Anecoop increases turnover by 4.2% in one of its most complex campaigns

Anecoop’s marketing volume in the past financial year (2021/2022) totalled 759,882 tons, a decrease of 10% compared to the previous year, while the consolidated volume remained around one million tons. Currently, the Anecoop Group is made up of 73 fruit vegetable flower and wine cooperatives from all over Spain. During the 2022 financial year, two new partners joined: Sociedad Agraria de Transformación Montivel, based in Berja, Almería, and Bio de Mula S.L. near Murcia. In the corporate sphere, the acquisition in France of the flower company Alma Bouquets stands out, which together with Floren’Sud reinforces the position of the Group in cut flowers in the French market above 25% market share.

Celebration with 73 entities and 250 delegates

Anecoop presented the figures for the 2021-2022 campaign at its General Assembly of partners, held at the Palacio de Congresos de Valencia in early March. In front of more than 250 people, including representatives of its 73 associated entities and professionals of the Group, its managers gave an account of the results of the year, which showed growth in terms of turnover, both for Anecoop S. Coop. and the Group’s companies. In this regard, the president of the second-degree cooperative, Alejandro Monzón, highlighted this positive result in the framework of an exceptionally difficult year, attributing it “to the cooperative model that we defend and that marks our way of acting”. He pointed out, however, that “the vicissitudes of a commercial year full of ups and downs have given uneven results for the different products, failing in some cases to cover production costs. What is clear is that the high prices paid by the consumer do not correspond, generally speaking, to what production perceives. The increase in costs within the value chain prevents the farmer from receiving a fair payment for the work he does ”

Alejandro Monzón emphasised the nature of agriculture as an essential strategic sector, appealing to the different administrations and society to become aware “because a strong and independent national agriculture benefits not only us, but future generations. Agriculture can become a profitable option that can favour the generational change that the countryside is asking for”.

Record turnover of €823.6 million +4.2%

Monzón also indicated the roadmap to be followed by companies in the sector to add value to orchards and their products: “Implement innovation tirelessly and continue working on the offer. The processes of technification and digitisation of the field are part of the change. Organizations that do not assume that all this has a leading role in their roadmap are destined to disappear”.

For his part, general manager, Joan Mir, detailed the development of the commercial campaign, listing all the factors that have made 2022 a year of great complexity in which, however, commercial and internal management “has allowed us to close with a record turnover figure of 823.6 million euros, 4.2% more than the previous year. And also with record sales to our partners with prices higher than the previous campaign, which have somehow allowed them to alleviate the significant increase in production costs, up to 30% more than in recent years, and the impact of the climatic incidents this year, which in many cases has led to a notable drop in the harvest”.

2 new cooperative members and an acquisition in France

It has also encouraged the partners “to continue taking steps towards integration, which can be done without the need to lose identity”. In this regard, he highlighted the examples of Ribercamp, made up of the Sant Bernat de Carlet and Guadacoop (Guadassuar) cooperatives, or the initiative of the Agrícola del Marquesado de Llombai and San Salvador de Alfarp, which have merged to create Coalmar. The entry of Alzicoop into Greenfruits, or the incorporation of SAT Montivel from Almeria to the Group, complete the progress made in this field during the year, and as it has been announced, “there are new projects on the table”. The acquisition in France of Alma Bouquets in Marseilles, together with the subsidiary Floren’Sud in Perpignan, makes it possible to integrate French producer partners and position itself in second or third place in the ranking of bouquet suppliers in France.

Ambitious promotional campaigns

The sector was also urged to promote consumption “so that agriculture can once again occupy its rightful place, out of concern about the data on the constant drop in consumption of fruit and vegetables. Something that can be solved with investment and a determined commitment to campaigns and major initiatives that publicize the benefits of our product and the novelties that are emerging as a result of constant innovation”. Monzón and Mir thanked the group of Anecoop partners and professionals for the effort made and have put the finishing touch with a message: that despite the results obtained, the future presents great uncertainties, for which reason “we have the obligation to continue with the high guard, working to be increasingly competitive and achieve greater profitability for our partners”.

About Anecoop

Since its founding in 1975, the Anecoop Group has established itself as one of the largest international distribution companies for citrus, vegetables, non-citrus fruits and wines. It is the leading Spanish fruit and vegetable exporter with close to one million tons sold per year. It currently integrates, coordinates and markets the production of 73 cooperatives and fruit and vegetable and wine companies and represents nearly 23,000 Spanish farmers. The raw materials (fresh fruit and vegetables and wine) marketed by Anecoop are of national origin. The vast majority come from the Valencian Community, Andalusia, Murcia, Extremadura, Castilla y León, Catalonia, Navarra and Aragon and Castilla La Mancha. It integrates companies whose activity ranges from research for varietal improvement, to product delivery at the point of sale. It consists of a commercial structure made up of ten international companies and five delegations in Spanish territory (Valencia, Almería, Murcia, Seville and Valle del Ebro). Its sales network is located at strategic points in the international fresh fruit and vegetable market: Spain, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, China and the United States, the latter oriented to the marketing of wine. It also owns logistics and transportation service companies.