Back in 1802, the gardener Joan Nonell i Vinyes began to commercialize seeds and plants in Maresme, where his family had arrived decades earlier, from Ireland. The innovative character is appreciated from the beginning, when he settles with his wife in a farmhouse, headquarters of the saga for more than two centuries. In addition to opening the first seed store in Barcelona, Joan published practical guides for gardeners and horticulturists. In 1889, the Ministry of Public Works awarded Semillas Nonell for its contribution to the progress of the agricultural sector.
Family unity makes strength
It is at the beginning of the 20th century when the Nonell family joins the Batlles, a family from Lleida dedicated to agricultural production and specialized in the export of alfalfa seeds in Europe. The Batlle brothers ---Ramón and Francisco--- acquire the commercial company in Barcelona and the expansion of what we know today as Semillas Batlle begins. Currently, the company is divided into two main areas: a channel for orchards and gardens, and the large crops division, the most important for the company and which accounts for 65% of its turnover.
An orchard and a garden… of quality
There are consumers who have a small home garden, an hectare of land to cultivate, a home garden on a terrace or an area full of flowers. It is to these profiles that Batlle's Orchard and Garden channel is directed, where a wide range of horticultural seeds, aromatic plants, bulbs or sprouts, to fertilizers, phytosanitary products and other products for people looking for ease of use, quality and presentation stand out.
A legacy of innovation
The added value of the company is its genetic base, with many and very old varieties, and its innovative character. The company was a pioneer in scientific studies, for example, of peas. "Our genetic resources are very large and allow us to choose and evolve to obtain seeds that adapt to current climatic conditions. Having started in the 19th century has expanded our knowledge to see what works and what doesn't," explains David Giné, CEO of Semillas Batlle and with more than 17 years of experience in the company.
Barley against cholesterol
Today, research continues to play a leading role. Their latest project involves developing barley rich in beta-glucan, a polysaccharide that stimulates the immune system and reduces cholesterol. The idea is to make this barley edible in flakes for breakfast, sprinkled on a salad, or as a slice of bread that transfers well-being. "It's something we weren't looking for but were able to confirm in different trials. The next step could be to produce a beer, with barley as its base, with a high percentage of beta-glucan. If we succeed, we'll be rich," jokes the general director.
Time is everything
In the world of seed commercialization, knowing how to wait is essential. "We create a great-great-grandparent and what we commercialize is a great-grandchild. Before, it took between 10 and 12 years to develop a variety; now we achieve it in no more than 6 years through trial and error and thanks to our germplasm banks, where there are different qualities and characteristics to achieve plants that, for example, better withstand temperatures and make better use of water," comments Giné. By crossing different parts of the best plants, viable varieties for the field are obtained. Currently, Batlle has about 120 active PBR (Plant Breeders' Rights) seed varieties, meaning they are both in conservation and commercialization. "We can work on the development of more than 1,000 crosses annually, but only four or five will see the light of day; it's a very restrictive selection based on the needs of the market, industry, and trade."
Strategic production with climatic diversity
More than 50% of the turnover –32 million euros in 2023– comes from exports to countries such as France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Morocco, Algeria, and Turkey. For its production, it has more than 15,000 hectares of cultivation spread across strategic locations with climatic diversity in Spain and abroad. Coinciding with the beginning of the 21st century, there was a change in the business model, opting for "a more technological, purer, and higher-value seed." In 2024, it opened a modern industrial plant of 45,000 square meters in Torrente de Cinca (Huesca), which joins the packaging and supply area of Bell-lloc (Lleida), the substrate factory in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), and the central headquarters in Molins de Rei (Barcelona).
A human capital of 110 people
Those scenes of people separating grain from chaff in wheat fields are history. Currently, Batlle receives a truck, and a single qualified person in front of a computer can extract a sample and validate it, unload the trailer, store it in a 30-meter-high silo, perform selection, verify quality, and have it dispensed in different formats, from 10 to 25-kilo bags to 500 to 1,000-kilo Big Bags. "Before," explains Giné, "many people were needed, and although today we are 110 employees across the different sites and factories, the company's greatest asset remains its human capital, which is very close and transparent. We want everyone to feel involved."
Beyond sustainability
Sustainability is no longer only related to mobility or the reduction of energy consumption or plastic packaging. Now it is also important to invent seed varieties that help fight against the consequences of climate change. According to its general director, "we have legumes that contribute to better crop rotation by fixing nitrogen to the soil and preparing it for the future, or plants capable of producing the same with fewer water resources and fertilizations. Without forgetting the development of vegetable proteins not only from soy but also from other legumes."
A 99% pure seed
The estimated production for this year is more than 20 million kilos of cereal seeds (barley, wheat, oats, rye, sorghum, etc.), legumes (vetch, pea, chickpea…), oilseeds (sunflower for industrial and human use) or fodder (alfalfa, ryegrass, fescue). At this point, new technologies are implemented in all processes. Giné gives the example of seed movement, "which is done in low-speed pneumatic transport inside a pipe and allows us to make barrier jumps to go from level 0 to level 35 in a silo, send it for selection at level 30 with few people and without danger of the product mixing or being destroyed." Cleaning is the other key point, which is why machines that separate seeds by size, shape, weight, or color are used. "And then there's the one that does the encapsulation, film coating, pelleting, and biostimulation treatment. In the end, a field product arrives that is more than 99% pure seed."
Businesses forever
98% of the business fabric in Spain are SMEs. Businesses that, in many cases, have been passed down from generation to generation. And that, thanks to their permanence, have a savoir-faire and a special relationship with their clients. Their stories are what tell us who we are. Some of them are recognized in Negocios para siempre (Businesses Forever), a project that gives viability to businesses that represent a unique way of treating the product and relating to their clients. Companies that, like Banco Sabadell, maintain closeness with the client, understand their needs, and listen to them every day to offer them the best response. Here we share some of the stories that have amazed us.