The District Municipality of Tambogrande, together with local producers, officially submitted to Indecopi the application to register copús of sheep´s neck and head, one of the emblematic dishes of this district in Piura and a part of its cultural identity, as a Guaranteed Traditional Specialty (ETG, by its Spanish acronym).
Indecopy is the acronomy in Spanish that stands for National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property.
During a press conference, the Economic Development Manager, Mely Berrú, explained that this initiative seeks to recognize and protect one of the district’s most emblematic dishes.
“We will continue promoting gastronomic fairs to spread the word about copús, not only in Tambogrande but throughout the Piura region,” she emphasized.
For her part, the specialist in traditional management and tourism, Shirley Rodríguez, highlighted that the objective is no limited to formal registration.
“Through the Guaranteed Traditional Specialty recognition, we want to take our gastronomy to a regional and national level, opening new opportunities for local producers,” she stated.
A dish with living history and tradition
The district mayor, Segundo Meléndez Zurita, reported that Indecopi has approved the application to begin the registration process for copús of neck and sheep heads, highlighting that “today we can say with authority that this dish is genuinely from Tambogrande.”
Meléndez also emphasized that this recognition will help strengthen the region’s cultural and gastronomic route, highlighting a tradition passed down from generation to generation.
Additionally, the Municipality approved through Municipal Ordinance No. 011-2024-MDT-CM the recognition of copús as a flagship dish and gastronomic heritage of the district.
Safeguarding Culinary Authenticity
The registration as a Guaranteed Traditional Specialty not only seeks to protect the authenticity of the dish, but also to promote gastronomic tourism and the socio-economic development of Tambogrande.
The technical dossier underway at the Directorate of Distinctive Signs (DSD) of Indecopi will include the traditional preparation process, which distinguishes copús from other similar dishes in the country.
Copús is prepared using ancestral techniques of underground cooking, using local ingredients such as sheep neck and heads, sweet potato, ripe plantain, chicha de jora (fermented corn beverage), and traditional spices. The process requires meticulous preparation that lasts approximately four hours, during which the meat, marinated in typical seasonings, is cooked in a sealed earth oven, preserving its juiciness and characteristic smoky flavor.
According to Doña María Dolores Juárez, owner of the picantería (traditional restaurant) El Algarrobo, the secret lies in the prior marination and in controlling the underground cooking, a method that reflects the deep cultural heritage of Tambogrande.
Recognition of the guardians of tradition
During the event, the local authorities paid tribute to local entrepreneurs and, especially, to Don Rafael Pachérrez, recognized as one of the foremost exponents of this culinary tradition, whose contribution has been fundamental in preserving copús as a symbol of Tambogrande’s identity.
The declaration as a Guaranteed Traditional Specialty will allow Tambogrande to project its gastronomic wealth to new markets, reaffirming its place on the culinary map of Peru.
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(END) MMC/MAO/JMP/ MDV
Publicado: 7/5/2025