This strategy, key for the Valladolid-based company, goes hand in hand with a growing international projection, particularly in Portugal and France.
In a year marked by uncertainty around planting, weather conditions and market behaviour, Patatas Meléndez reinforces a principle that defines its way of operating: its growth is built on the grower and on planning from origin. The company will maintain a planting area similar to last year, as it operates based on real needs rather than open market speculation.
Juan Manuel Coello, company executive, explains it clearly to Fruit Today magazine: “Meléndez plants what it needs and does so under contract.” This nuance is significant. In a context where part of the sector is exposed to market volatility, the company defends a model in which commitments with growers form the basis of stability.
Meléndez states that this is precisely one of the reasons why its planted area will not change significantly this year, regardless of developments in other production regions.
The Meléndez x Origen community
The company considers this stable relationship with growers to be a strategic lever. In fact, in its 2026–2028 plan, Meléndez places the strengthening of origin integration as one of the key pillars to guarantee quality and year-round supply, with the aim of increasing both its own production and that sourced from partner growers.
This approach had already been outlined in previous interviews, where the company highlighted the development of Meléndez x Origen as a professional community focused on improving yields, digitalisation and agronomic sustainability.
Coello also frames market developments as the result of multiple factors rather than a single cause. In his view, the destabilisation of a campaign cannot be attributed solely to increases or decreases in planted area, but also to weather conditions, yields, storage, exports, industry demand and consumption behaviour.
Against this backdrop, Meléndez emphasises the consistency provided by working with contracted production.
Looking abroad
Building on this origin-based model, the company is also looking beyond Spain. Portugal stands out as one of the markets where the Valladolid-based firm is experiencing the most positive growth.
According to Coello, the Portuguese market is performing well for the company, which continues to grow year after year, supported by strong acceptance linked to product quality. He also highlights that fresh potato consumption remains significant in Portugal, reinforcing the company’s commercial potential in this market.
Alongside Portugal, France plays a central role in Patatas Meléndez’s international expansion. The company maintains a joint venture with Pom’ Alliance through Patatas Meléndez France, a structure that allows it to operate in a major producing country, control product quality and storage capacity, and rely on local teams and infrastructure to improve operations. The agreement dates back approximately four years.
RELATED NEWS: Meléndez: Origin, innovation, and international expansion
This international expansion aligns with the company’s corporate roadmap, which identifies Europe as a priority in its new strategic plan, with a dual focus: strengthening commercialisation in European markets and preparing the launch of new higher value-added products, including fresh-cut (IV gama) and ready-to-eat (V gama) lines.
The company’s growth in Europe is not a one-off development but part of a broader ambition: to establish Meléndez as a leading European operator.
At the same time, despite its international expansion, the company maintains its commitment to Spain as a strategic base, with operations in key production areas such as Castilla y León, Andalusia and Galicia.
The company continues to invest to sustain this model. Coello details new investments in field digitalisation, a new washing line and additional storage facilities, all aimed at improving efficiency and extending the availability of Spanish potatoes.
However, even within this modernisation strategy, the core message remains unchanged: Meléndez aims to ensure that potatoes remain a profitable crop and that growers continue to invest in the sector with confidence and visibility.
