhibition opens the door to new business opportunities for you. It’s important to know how to adapt to market trends without having to completely change your business model. Being an SME allows you to act quickly and be flexible in decision-making in the face of previously unknown risks.
In our case, we have had to adapt to new models of viewing children’s content and adapt to the changes required by the emergence of platforms such as YouTube, digital platforms or new social networks such as TikTok. By creating digital content for YouTube, we realized that getting direct feedback from the consumer allowed us to evaluate the impact of our product in real time. We have a tool that connects us directly with the audience and their expectations.
We had to try, fall and get up and found a model that worked for us without stopping to promote other axes of the business, such as the development of serial products or the acquisition of international services.
-The economic and tax regime (REF) of the Canary Islands allows deduction of 54% of investment in audiovisual productions, up to a maximum of 18 million euros. Was this an important factor in opening a headquarters in the Canary Islands?
The region’s tax incentives for animation production are currently among the best in Europe and were decisive in our decision to settle in Gran Canaria in 2016; But a good tax plan must be accompanied by actions that complement and accompany the formation of industry and production. In this case the bet is clear, public institutions are focusing on promoting this sector on the islands and therefore growth does not stop in the Canary Islands, as those involved we want to see how the sector continues to grow and therefore actively continue to help promote the industry both on the Islands and in the rest of Spain We always try to do our part, for example, through training activities and job creation.
-Last year, they received the Las Palmas SME of the Year Award, which was recognized by Banco Santander and the Chamber of Commerce for creating employment in a new sector. Were they pioneers in Spain and the Canary Islands?
We landed in Gran Canaria in 2016; As the first animation production company established on the island, we set out with the aim of not only realizing our productions, but also creating quality employment and focusing clearly on creating a local critical mass through courses. A period of internship at a company and training resulting in potential employment and career planning within the company. Today, 40% of our workforce consists of local employment.
We are proud to know that we have contributed to creating employment and strengthening local profiles with a clear vocation who dedicate themselves to animation from the islands and believe that they can develop their careers anywhere in the world.
-Since 2016, they have created 3,400 minutes of animation with an annual business volume of nearly 9 million Euros, with 13 projects in the fields of television, subscription services (SVOD) and advertising (AVOD) in the Canary Islands. What is the near future forecast?
Undoubtedly, it is to continue to move in the same direction and continue to develop, produce and present the Spanish brand to the world. To strengthen what we have and adapt to this rapidly developing sector. We would like to think that 2024 will be full of projects that will provide us with brand value and international projection.
-What advice would you give and what strategies would you recommend for an SME to compete with large companies in its sector?
When it comes to competing with big companies, it’s not about surpassing them in size or business volume, it’s about finding your unique value that gives you a gap in the market. As I mentioned before, one of the biggest advantages we have as SMEs is that we have the flexibility to quickly respond to the changing needs of the market and produce rapid solutions, and this is something that will be improved.