The oil producing cooperative San Sebastián held its 1st Amarga y Pica Open Doors Day, dedicated to promoting the excellence of its quality olive oils, and to demonstrate the pioneering project for digital transformation Almazara Conectada 4.0 applying it to its sector to achieve the maximum efficiency of its production processes, quality control and business management.
During this day, over 200 farmers, clients, suppliers, friends and connoisseurs of oil, along with representatives of the Agro-food Cooperatives of Granada, Denominación de Origen Montes de Granada, ANSOTEC, Grupo Coperalia and the Mayoress, Maria Angustias Cámara, all attended the installations of this cooperative that represents more than 1,600 olive growers from the region of Los Montes.
The chairman of San Sebastián, Antonio Rafael Serrano, accompanied by the director, Eduardo Valverde and managers of the company ANSOTEC demonstrated to the president of the Federation of Cooperatives, Fulgencio Torres, and the chairman of the Denominación de Origen Montes de Granada, Gustavo Ródenas, the pioneering technological solutions for the edible oil sector implemented in these facilities.
Conde de Benalúa improved its energy efficiency through its incorporation of an autonomous electrical system that allows it to obtain a continuous high-quality energy supply in the whole installation. The Almazara Conectada 4.0 project allows this company to be more competitive in the market, guaranteeing a product of the highest quality that meets the expectations of the most demanding consumers.
On the part of the company ANSOTEC, Juan Hermida and Alberto Guzmán emphasised that “this innovation represents a real revolution in process management due to its flexibility, speed and efficiency”.
In his speech, the president of the Consejo Regulador de la DOP Montes de Granada, Gustavo Ródenas, mentioned the value and opportunities that the recognition of its distinctive quality could provide for the region, encouraging the companies that form part of the grouping, including Conde de Benalúa, to continue to work to improve the reputation of the local extra virgin oil, offering consumers what they want.
For his part, the chairman of the Agro-food Cooperatives of Granada, Fulgencio Torres, discussed the challenges facing the sector in the future PAC post 2020. “The olive growing sector is at stake in this reform of the agricultural policy, which must ensure the maintenance of a profitable, sustainable and productive business. We must defend a sufficient level of financing and resources in the new support framework”, stressed the chairman of the Provincial Federation, Fulgencio Torres.
The chairman of Coperalia, Francisco Ramos presented the projects of this oil producing group, which was set up to improve the commercialization of olive oil, with a joint project based on the pooling of resources and an entrepreneurial outlook. The COPERALIA group is made up of the cooperatives of Granada Ntra Sra. de los Remedios (Iznalloz), San Francisco de Asís (Montefrío), San Isidro (Loja), San Sebastian (Benalúa de las Villas), as well as Agropecuaria Granadina SCAa 2º(Granada), which includes the cooperatives Santa Isabel (Campotéjar), Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza (Cúllar), Almazara Montillana and San Idefonso (Peligros).
They are joined by the cooperatives from Jaen of San Antonio, de Alcalá la Real; San Isidro, from Castillo de Locubín and Cooperativa Del Campo San Rafael, from Frailes, who are also in the group. These cooperatives represent some 10,500 farmers and 40 million kilos of oil.
The round of speeches ended with the director of San Sebastián, Eduardo Valverde, a specialist in sales, who explained the success of the brand Amarga y Pica, a green and highly aromatic extra virgin olive oil, with a slightly spicy flavour, which is a reference for quality due to the peculiarities of its production area and the early harvesting of its olives, which are of the picual variety.
At the end of the event, the attendees enjoyed a portion of paella and a visit to the exhibition area with local products and those of the Sabor Granada brand, which is operated by the provincial authority.
