The delegate of the Andalusian Government in Granada, Antonio Granados, and the delegate of Agriculture, Fishing, Water, and Rural Development, Carmen Lidia Reyes, have toured the facilities of Almendras Donaire, a reference in the almond sector in the province, with more than 70 years of family history linked to the Iberian almond.
The visit is part of the company's participation in the latest call for aid for the transformation and marketing of agri-food promoted by the Junta, within the programming period PEPAC 2023-2027 (Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy). Through this line, the company has requested co-financing for several key investments aimed at renewing and expanding its processing capacity, with a total budget of 270,900 euros, the resolution of which could be known in the coming months.
According to the regional administration, the project includes the purchase of a horizontal screener, specific equipment for screening and classifying almonds by size, which will allow for the homogenization of the product and minimize impurities in the initial selection phase.
Additionally, the incorporation of an optical sorter based on artificial vision for pre-shelling selection is planned, capable of identifying and removing defects in the almonds with great precision, thus raising the quality standards of the final product.
The modernization plan also includes a cutting line into sticks with thermal conditioning, a format of high added value that is highly demanded by the chocolate, pastry, and snack industries.
These actions aim to strengthen competitiveness and efficiency in the industrial process. The combination of the three investments will allow for increased productive yield, reduced raw material waste, optimized traceability, and diversification of the offer towards higher added value presentations, especially attractive to the most demanding international markets.
During the tour, the representatives of the Junta emphasized the relevance of Almendras Donaire as one of the most prominent agri-food companies in Granada. The company applies a model of vertical integration that covers the entire value chain, from the reception of raw almonds to their transformation, selection, packaging, and sale, both in Spain and abroad, thus ensuring high quality control and a notable capacity to adapt to customer needs.
The company also acts as an important economic engine for the provincial agri-food sector, by offering a stable marketing channel to numerous farmers and suppliers in the area, contributing to generate wealth, consolidate the dried fruit sector, and promote the development of the rural environment.
The Government delegate wanted to "recognize the effort and commitment of a family that has bet on continuing to grow, generating employment and wealth in our land. In addition, this project has the support of the Junta de Andalucía, with President Juanma Moreno at the forefront and Counselor Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, supporting modernization, digitalization, and the incorporation of new machinery to continue strengthening a strategic sector. This is the way, to promote innovation so that our products gain value, are more competitive, and reach the consumer with the maximum guarantees of quality".
Almendras Donaire maintains a fixed workforce of 33 workers, which expands to 40 people during the campaign, concentrating most of the employment in the province of Granada and contributing to the rooting of the population and the dynamization of agricultural areas.
The recent economic evolution of the company reflects the solidity of its model. Between 2022 and 2024, revenue increased by more than 60%, rising from 22.6 million euros to 36.7 million. In parallel, the operating result rose from 864,582 euros to 2.85 million euros, which means tripling the operating profit in just two years, supported by improved efficiency and investments in innovation and technology.
With this initiative, the Junta de Andalucía "reaffirms its commitment to the modernization of the Andalusian agri-food industry and to strengthening companies that, like Almendras Donaire, generate employment, settle the population in the territory, and add value to one of the strategic sectors of the Granada economy," according to the Government delegate.
For her part, the Agriculture delegate has emphasized that this company "has a connection with the Ministry because through modernization aid and also the development group we have been collaborating with them to help make the production of their products more effective and sustainable".
Carmen Lidia Reyes has also highlighted that the role of the Junta de Andalucía "is to collaborate with the companies by showing them the different aids we have throughout the year, showing them the calls that facilitate their transformation and modernization."
The manager of the company, Emilio Donaire, has emphasized the family nature of the factory, "we are third generation, my grandfather started, my father continued, and now my sister and I continue," and has explained that from the plant "we collect the almonds from the farmers themselves and carry out the entire industrialization process, from shelling, peeling, we make flour, granules, the whole process of raw almond," achieving a high-quality product that is exported to markets such as Germany, Italy, and France.