The facility in Etxarren (Arakil Valley), linked to Caja Rural de Navarra, has established itself as a key player in the local agribusiness sector: it has a turnover of more than €70 million and exports around 45% of its total production to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Algeria and Morocco, among others.
Harivenasa has an industrial warehouse, planned by IDOM and designed by architect Jesús Armendáriz, which covers 112,000 m², with a built area of around 15,000 m² spread over eight floors and a total height of 50 metres. It uses a vertical design that takes advantage of gravity for the internal transport of oats, from reception to final packaging.
The start-up of this facility represented an investment of €55 million for its owners (including land and technology). It also enabled them to double their processing capacity to 50,000 tonnes per year.
The complex is also highly automated, operates 24/7 (approximately 350 days a year) and uses state-of-the-art Swiss technology. It has its own laboratory and a flexible production line that allows it to serve both industrial customers and end consumers with tailor-made products. It produces more than 200 products, available in packages ranging from 100 g to 25,000 kg bags, including formats such as flakes, flour, bran and muesli mixes.
The company’s own brand, Alea, accounts for around 50% of production; the other half is sold as a private label for chains such as Mercadona, Lidl and Eroski. Harivenasa has Halal and Kosher certifications—including regular inspections by a rabbi to ensure compliance with planting requirements before Passover—as well as organic and other certifications necessary for export. As a result, it can serve more than 200 customers. It will soon be making the leap to the United States, although most of its sales continue to be concentrated in the Spanish (55%) and European markets.
The importance of the agri-food sector
Navarre’s companies cover the entire value chain, from the primary sector to the agri-food industry, with standouts including Spain’s two largest frozen vegetable producers (Ultracongelados Virto and Congelados de Navarra), the largest cereal cooperative group (Grupo AN), the global leader in manufacturing and marketing casings for food products (Viscofan), whose sales reach around 100 countries worldwid, Spain’s leading producer of fresh ready-to-eat salads and vegetables (Florette), and multinational companies of the highest calibre such as General Mills, Gelagri, Mondelez or Agrozumos. More information is available at the following link.
Source: Diario de Navarra