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Jun 29 2021
Organic Products from Spain’s Mediterranean Region
On Spain’s Mediterranean coast, farmers and businesses take advantage of the mild, wet winters and hot dry summers to grow and produce a variety of organic products that are popular with consumers at home and abroad.
Spain’s organic industry is growing in every way: the country is home to more than 2.2 hectares of organic acreage and is the European leader in organic farmland, almost 10% of Spain’s productive farmland is dedicated to organic agriculture, the number of producers has increased by 5%, and domestic consumption has expanded by 16.5%.
The segment has skyrocketed over the years, suggesting that this strategy is profitable for farmers and aligns with consumers’ desire to eat healthy while protecting the environment. And the global pandemic is expected to boost sales of organic products in Spain even further.
On Spain’s Mediterranean coast, farmers and businesses take advantage of the mild, wet winters and hot dry summers to grow and produce a variety of organic products that are popular with consumers at home and abroad.
Today we’ll take an up-close look at some of the standout companies making marmalades and honey, grapes, olives, nuts, pickled products, pomegranates and wafers, and essentially taking the organic market by storm.
A company whose commitment goes above and beyond
One noteworthy company is Abellán Biofoods. Not only are they committed to the environment, but they also allocate part of their profits to collaborations with NGOs, such as UNICEF and Intermon Oxfam.
Their main products include quince paste, honey and a wide range of marmalades, available in BPA-free packaging and glass. They also have IFS Food and BCR Food certifications for their honey and agave syrup at the moment, with plans to include other products down the road.
Abellán was a true trailblazer back in the day, committing to the organic food market in 2001 when it was a relatively “radical” idea. But the owners could not stray from their values and philosophy, which is that organic production, based on respect for the environment, is the only possible business strategy as it’s the only one that is truly forward thinking. Moreover, they view organic agriculture as a duty, a responsibility that allows them to support the health of farmers, consumers and the planet.
Organic grapes for Spain and the rest of the world
Moyca Grapes is a family-run business based primarily in Murcia, on Spain’s east coast, although in recent years they have expanded their operation into Alicante and even Badajoz.
Founded in 1995, this company produces all kinds of table grapes and in 2016 they took the plunge and began producing seedless organic grapes. The experiment was a success, and from 2017 onwards their organic grape production intensified. They specialize in four types of organic grapes, all of them red: Allison, Sweet Nectar, Magenta, and Sweet Celebration.
Their products are exported throughout Europea, Africa, Asia, and North America and they are committed to both internationalization and quality products.
A wide range of products with multiple organic certifications
Campomar, which has factories in both Alicante and Seville, specializes in a wide range of organic products, all of which have multiple certifications, from the official organic food committees in Andalusia and Valencia, and France and Germany, and the USDA’s National Organic Program, among others.
The company’s extensive range of products includes everything from olives, olive oil and stuffed olives to pickled foods, nuts and dried fruits.
Organic pomegranates from a pioneer in the region
Another business worth mentioning is Vitalgrana, a leading organic pomegranate juice producer. The company was created in 2011 to improve people’s health and wellbeing and allow them to enjoy the healthy benefits and properties of pomegranates.
Spanish pomegranate products are popular around the world, as the company exports around 40% of production, primarily to other European Union countries as well as to South Korea, Japan, the UAE, and South America.
Vitalgrana is committed to producing juice and other products in a way that is environmentally-friendly and to promoting the rural economy. With this in mind, they meticulously select locally-grown pomegranates, the bulk of which are organic, and bottle their juice in glass, which better preserves its nutritional properties and is 100% recyclable.
Additionally, the company is an active member of the Spanish Society for Organic Agriculture and provides support to farmers interested in switching to an organic model.
According to David Nadal Sala and David Reinón Verdú, from the company’s marketing and communication department, “Innovation is one of Vitalgrana’s values, along with its quality guarantee, customer focus, and commitment to the environment.”
Organic and gluten-free wafers certified in Catalonia
This Catalonia-based company Neules Sant Tirs is known for its delicious, natural wafers, about which one of the lead bakers said “I’d rather make fewer wafers [as long as] they’re 100% handmade without preservatives or colorants.” Specialties include wafer rolls, cigars, tulips and fans, among other interesting and delicious shapes.
Their organic line comprises three products: regular, gluten-free and chocolate-coated wafers, which are certified by the Catalan Council of Organic Production.
Spain’s Mediterranean region abounds with a wide variety of companies dedicated to sustainable, organic agriculture as part of their commitment to providing healthy, high-quality foods while simultaneously being environmentally conscious.
Text: Samara Kamenecka
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