Ametller Origen maintains its double-digit growth rate and an expansion plan that includes the opening of a dozen new stores per year, with the aim of building a network of around 250 establishments in Catalonia in the next decade. "Now we have 138 stores and we believe that there is room for about a hundred more in Catalonia," says Josep Ametller, CEO of the company who, in the short term, is not considering making the leap to other autonomous communities, although it is, without a doubt, one of the future scenarios that the distribution group has on the table.
It is precisely with a view to this future that Ametller Origen will finally begin this summer in Gelida (Barcelona) the construction works of the Agroparc Penedès, a sustainable agro-industrial complex based on the circular economy that will lead to a new model of agricultural production and that will substantially increase the production capacity of prepared dishes and other elaborated products that constitute the sales engine of the chain along with fruits and vegetables. This first phase, which includes the urbanization project of the land and the construction of the new workshop, will involve an investment of 60 million euros.
According to Josep Ametller, the earthworks will start at the beginning of the second half of the year, with the aim that the new plant ---which will have 20,000 m²--- will be ready by the end of 2026. "We expect our stores to start stocking creams, yogurts, gazpachos and dishes made in the new Gelida plant from January 2027; all these products will bear a zero-emissions seal that will also certify the maximum circularity of the production process," explains the businessman.
In a meeting with the press, the co-founder of Ametller Origen explained this Wednesday that in 2023 the group exceeded 500 million euros in consolidated turnover for the first time. Specifically, sales amounted to 552 million euros, which represents a 22% increase compared to the 453 million reported in 2023, when growth was 17%. According to the CEO, the acceleration in sales is due to an increase in market share, the opening of eleven new stores, the renovation of another twelve establishments, and the brand's permanent innovation policy, which in the last year has launched initiatives such as the new range of more digestible dairy products Llet Llet. In parallel, this same week Ametller Origen will begin selling vegetable creams and protein-rich yogurts, aligning with one of the main consumption trends in the food sector. "Innovating is part of our DNA and is necessary to differentiate ourselves from the competition," he highlights.
According to the company, in the last year its market share in Catalonia has reached 3.51%, although this share rises to 7.7% in the case of fresh products (14% share in fruit sales and 11% in vegetables) and 9.4% in the prepared meals category, of which it already produces more than five million units per year. Ametller Origen has a base of more than one million customers, of whom 500,000 make at least one purchase per month. The weight of online sales is still small, standing at 2.5% of the turnover.
A fiscal policy that favors reinvestment
In the last year, Ametller Origen has executed investments of 34.4 million, a figure that raises the accumulated investment in the last ten years to 160 million."We reinvest all our profits," assures Josep Ametller, who, taking advantage of the electoral context, asks political parties for tax incentives for companies that reinvest their earnings instead of opting for dividend distribution or a more speculative model. "A fiscal framework should be established that promotes and incentivizes the reinvestment of profits," he stressed, after pointing out that 98% of their suppliers are of national origin.
After opening eleven stores in 2023, the chain now has a network of 138 points of sale and this year plans to open twelve more stores, with a commitment to inaugurate larger premises and also stores with parking located in retail parks. The chain's recent arrival in Puigcerdà and also in the province of Lleida stands out, with the inauguration of a store in the capital, which will be followed this summer by a point of sale in Viella.
In addition to expansion in the Ponent regions, the group also plans to increase its presence in Southern Catalonia, where it currently only has one establishment in Amposta. The CEO's objective is to expand into these areas over the next decade, at a rate of ten openings per year, also growing the network in the Girona regions and in the metropolitan area (80 stores), where the bulk of its business is concentrated. In Barcelona capital, Ametller Origen now has 52 points of sale, but it contemplates a plan to open between 20 and 30 more establishments. The group already has, for example, a second premises under construction in the Sant Antoni neighborhood, which will open on Rocafort street with Sepúlveda."At Ametller Origen we never stop, we are nonconformists. We want to maintain this high growth rate and we have enough ambition to do so," he concluded, after recalling that the group has a vertical integration business model that controls the entire value chain, from production fields to the plate.
In Barcelona, Ametller Origen is also finalizing the launch of new offices that will allow some of its departments and teams to be located in the capital. These facilities will be complementary to those of the central headquarters in Olèrdola and are located on a floor above its store on Numancia street, also called Mercat d'Autors.
In the last year, the group has increased its workforce by 11% and now totals 3,800 people, 98% with permanent contracts. Since 2021, Ametller Origen has increased salary remuneration by an average of 20% and assures that it is currently "the Catalan food distribution company with the best remuneration and working conditions in the market."
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