Nomen Foods invests in a factory for rice cups and ready meals

Nomen Foods advances in its growth, diversification, and internationalization strategy. With the aim of adapting to new consumption habits, the Catalan company has decided to build a factory specialized in the production of ready meals and ready-to-eat products. The project has involved an initial investment of three million euros and, according to the company, will be "the largest 100% sustainable fifth-range food product plant in the rice sector in Europe."

This spring, Nomen completed the first phase of construction of the building that will house the plant, on the same grounds in Deltebre (Tarragona) where its current factory is already located. These new facilities span 1,700 square meters and will be inaugurated at the end of 2021, with a production capacity of eight million rice cups per year. In addition, the plant will also be dedicated to the production of the ready meals that Nomen launched on the market in 2020 and which it currently has outsourced. This center expands Nomen's current production complex, which will reach 24,050 square meters built.

According to Nomen, the rice cups will be 100% recyclable and 40% of the energy consumed by the factory will come from the solar park that will be installed on its own roof. The other 60% will be electricity with a green certificate or from renewable sources. "This project drives our fight against climate change and our ambition to be the most environmentally friendly rice company," explains Enric Batlle, CEO of Nomen, who also recalls that the firm "champions the commitment to organic rice."

The executive also points out that the new production center will allow the company to advance in its international growth plans --- Nomen recently entered the French market --- and adapt to new trends in healthy and convenience food.

Nomen Foods closed its 2019-2020 fiscal year with a 6% drop in turnover, to 29.8 million euros, due to the decline in sales in the hospitality sector due to covid-19. The company operates in the market through the brands Nomen, Bayo and Segadors del Delta and is owned by the Arrossaires del Delta de l'Ebre cooperative, although the rice farmers who are members of the cooperative also participate directly in its shareholding. Arrossaires bought the Nomen brand from Ebro Foods in 2012 for close to 40 million euros and in 2018 created the company Nomen Foods to gain agility and boost the growth of the brand.