The food sector is confirmed as one of the most resistant to the covid-19 crisis, especially in those groups focused on home consumption, such as bonÀrea Corporación. The company based in Guissona (Lleida) also has another advantage: it is a fully verticalized group that controls the entire value chain, from farm to plate, thus eliminating intermediaries and having a capital structure that allows it to reinvest the bulk of its profits.
Thus, in the worst year for the Spanish economy, bonÀrea Corporación has achieved its best results, with a turnover of 1,984 million euros, up 3.3%. This figure marks a new record in the trajectory of the meat group, which has increased its net profit by 8%, to 77.32 million, and made investments totaling 101.23 million, up 7%.
These investments have been largely allocated to the construction project of a new production complex in the Aragonese municipality of Épila, facilities that will allow the group to extend its business model to other autonomous communities. The company has also invested in its factories in Guissona and in the opening of 19 new bonÀrea supermarkets, in addition to carrying out another 21 relocations or expansions, closing 2020 with a network of 525 establishments. The chain operates in Catalonia, Aragon, Castellón, Valencia, Madrid, Guadalajara, Navarra, La Rioja and Andorra.
In parallel, the group owns 57 low-cost gas stations, an activity that has been punished by the pandemic, as limited mobility has caused a 17% drop in fuel sales revenue (333 million).
After creating 357 new jobs, the corporation chaired by Jaume Alsina now has a direct and subcontracted workforce of 5,661 employees. To protect them from the coronavirus and provide all necessary security measures, bonÀrea has invested 5.5 million. In addition, the company has made donations of 500,000 euros to finance research projects, food delivery and other social actions.
Online sales double
Although the bonÀrea network is the group's main sales channel, in 2020 the turnover of the online store has doubled, with a 129% increase in both home deliveries and in-store pickups. Exports to 35 countries have also increased by 45%.
bonÀrea Corporación is currently a public limited company and its capital is distributed among the farmers and ranchers who are also members of bonÀrea Cooperativa, the former Cooperativa de Guissona. Thus, the farms and agricultural holdings linked to the cooperative are responsible for supplying raw material to bonÀrea Corporación, which is the company responsible for the transformation, processing, and commercialization of products through its chain of own stores. Eleven feed factories and a veterinary division also depend on the corporation.
In the last year, the cooperative's members have produced 35 million chickens, 1.6 million turkeys, 2.7 million quails, 40 million dozen eggs, 834,000 pigs, and 59,000 calves.