Patatas Hijolusa, a leading company in the cultivation, selection, packaging, and marketing of fresh potatoes in the Iberian Peninsula, acquired on May 8th 100% of Agrícola Villena, S.L., a company from Alicante that was founded in 1919 and is currently the largest processor by volume and marketing of carrots, leeks, celery, cooked trays, and carrot sticks in Spain.
Both companies had previously shared shareholders (ProA Capital and the José L. Gómez and Carlos Gómez brothers) but remained completely independent in terms of management and integration. This step involves the creation of one of the largest fresh horticultural product groups in Europe, with an expected turnover of nearly 200 million euro in 2023, and which aims at the unified management of the entire company under the same management team, so that synergies are obtained in the production and marketing of the products to guarantee all of them have the highest quality.
“This operation strengthens the strategy of the Hijolusa Group, allowing it to expand its product portfolio, and to provide more volume and better crop management tools to the farmers with whom we work in Spain and Portugal. Our farmers are as important as our customers, and we seek to establish a permanent collaborative relationship with them based on trust and the achievement of common objectives to boost agricultural development on the peninsula. Our policy of working with the producer begins with the establishment of pre-planting contracts, which guarantees transparency and good practices for all parts of the value chain. This allows us to offer greater stability in the field and guarantees their profitability. In addition, we have our own team of agricultural engineers who work together with them all year round, advising them on planting, reviewing the plantation, reporting on the care they can provide to the crop so that the harvest is optimal, and supervising the harvest to guarantee the quality of the product,” stated Jose L. Gómez and Carlos Gómez, the CEOs of Hijolusa.
The purchase of Agrícola Villena, together with the previous purchase of Natuber, S.L., is key to Hijolusa Group's strategic plan, which involves increasing the offer of fresh horticultural products of the highest quality and giving final consumers more and more added value. The result is constant innovation in the development and launch of new IV range products, such as potatoes for steaming in the microwave, carrot sticks, and other products.
The company will increase the investments planned in Agrícola Villena from an initial €10 million to more than €20 million over the next 5 years.
For more information:
Patatas Hijolusa
www.hijolusa.es