The Almeria company Primaflor, which back in late 2015 acquired 80% of the capital of the Leon-based firm Ensaladas Verdes, has just purchased the remaining 20%, as announced this week by the founder of this family business, Jacinto Mendoza. The agreement reached by both parties had contemplated the possibility that, after one year of Primaflor's becoming a shareholder, the company would be able to acquire all of the share capital.
Primaflor has maintained the expansion policy that it had when it bought into Ensaladas Verdes. Throughout 2016, the workforce of the latter was increased by 6 workers to a total of 26, and work in the field involved the hiring of another 40 people to care for lettuce crops on a 56-hectare property. The late start of the season did not allow, however, the cultivation of the total acreage, but of 20 hectares, whose production was intended for fresh consumption.
For 2017, the plan is for the entire acreage to be cultivated, except in exceptional circumstances, and therefore to keep the 40 jobs for a period of six months, from March to November.
"The objective is to reach 2,500 tonnes and increase the production five-fold compared to a year ago, so the generation of employment and the economy in the area should very much improve in the next three years," pointed out Mendoza.
More ambitious targets
The Mendoza family has made a positive balance over the last eleven years, since the Ensaladas Verdes project was launched. "Our goal was to create something. While back then we had the prospect of producing 1,000 to 1,500 tonnes and generating 30 jobs, our targets now are much more ambitious."
Ensaladas Verdes opted for the production of fresh cut products: carefully selected vegetables and fresh fruits which are cut, washed and packaged, preserved, distributed and marketed while kept in the cold chain. The commitment to fresh sales entailed the opening of a new line of business, which will maintain growth this year, not only with the 56 hectares rented in Laguna Dalga, but also with 12 others leased in the Páramo region, "because growth is important," explained Mendoza.
The vacuum cooling technology set up in the factory is one of its assets, as it allows the vacuum refrigeration of horticultural products down to 2 degrees Celsius in the shortest possible time (about 25 minutes), making it possible to preserve the product's properties.
Although the Mendoza family retired from the shareholding of Ensaladas Verdes, the two sons of Jacinto Mendoza will remain at the helm of the Villajero plant, which will share central services with the rest of the Andalusian group.
Source: diariodeleon.es
