• Foodiverse strengthens its sustainable growth with a solid commercial commitment in all of the group’s units, reaching a total of more than 200 clients in 30 countries

• As part of an essential sector, the company has demonstrated its commitment to service, while protecting its staff and intensifying corporate social responsibility activity through donations, significantly stepping up its efforts during the pandemic

Valencia, 31 May 2021.– Foodiverse, a multinational company with expertise in creating fresh and healthy foods, has solidified its international expansion after years of intense inorganic growth in Europe, reinforced by the launch of its new corporate brand last September. In 2020, the group obtained a combined turnover of 311 million euro, a small 3.9% decrease compared to the previous fiscal year, though the company remains on its path to growth with a 6.7% CAGR over the last 5 years, showcasing its resilience and sustainability even in challenging years.

As Rafael Boix, CEO of Foodiverse, states,“the pandemic and its consequences have been a major challenge worldwide, creating changes in consumer habits during the lockdowns and due to the different restrictions. In our case, we have stepped up our efforts since we belong to an essential sector, ensuring service for our clients and bringing our healthy revolution to our consumers’ tables, while safeguarding our employees’ health and well-being at all times. We truly want to thank our employees for their dedication and commitment during these challenging times. We are optimists about the company’s future and will continue to be committed to innovation, healthy eating and our people’s professional growth.”

Last year, the company’s agricultural business area particularly stood out due to its growth, with a 23% increase in sales compared to the previous year, reaching 93.6 million euro. The fresh and ready area, comprised of the fresh-cut business units, reached a turnover of 190.6 million euro, while baby food and plant-based product areas remained stable with a combined turnover of 25.3 million euro.

Solid commercial commitment based on innovation

At Foodiverse, innovation is a key, cross-cutting concept and the main driver of its growth strategy. This past year, the Group launched more than 130 new products, thus complementing an array of more than 1,000 product references. These new launches also include more environmentally respectful options, as Foodiverse designs its products always with sustainability in mind. Examples of this include a variety of initiatives that are part of the CleveR7 project, including zero plastic packages in BIO products, the use of biodegradable materials, such as cardboard and sugar cane in daily salads, and the new 100% recyclable pouch for baby food products.

This winning value proposition, backed by an intense sales activity, has paid off as Foodiverse today boasts more than 200 clients and is present in 30 markets. Foodiverse made a concerted effort to strengthen the products of Agromediterránea, the group’s agricultural marketer, in Spanish retail, with sales doubling compared to the previous year. The group also landed in the United States and Australia with baby food products, while it gained ground in the Portuguese market, where Foodiverse now holds nearly 15% market share. Foodiverse has also expanded within the vending channel and introduced its plant-based products in the online channel.

Investment in the future

In 2020, Foodiverse completed its investment plan as part of its Growing project with 7.9 million euro aimed at increasing its capacity and continuous improvement in terms of efficiency, quality, and food safety, adding up to a total of 34.6 million euro of cumulative investment over the last 5 years.

Highlights among the investments made last year include the installation of a new bagged salad line in Thurländer in Germany, which will give Foodiverse the capacity to produce more than 25 million annual units, as well as a new production line for ultra-fresh salads in biodegradable packaging. The investments in Josef Müller Gemüse in Switzerland were aimed at creating new fresh-cut fruit facilities, doubling its production capacity in this category and emphasising its leadership in the Swiss market. Novanatura in Italy also installed a new line of salad bowls to enter into the leading segment in the Italian market, while in Spain the company made major investments in all the group’s sites, most notably the adaptation of the Verdifresh fresh-cut plant in Aranda del Duero.

All this was in addition to the company’s firm commitment to digitalisation, a true necessity last year, which helped turn Foodiverse into a liquid and dynamic company, capable of adapting to the challenges of each situation.

A committed company

At Foodiverse, people come first. Throughout fiscal year 2020, the company ensured that its staff, comprising 2,562 people at year end, remained safe and sound. With more than 65 nationalities represented in the group, Foodiverse employs 49.6% women and 50.4% men, and 89% of employees have open-ended contracts. Additionally, in 2020, the company promoted 80 employees internally, reaffirming the company’s commitment to its internal talent.

In a highly challenging year, Foodiverse reinforced its commitment to society. As part of its intense corporate social responsibility activity, the group donated more than 35,000 kg of fresh vegetables and 640,000 product units, among other initiatives.

About Foodiverse                                                                     

Foodiverse is much more than a food company. It is a multinational group, with expertise in preparing fresh and healthy foods, created to revolutionise the market through a wide range of innovative, balanced, and trendy products, all designed and prepared to be enjoyed any time of the day, anywhere you go.

Its activity in the food sector covers the entire production chain, from the seed itself all the way to consumers’ tables. As part of its vision to lead the healthy revolution, the group has added leading companies in its respective markets over the last few years such as the Spanish company Agromediterránea (2014), the German company Thurländer Salate (2018), the Swiss company Josef Müller Gemüse (2019), and the Italian company Novanatura (2019).

Foodiverse currently boasts 9 production plants in Europe and 21 agricultural farms in Spain, where it cultivates 4,000 hectares annually, providing employment to more than 2,500 workers. Sales revenue last year reached a total of 311 million euro. Its line of products features vegetables that come straight from the field, ready-to-eat salads and fresh fruits, as well as baby food and plant-based products, which are distributed to more than 200 clients in 30 countries. The company also boasts three own brands: Sun&Vegs, BIO Sun&Vegs and Byba.

Further information: www.foodiverse.com

Press Contact

KREAB

Luciano Figari | Flavia Trevisan

+34 699 296 127 | +34 692 593 185

lfigari@kreab.com  ftrevisan@kreab.com

• Sold with their roots still intact, they have been awarded in the Sustainability category for the innovation behind them and for contributing towards the consumption of fresher healthy products

• The company’s Centre of Agricultural Innovation (CIAM) is running this project which involves soil-free farming without the use of pesticides

• The award was received by the general manager at Agromediterránea, Jesús Gómez, at the 43rd award ceremony organised by Spanish business magazine Actualidad Económica

Dolores de Pacheco (Murcia), 28th May 2021.- Agromediterránea, a company that specialises in the production and distribution of fresh vegetables, has been awarded for its research project involving the farming of living lettuce, classed as one of the ‘100 Best Ideas of the Year’ in the Food category. The magazine Actualidad Económica granted the Foodiverse company recognition at its 43rd award ceremony.

“At Agromediterránea we are 21st century farmers, meaning that sustainability and innovation are part of our everyday work ethic. We are very proud that our commitment and the efforts of all of our team are recognised, both through prestigious awards such as this, and by our clients,” Jesús Gómez, general manager at Agromediterránea, explained.

The ‘100 Best Ideas of the Year’ awards go to the best product innovations and initiatives driven every year in the sphere of business, in categories such as digital transformation, health, connectivity, environment, industry 4.0, SMEs and start-ups, and transport and mobility. The publication has recognised the merit of Agromediterránea’s project within the Sustainability category.

This innovative project, developed by the company in its Centre of Agricultural Innovation (CIAM), aims to ensure that the product reaches the end consumer fresher and cleaner with its roots still intact. To do this, they have implemented a strategy based on vertical hydroponic farming, with no soil and no pesticides.

The prizewinning project has initially been carried out using red oakleaf lettuces (Chicorium Intybus) although the company aims to incorporate other varieties and, before too long, other types of vegetable.

Sustainability being one of Agromediterránea’s strategic building blocks, living lettuce – which is sold under the brand Sun&Vegs – unites the company’s commitment to the environment and the concept of healthy eating.

• Used for the BIO radishes recently added to the range, the aim is to extend the use of this type of plastic to other products

• The company is consolidating its commitment to sustainability by becoming a major partner of Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP), an alliance which helps to prevent the pollution of the oceans by reusing the plastic found on coastlines and in the sea

• Furthermore, other packaging formats are available made from alternatives to plastic such as kraft paper, used for wrapping courgettes, or cellulose trays

Dolores de Pacheco (Murcia, Spain), 8 April 2021.- Agromediterránea has started using a new type of packaging for its BIO Sun&Vegs radishes. This sustainable packaging is made from recycled plastic that has been recovered from coastal areas and seas in different parts of the world. The initiative is within the company’s role as a major partner of Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP), a project that in 2020 alone prevented more than 830 million plastic bottles from polluting the sea.

New to the range, the BIO radishes will be sold in 100% rPET packaging, designed to be as thin as possible and recyclable after use. As well as innovating in terms of the materials used, Agromediterránea has opted for a format that had never before been used for radishes: a 200 g tub with a lid, rather than the usual bag or flowback, which will keep the product fresh for longer and facilitate consumption.

“We continue to innovate in order to find the best way of getting our products directly from the fields to our customers. As we are continually trying out new alternatives, today we are able to offer a wide range of more sustainable options that adapt to current consumer demands”, explains Jesús Gómez, Managing Director of Agromediterránea.

Through its alliance with Prevented Ocean Plastic, the company is contributing to the circular economy and the prevention of marine pollution. At the same time, the initiative is helping to generate a positive economic impact in the areas in which the plastic is gathered, as the local communities are directly involved in the production of this material in a process that is certified by the organisation OceanCycle.

The inclusion of POP-certified plastic broadens the range of sustainable packaging offered by Agromediterránea. Along these lines, the company already has products with zero-plastic packaging which is 100% recyclable such as their kraft paper wrapping for courgettes and cellulose trays for sweetcorn.

BIO products

As well as radishes, Agromediterránea currently has another three products on the market with an eco-label which are sold under the brand BIO Sun&Vegs: courgettes, iceberg lettuces and broccoli. This is a product range that is constantly growing and which offers fresh, certified products from organic crops.

About us:

Agromediterránea, part of the Foodiverse group, is a company that specialises in the cultivation and preparation of vegetables straight from the fields. Our work is based on highly regarded values such as innovation, quality and sustainability, which constitute a process that has a significant social impact: the healthy revolution.

Whilst holding on to our country roots, we have adapted to respond to the challenges of the 21st century. To that end, we develop global solutions adapted to the needs of every customer and market.

Agromediterránea works with the main European supply chains, has over 4,000 hectares of field crops and, from our production centre located in Dolores de Pacheco (Murcia, Spain), we produce around 500 product references in different formats, packaging and weights. This includes a wide range of organic products with eco-labels.

In addition, we have our own range which is marketed under the brand name of Sun&Vegs.

Further information: https://agromediterranea.com/

• The company, with expertise in preparing fresh and healthy foods, has production plants in Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Italy, and markets its products in the main retail chains across Europe.

• Investment between 2019 and 2020 has allowed production capacity to increase in its factories and to broaden the range of products they prepare

• They have also established in-house laboratories at 3 of their plants to consolidate their quality control processes, as well as improving their efficiency and competitiveness

Foodiverse, a multinational business group expert in preparing fresh, ready-to-eat foods, has consolidated its commitment to become the leader of the healthy revolution in Europe, by significantly investing in its factories over the last two years. In particular, it has invested 14 million Euro in new production lines, as well as installing new tools and processes to help with quality control and efficiency, within its global “GROWING” project.

In doing so, the group has reaffirmed its commitment to keep on growing across Europe, within its corporate strategy based on business development and improved positioning in new markets, countries, and customers through innovative and trendy products.

“Our commitment is solid. We want to be the go-to company for European consumers seeking fresh and healthy products. Continuous investment allows us to be more competitive and to promptly and safely respond to the needs of customers and consumers in terms of volume, quality, innovation and sustainability”, says Rafael Boix, CEO of Foodiverse.

Food safety first

Among the main investments made in the 2019-2020 period is the establishment of in-house quality control laboratories at the plants of Thurländer (Germany), Josef Müller Gemüse (Switzerland) and Novanatura (Italy). The new laboratories, which have seen an overall investment of 400,000 Euro, are equipped with devices to analyse microorganisms through PCR, allowing the products to be quality controlled in the plant itself, prior to being delivered to customers.

This investment falls within the global “SAFETYSHIELD” project and has strengthened and standardised procedures at group level in terms of food safety and quality.

Innovation and greater production capacity

In addition, the group has focused its investments these past two years on increasing production capacity at its plants, with the installation of new, modern and efficient processing lines, as well as lines for the development of new products, all within the framework of the “innovACTIVE” project.

In particular, the investments made in the German plant of Thurländer (€6 million) go hand in hand with innovation and growth. As a result, a new facility has been built for the preparation of bagged salads, a completely new format for the factory, and a line has been installed for the production of super-fresh salads in biodegradable packaging. In terms of volume and efficiency, a new production line has also been installed for trays, another line for carrots and new equipment has been acquired for sealing and packaging.

These improvements have enabled an increase in production capacity and innovation at the German plant, and new products in bagged format have been introduced and are being distributed to customers in Germany and northern Europe.

For its part, the Swiss plant of Josef Müller Gemüse has built new facilities dedicated to the production of pre-cut fruit, meaning its production capacity has doubled in this category. Separate from the salad processing and under specially adapted hygiene and health conditions, the new facilities offer state-of-the-art technology that provide greater versatility, efficiency and control of processes. Furthermore, different aspects relating to food safety and quality have been improved. In total, investment has reached €4 million.

Finally, at the Italian plant of Novanatura,an investment of €1 million has been made to increase the range of products offered, with the installation of a line for the preparation of salads in bowl format. In this way, the company has entered the category that leads the growth in ready-to-eat food in the Italian market and it has introduced its own brand, Sun&Vegs.

Greater flexibility and versatility in Spain

During the 2019-2020 period, investments have been made to the tune of €2 million in the group’s ready-to-eat food plants in Spain. The main items on the balance sheet have been earmarked towards providing facilities with greater flexibility and versatility to respond to new customers’ needs, and new production lines for new products and formats have been installed.

Additionally, investment has been remained stable within the global eSHARE project for digital transformation, in projects related to digitisation and automation of processes at all the group’s plants.

• The project, which involves keeping the roots on the plant, is being developed at the Centre of Agricultural Innovation and it represents a further step forward in offering fresher products every day through innovation and sustainability

• The company, specialised in the production and distribution of vegetables straight from the fields, reflects their values in their new corporate video

Agromediterránea, a member of the Foodiverse group specialised in the production and distribution of vegetables, has launched an innovative project through which it will offer its customers living lettuces, keeping the roots on, so that the product reaches the consumer in an even fresher and more sustainable state. Furthermore, no plant health treatments will be used on these crops given they will be grown in a fully controlled environment which guarantees that they will be free from pests and insects, without the need for the use of herbicides or pesticides.

The initiative is being developed by the Centre of Agricultural Innovation (CIAM) located in the Valencian town of Montserrat, with a strategy based on soil-free hydroponic cultivation that enables better control over the whole process and, when the time comes, over the harvesting of the complete product.

Vicent Mañez, head of the Innovation Department, explained that “with this project, we are operating at the cutting-edge of the sector by offering our customers what consumers are demanding: fresh, completely safe products straight from the fields. We have spent years reducing, when not directly eliminating, the use of plant health products and developing closed, vertical crops that do not impact on the soil and which enable us to reuse 100% of the water used”.

The project is being carried out using the oak leaf lettuce variety, but the aim is to work in the medium- to long-term on incorporating new lettuce varieties initially, and then other products at a later date.

30% less water

Sustainability is a key element for Agromediterránea and it has implemented a number of measures focused along these lines. It has over 4,000 hectares of field crops located in 7 provinces that use rainwater collection systems. All of them also use lower-volume hoses which enable them to make water savings of 30%.

It has also incorporated harvesting machinery for cleaning and packaging vegetables straight from the fields, thus contributing towards more efficient distribution. The plant is equipped with LED technology and, to reduce carbon emissions, it works with pooling systems using returnable packaging, with a design that uses biodegradable or biocompostable materials. In addition, it has implemented reverse logistics to recover and recycle all the materials.

All of these values have been brought together in its new corporate video which has just been released and which summarises the corporate reality of a company that markets over 500 different product references, adapted to different formats, packaging and weights, in 25 markets across the whole of Europe.