Hortial Fresh is making its entry into the European market with an “exciting and highly motivating” project that brings together extensive commercial experience, a solid production base and a clear service-oriented approach to retailers. The new company, established at the end of June and jointly owned by Felipe Gómez García and his partner, has focused since August on developing a working model built on small and medium family farms and annual fixed programmes with European retailers.
In just four months of activity, the company — headquartered in Roquetas de Mar — already manages around 1,800 hectares distributed across Campo de Cartagena and other areas of Murcia, the province of Granada, Castilla-La Mancha, the Valencia region and Almería. Based on this structure, Hortial Fresh expects to market around 50 million kilos in its first campaign, with planning that covers all twelve months of the year.
Its range includes iceberg and romaine lettuce, mini romaine, endives, pak choi, Chinese cabbage, radishes, brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower and kohlrabi, celery, tomatoes and peppers — as well as watermelon and melon in summer — plus specific agreements for garlic and kaki production. The company has also launched an organic line focused on leafy crops and brassicas, and is working towards moving directly into production through joint ventures with selected suppliers.
A stable partner
Felipe Gómez emphasises that the company was created with a clear vocation to become a reliable and stable partner for European supermarket chains, with which it works exclusively — bypassing the wholesale channel. It currently collaborates with a dozen major European retailers, providing stability to the farming families it works with and obtaining a very positive response from the market at a time of significant commercial uncertainty.
With all certifications in place and supported by the operational team contributed by the Almeria-based partner, Hortial Fresh is committed to consolidating its programmes step by step and maintaining a financial management model that enables growers to be paid quickly, reducing cash-flow pressure. The goal is to grow in an orderly manner, strengthening Spain’s role as a key supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables in Europe.
