With twenty years of experience, Hortícola Albacete SA – Horticoalba is fully consolidated in the market, producing frozen and canned vegetables. But this family business continues to search for new markets and products in a continuous process of innovation and development.
Juan Martínez Moraga is the manager of Horticoalba and in this interview he reveals to us in more depth how they work in the sector.
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QUESTION: Does Horticoalba currently have many products on the market?
ANSWER: “We have two divisions. One is frozen, which is sold in large formats for other factories or communities and whose smallest format is ten kilos, therefore the general public is not aware of it. In frozen we have corn, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, onion, various products... Then we have the part of preserves, which is where we are in all large distribution. Our main canned products are corn, peas and quinoa”.
Q: How do you guarantee the traceability of the products to take them from the field to the table?
R: “Traceability is the most important thing today, apart from the fact that they demand it of us for the good of consumers. We always deal directly with the farmer. He analyzes the land, the water, we protect or direct the crops and later we harvest them. From the moment it is planted until the product reaches its final phase, canned or frozen, records are kept at all times to guarantee the traceability of that product”.
Q: In addition, you have an important commitment to organic products...
R: “We are growing a lot. This year we have doubled the production of organic products and, therefore, sales. The idea is, after five or six years if possible, to sell all the products as organic".
Q: In your desire for innovation, you have implemented a comprehensive treatment process for quinoa. What is the status of this project?
R: “We already have the quinoa project on the market, we've been working on it for a year now. Sales are growing slowly, but steadily. It is a project that we have in the national market and in exports with less presence”.
Q: Speaking of exports, which countries is Horticoalba currently in?
R: “Mainly in the markets of the European Economic Community. In France, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands... and in Italy we have started this year very strong as well. Due to the type of product we have, we are also throughout North Africa and in the sub-Saharan zone. Now we have started very strong in Israel with corn, and also in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates”.
Q: In the future forecasts do you plan to open new markets?
R: “We are struck by the fact that there is beginning to be a lot of demand for organic products in South America and even in Canada. So we will start loading for Canada and Colombia shortly.".
Q: What is the export percentage represented by those countries?
R: "As of today we are 52% export and 48% national".
Q: And at a national level, how is your market, is there a region that stands out more?
R: "Being in large distribution, we market throughout Spain. Although it is true that being in Albacete, the Mediterranean arc is easier for us. Let's say that where we have the most presence is in the Valencian Community, Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia".
Q: It's 20 years of life. What do you think can be the reason for the success of a company like Horticoalba?
R: “In an agri-food company, the beginnings are very slow, it is very difficult to open a gap because the markets are very mature. At Horticoalba one of the keys we have is continuous innovation. Since we started working specialized in baby food, we have continued to develop not only inside the plant, but also outside, in the fields with the farmers, working side by side with them to develop new varieties that are getting better each time. more nutritious and with more properties for food use. I believe that the success has been perseverance and having the unconditional support of the entire family group to continue with this project. Currently we can boast that everything we sell is free of residues, of any phytosanitary or chemical product”.
Q: Let's talk now about ADIEX. How do you see the association?
R: “ADIEX is an association that is necessary, because the issue of exports today is essential for any company, whatever the sector. I think that the issue of exports has been neglected for many years in Spain, the crisis has brought good news that you have to look for a market abroad and to be a moderately important company if you don't have the international market you are nobody. ADIEX is doing very well. Every year we do activities to promote and train people in the world of exports. I believe that the continuity of this association is key to the business development of Albacete”.
Q: Miguel Tapiador did a great job leading ADIEX…
R: “Miguel is a classic in the export world. When nobody exported, he already did it. Yes, he has done a great job, apart from being a good person and a good friend ”.
Q: Now Iván Torres is president of ADIEX, with a Board of Directors in which you are a member. What do you hope to achieve, what are the objectives that have been set?
R: “The objective that Iván has is, logically, continuity because to date it has been done well. It is necessary to continue, to put it in a colloquial way, hammering on the same thing. What Iván does give us, being a younger person, is the treatment of social networks and promoting the development of the association on the Internet. That is what is being emphasized.
Develop more transversal projects from which all partners can benefit, given that being a multisectoral association, grouped actions are more difficult to organize, and for that there is already FEDA and other organizations. Iván has always been on the Board of Directors of ADIEX, for two years now we have not only talked about training in internationalization, but also in innovation and development, international negotiation, foreign sales network, choice of distributors or agents, more technical training in logistics or international transport, advice on occupational risk prevention for compliance with regulations in other countries, database management agreements for buyers or distributors, etc. And that is the line in which we consider ADIEX should follow, a pioneering line not only in Albacete but also in Castilla-La Mancha.
