Organic distribution in Spain

The limited development of the organic food market in Spain compared with other countries like the UK, Germany or Sweden has been due to the lack of market structure, high food prices, limited food diversity and poor supply as well as low consumer awareness. Therefore, although Spain is one of the main producers of organic food in Europe, about 80 % of its organic production is exported, mainly to Northern European countries.

Picture: Organic Products in Spain

Consumers interested in organic food find prices in the market high, partly due to the current disconnection between production and distribution. This situation produces an apparent contradiction, where at the same time that the country produces significant quantities of fresh organic food, it is usually hard for the consumer to find locally produced organic products. A big proportion of the packaged organic food available in the shops is imported as final products, which makes the prices high. But slowly the display of organic products on the shelves that have been processed and commercialised in Spain has increased over recent years.

It seems evident that the main bottleneck in the Spanish organic market within the country is the poor distribution of fresh products. A study carried out by Dr. Antonio M. Alonso from the Research Centre of Organic Agriculture and Rural Development evaluated the Spanish market for fresh products. The field research was done in Granada province, in Andalusia, where he found a restricted variety of organic products compared with similar conventional ones and few stores where fresh organic food could be bought. The same study compared the price of the same product  produced organically and conventionally. The study identified the lack of wholesale companies specialised in fresh organic food as one of the main reasons for the low supply. Even in Madrid, the capital of Spain, with more than three million inhabitants, there is no wholesaler distributing fresh organic fruit and vegetables, so that retailers from Madrid have to travel to Barcelona or Saragossa to find these products.

Most of the organic wholesalers interviewed for this article distribute weekly, with about 90 % being certified organic products. In Spain it is a common practice that organic products imported from the EU are sold in their original packaging and therefore display the original brand name and original certification seal or certifier’s name. Usually the wholesaler’s range is made up of imported and national products using the seals and words that identify the product as organic in Spain and also in other EU countries. Some of the wholesalers are also manufacturers, processing themselves and selling with their own trademark some of the products that they distribute, as for example the company Élafos in Aragon or Natursoy in Catalonia.

In Spain, some wholesalers of natural products are moving towards organic food distribution. Montse Bea, the distribution manager for the Basque Country and Navarra, of Biolasi (www.biolasi.com), a wholesale company selling natural products, said that many clients are demanding both natural and organic products. The company is now distributing organic oil in most parts of the Spanish autonomous regions.

Other wholesalers of natural products like Sakai (http://www.sakai.es) offer organic certified food to their clients as part of the total deal. The percentage of the organic products varies considerably from one wholesaler to another and depends mainly on the demand from their customers, since this type of company is mainly focused on the distribution of natural products.

Main organic wholesalers in Spain:

Biospirit SL, (formerly Luz de Vida), based in Girona around 100 km north of Barcelona, is one of the biggest dry goods wholesalers in Spain, distributing to retailers a big variety of organic certified food like oils, seaweed, drinks (wine, beer, cider, spirits and juices), bread, cakes and other bakery products, biscuits, sweets, cereals, spices, preserves, fruit creams and nuts, flours, legumes, baby foods, pasta, patés, liquorice, sauces and grains. Biospirit also distributes environmentally friendly products for domestic cleaning and hygiene, natural cosmetics, eco- textiles, candles, kitchen utensils, books and pamphlets and also pet food.
Biospirit imports from EU and third countries. The number of staff is around 50. Goods are distributed to all the Spanish regions, including the Balearic Islands, and to Andorra. The percentage of organic products is 98 %, according to information from the company. The clients are specialised organic and healthfood retailers, consumer cooperatives, distributors and processors, as well as other shops selling organic and natural products. The languages spoken show international flair: Spanish, Catalan, Dutch, English, German and French.

Biocop commercializes and distributes organic food that does not require cool storage, as well as products for domestic cleaning, hygiene and health products. The company is located 20 km from Barcelona, where it receives and distributes organic products weekly.
Its areas of distribution are the Spanish regions, including the Canary and Balearic islands. In recent years the company has experienced growth approaching 25 %. Biocop imports from EU and third countries and has 36 employees. The organic proportion is some 98 %. The merchandise is delivered to local distributors, organic shops and conventional supermarkets like El Corte Inglés as well as to specialised organic supermarkets like the Italian NaturaSi, which has four shops in Spain as well as to the organic supermarket chain Veritas. Languages of communication are Spanish, English, French and German.

The Catalonian wholesaler Natureco, SL distributes tea, coffee, beer, wine, vegetable proteins, jams, grains, cereals, pasta, algae and soybean drinks, as well as desserts, soups, paté, preserves, olive oil, cured meat, frozen food and other items such as cleaning products. The number of staff is 15; the distribution area is the north western part of Spain: Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands, and also Andorra. Natureco  distributes only organic products (except non-food products) to its 450 clients. The languages of communication are Spanish, English, German and French.

Natursoy is a major manufacturer and distributes more than 800 certified organic products. Some of them (products made of tofu, seitan and other vegetable proteins) are processed by the company itself and sold with its own trademark. Other products from the range are dairy products, sweets, cereals, beverages, teas and coffees, preserves, macrobiotic food, food supplements such as spiruline, proastine, products made with aloe vera, cosmetics, etc. Natursoy imports from EU and third countries. The company has 56 employees and distributes to all regions of Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands. The frequency of distribution is weekly for the main clients and every two weeks for the rest. According to the company, 99 % of the food products are organic. Natursoy supplies 600 clients. Among them are direct sales, organic shops, conventional supermarkets (Corte Inglés, Supercor), consumer cooperatives, some restaurants and local distributors. Foreign languages spoken are Spanish, Catalonian, English, French, German and Russian.

Hortec SCCL was created in 1991 by a group of organic producers in Catalonia, to commercialize their fruit and vegetables. Its product range comes from organic producers in 10 different areas within Catalonia. The company, with 11 employees, completes its range with other brought-in products such as milk, dairy products and eggs. The areas of distribution are Catalonia, Madrid, the Basque Country, Galicia, and Valencia. 100 % of the products are organic and they are delivered mainly to organic shops.

Élafos SL processes and sells under its own trademark fresh fruit and vegetables, grains and legumes that come from a wide range of suppliers in Spain and other countries. These include citrus and tropical fruits such as avocados, mangoes, lichees and custard apples produced in the south of Spain, as well as bananas from the Canary Islands and pineapples imported from Cameroon. Other seasonal fruits distributed by Élafos are, for example, strawberries, cherries, apricots, peaches and melons. Regarding vegetables, the range includes potatoes, onions, leeks, carrots, tomatoes, salads and many others. The stock of grains and legumes includes rice, chickpeas, wheat, rye, millet, flaxseed and some varieties of beans. The company, with its ten employees, also distributes meat and poultry and dairy products. Distribution areas are Catalonia, Valencia, Aragon, Asturias and Cantabria, which are directly supplied by themselves (own vans). To the rest of Spain, delivery of the 100 % organic range is by courier to organic shops and supermarkets. Languages spoken (besides Spanish) are English and French.

Biomundo SL is a Madrid based company delivering to healthfood stores and pharmacies in the Spanish capital. From the whole range, 100 items are organic. Biomundo has 15 employees and is specialized in the distribution of organic cereals, legumes, pasta, fresh food (yoghurt, hamburgers, etc.) and baby food. Among other things, this wholesaler distributes cosmetic products, pet food and hygiene products. Foreign languages spoken are English and French.

Eco Alternativa (Valmasera) offers Rioja wines, tomatoes, olive oil and a variety of products from Catalonia, Andalusia and the Basque Country. It also offers specialised jams from Aragon, dairy products, honey from Castile-Leon, fresh pasta, cured meat and also a range of seasonal vegetables. All of them are packed by themselves and sold using the trademark Valmasera. The range is 100 % organic, according to the company spokesman. The enterprise, with eight employees, distributes to all regions of Spain, mainly to conventional supermarkets. Besides English and French, Italian is spoken.

Aikider SL commercializes organic food (marmalades, dairy products, juices, cereals, baby food, meat, etc) with 26 staff members in  the Basque Country, La Rioja and Cantabria (all northern regions of Spain). 99 % of the products available are organic. This wholesaler  sells to consumer associations and healthfood stores. French and English are spoken.

Delaterra.net distributes through a system of direct sales to the consumers in Catalonia and via the Internet to the rest of Spain. 95 % of the vegetables, meat, milk products, etc., which are sold originate from organic agriculture, The remaining 5 % are Fair Trade products. The firm distributes once a week in the region of Catalonia. Areas of distribution for the company (three employees) are Barcelona and Girona. The rest of Spain is reached via the internet and supplied by courier services.

Aikider:
Ciudad del Transporte c/Tudela, s/n
31119 – Imarcoain – Navarra
España.
Tel: +34 948 314 136
Fax: +34 948 314 120
e-mail: aikider@aikider.com

Biocop
Ctra. Sabadell - Granollers, km 12,7, nave 3, Lliçà de Vall
08185 Lliça de Vall (Barcelona)
España.
Tel: +34 93 843 6 517
Fax: +34 93 843 9600
E-mail: biocop@biocop.es
http://www.biocop.es

Biomundo
C/ Eslabón 1
Rivas Vaciamadrid
28529 Madrid, España.
Tel: +34 916 665 992
Fax: +34 916 665 652
e-mail: info@biomundo.com
www.biomundo.com

Biospirit
Ctra. Les Planes, km 4, Sant Gregori, 17150.
Girona, España.
Tel: +34 97 242 86 85
Fax: +34 97 242 81 64
e-mail: info@luzdevida.com
http://www.luzdevida.com

Delaterra.net
Av. Ferge de Monstserrat, 7, local
17400 Breda. Gerona. España
Tel: 972160190
e-mail: info@delaterra.net
www.delaterra.net

Eco Alternativa (Valmasera)
Glorieta de López Hoyos No. 5
Madrid. España.
Tel: +34 917450460
ecoalternativa@ecoalternativa.com
www.valmasera.com

Elafos
Industria 22
50793 Fabara,
España
Tel: +34 976 635 381
Fax: +34 976 635 409
e-mail: elafos@elafos.com
www.elafos.com

Hortec
Nau j-5 Mercabarna
08040 Barcelona
España.
Tel: +34 932 634 304
Fax: +34 932 630 797
e-mail: hortec@hortec.org
www.hortec.org

Natureco
Av. del Prat, No. 20-22
08180 Moià (Barcelona)
España.
Tel: +34 938 300 166
Fax: +34  938 208 404
e-mail: info@natureco.es
www.natureco.es

Natursoy
Josep Gallés, No. 36-52
08183 Castelltercol (Barcelona)
España.
Tel: +34 938 666 042
Fax: +34 938 666 250
e-mail: info@natursoy.com
www.natursoy.com

Further information:

Alonso M. Alonso. Caracterización del Mercado de los productos ecológicos frescos. El caso de Granada. Rev. Distribución y Consumo No. 65 Enero-Febrero 2006.

Joensen, M. Organic food in Spain. Faroe Islands, August 2003

Ministerio de Agricultura Pesca y Alimentación: Plan Estratégico de Agricultura Ecológica.

Rico, J. Comprar en verde. El País Semanal Número 1.486. Domingo 20 de marzo de 2005. Pág. 102-103.

Servicio Técnico de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural del Valle de Güimar. Cabildo de Tenerife. Estudio de Mercado sobre Agricultura Ecológica. Documento Resumen. www.agrocabildo.com/publica/pdf/resestmer.pdf