We cannot begin this newsletter without sending a warm greeting, and all our affection, solidarity, and empathy to all our colleagues in the plants of Algemesí and Silla (both in Valencia) who have suffered the devastating effects of the terrible DANA which struck Spain only two weeks ago. We wish you a prompt return to normality in your homes and in your daily lives. All of us at Ebro Foods have felt your tragedy up close. 

Focusing on what has happened in the Group since our last issue, we can state with absolute certainty that all the companies have carried out an intense and productive business activity, replete with awards, new launches, participation in events and congresses, social programs, investments for the expansion of factories and photovoltaic plant installations, etc. A complete series of actions that reflect the leadership of all our subsidiaries, as individual companies, and as companies that are part of and have the endorsement of the Ebro Foods Group. 

In this edition we cannot talk about them all, but we will highlight, among others, the “Innovation Trophy of Carrefour 2024” for Lustucru Frais for the launching of Gnocchi STAR, the “Marie Claire Sustainability Award 2024” of Tilda, the extension of the Ebro Ingredients plant, the actions developed by Herba Bangkok in Thailand with the brands Garofalo and La Fallera, the participation of Tilda International as a keynote speaker at the Future Food 2024 forum, the prominent role of Ebro India in various round tables and seminars on food nutrition, sustainability and regenerative and climate-smart agriculture practices, the socio-educational development programs of La Loma Alimentos with its local communities, the new Garofalo Spain project “PASTAMEETSYOU” together with the Accademia Niko Romito – Scuola di Cucina Professionale to disseminate pasta culture, and many more. 

Here we shall now leave you with this issue, in which, among other things, you will find out, first-hand, by Julio Campos how the Group’s expansion plans are developing, the evolution of the business year for the Company as a whole and the recent winners of the Ebro Sustainability Awards Foundation. 

The results posted in the first nine months of the year confirm the positive development of our Group’s business. Our Divisions has achieved a solid performance throughout the period thanks to the success of the value-added categories of the Rice Division and the good performance of our fresh pasta business.

Regarding to the Rice Area, our brands remain strong, especially our high value products on a global level, Carolina® and Mahatma® in the United States and growth of the Tilda® brand in the United Kingdom, Australia and the Middle East.

On the other hand, in our Pasta businesses, Garofalo has achieved a global growth of 16% in premium pasta, while the global fresh pasta business maintains its satisfactory evolution, boosted by the Lustucru launchings in France and the good performance of Olivieri in Canada.

The full-year outlook forecasts an adjusted EBITDA of €402-407 million, a highly satisfactory result that confirms the success of the Ebro Group’s business focus and strategy.

Once again, the Ebro Foundation has held its traditional annual Sustainability and Environmental Awards, a competition created to promote the internal talent of the Group’s professionals in the field of sustainability through the presentation of innovative proposals aligned with the objectives of the Group’s Global Sustainability Plan “HEADING TOWARDS 2030”.

In this fourth edition, the contestant companies have been Riviana Foods, La Loma Alimentos, Ebro Foods Benelux, Ebro India, and Tilda presented different proposals under the YOU and PLANET pillars. Hereby, we have counted on very interesting projects aimed at reducing the educational gap, the commitment to renewable energies and efficiency in water consumption, the recycling of flexible plastics or the measurement of the benefits obtained after the application of certain sustainability parameters, such as the Alternate Wetting Drying (AWD) technique to the crop.

In accordance with the evaluation criteria established in the terms of the awards, the projects that received the highest scores in this 4th edition and, therefore, were awarded the prize have been Ebro India and Tilda, the prior in first place and the latter in second.

In this respect, the winner project, entitled Soil Water & Crop Residue Monitoring by Satellite, consists of mass data gathering and quantification of water usage, GHG emissions and stubble burning practices by use of satellite imagery and modelling technology. And that of our subsidiary Tilda, which focuses its scope of action on the use of a Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to decrease the need for nitrogen fertiliser, thus reduce NOx emissions. This is a complementary initiative to the ongoing Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) project developed in India.

Our most sincere gratitude and congratulations to both subsidiaries, as well as to Ebro Foods Benelux, Riviana Foods y La Loma Alimentos for their participation, their effort, and their commitment to the sustainable growth of the Ebro Group. We ask you to continue with the same innovative spirit and commitment for the next edition of the Ebro Sustainability Awards Foundation.

Julio joined the Ebro Group 13 years ago. He is currently heading an exciting expansion stage of the Group in the markets in the Middle East, Africa and the Nordic Countries.

After studying Law and Business Administration, and starting out as a lawyer, he made a radical change and joined Herba. After three years in the Foreign Department in Seville he moved to the head office of Euryza in Hamburg, where he spent four years heading up the Industrial part of the business in Germany and Scandinavia. From there he returned to Seville as Director of International Markets of the Ebro Group.

1. Both in recent presentations of results and at the last Annual General Meeting, the Group publicly announced that one of our main aims was to increase our presence in Africa and the Middle East. Within these geographical areas, which are rather large, what specific countries has the Group currently set its sights on? We are working in all the countries in the Middle East, although our main focus for the time being is on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In Africa we are also working in numerous countries, but Ghana has been playing an important role lately.
2. How are you managing the company’s expansion in these markets that a priori seem so different? I consider it an investment in the future. People say that by the end of the century 90% of the global population growth will be in Africa. Of the 10 countries in which the population will grow most in the next few decades, only 4 are not in Africa. A quick look at birth rates gives us an insight into what is happening. Both Africa and the Middle East have enormous potential. True, they are very different countries, but we analysed them well and reached consumers with solutions to their problems. Where are the main challenges? There are many and very different: currency, geopolitical problems, legal insecurity, economic instability, etc. It is essential to mitigate the risks.
3. Is a single strategy followed? Not at all. Rice consumption, GDP per capita, awareness of the brands with which we work and the quality of the Distributors vary greatly from one country to the next. In some countries we focus more on generating brand awareness, while in others we are more focused on launching new products. How is the strategy defined? The first thing we did when we arrived 5 years ago was to analyse what we had. We spent almost two years studying the markets, especially the distributors. At the end of those two years we decided to change our strategy and we replaced practically all our distributors. That was a difficult decision because we had been working with them for many years with “reasonable” volumes, but we went for the change and it has been successful on all counts.
4. I imagine that both consumers and their expectations, tastes and needs must be completely different. What brands are you using? Some markets consume more Basmati, others Jasmine, and others medium grains. We work mainly with 5 rice brands: Abu Bint®, Tilda®, SOS®, Cigala® and Peacock® and we are starting to work with Garofalo® pasta. How do you decide what brand to use in those countries? Well it depends on the rice consumption in each country, whether the brand is better or less known and whether the country has come under colonial influence from any European country. Very briefly, Tilda® is the leading brand in Basmati Premium, Peacock® in Jasmine Premium and we are working with Abu Bint®, SOS® and Cigala® with a view to converting them into umbrella brands at affordable prices.
5. So would Peacock® and SOS® be the most important brands to spearhead the Group’s expansion in Ghana, Togo, Libya…? What presence do we have at present in those countries? SOS® and Abu Bint® are very strong in North Africa and they are the brands we use there. In West Africa, the consumption of Jasmine rice is very strong and we have decided to commit to Peacock®, which is bringing us very positive results. We are also introducing Tilda® in those African countries that consume Basmati and it is doing very well. Cigala® we sell it in all Portuguese-speaking countries within Africa.
6. Saudi Arabia is another target market for growth through the brand Abu Bint®. What are your plans for that country? We have a very ambitious plan. Saudi Arabia has 32 million inhabitants, 65% of the population is under 30 and rice consumption is around 50 kg per capita. Abu Bint® is very well known, but it is firmly anchored in the parboiled rice category. We want to harness the awareness of the brand to launch it in other much larger categories, such as Basmati or others that are gaining weight, such as Jasmine, but the star launching will be the DOYS RTH. We are going to try to develop the category from scratch, which will require considerable educational work as well as perfect symbiosis between the marketing team and the commercial teams. With Tilda® we are also going to commit to the RTH category. If we can connect with young people, it might be a historic project.
7. Tilda®, for example, plays a very important role in the United Kingdom and for the past three years, approximately, Tilda International has also been a major feature in Dubai. What opportunities can you see in the medium-long term? There are numerous opportunities. The Dubai team is doing a wonderful job. We have grown in all the markets, new products have been launched and, just as with Abu Bint®, we are going to invest strongly in RTH. Tilda® has also started with RTH in the UAE and Qatar with considerable success. Our idea is to introduce it in all the countries in the Middle East.
8. I can’t imagine your travel agenda, constantly moving from one part of the world to another. How do you work with the local teams to ensure the successful integration of our operations in these new countries? Communication is key. We don’t merely sell. We are fully engaged with the local teams in the day-to-day management. We set the promotions, activations, marketing… we hold frequent meetings with them and that shows.
9. What skills to you consider essential, for both yourself and the members of your team in the context of international expansion in these countries? There are many, but perhaps the most important skills are personal relations, the human factor. Customers in Middle East and Africa always take an interest in the family, culture, etc. They often talk about personal issues at work meetings, then business is discussed in the last 5 minutes. They are also very familiar with the rice market, so it is essential to have a sound knowledge and be enthusiastic about sharing it. Flexibility is also important, it is crucial to work with all Group’s plants to try to find the best solution in all cases.
10. On a personal level, what have you learnt about the business culture in these new markets? A whole host of things. I have never seen better negotiators than those in the Middle East. We have adapted their negotiating techniques for northern Europe and they are giving us impressive results.
11. What recent achievement would you highlight in these countries? The nicest and most satisfying achievement is seeing the members of the Team grow. They almost all started from scratch and now they are top professionals. In just 5 years we have grown from 36,000 to over 100,000 mt. We couldn’t have got anywhere without this Team operating between Spain and Dubai.
12. Looking ahead, what other geographical regions do you think might be interesting in forthcoming years? I think we have quite enough for now with Africa and the Middle East. Just learning the capital cities is a challenge in itself. Who would have said (to me and to my wife) that today I was going to be in Lomé and tomorrow in Accra…

Thank you Julio and congratulations on the fantastic work that you and your team are doing to strengthen and expand the Group’s international presence. You are clearly an example of dedication, good work and enthusiasm. We wish you all the best with all these expansion plans… and less travelling 😉

With the purpose of reducing the growing number of children suffering from a lack of access to adequate food in the state of California, our subsidiary Riviana has joined forces with the California Association of Food Banks (CAFB) for the development of the social initiative “Jars of Hope”.

Accordingly, Riviana has committed to donate $1 to CAFB for every jar of RiceSelect® sold at Ralphs Grocery, Food 4 Less, Foods Co and Walmart stores located in the state of California from mid-October to mid-November of this year. The money raised will be used to support CAFB’s “Farm to Family”, a program designed to recover high-quality California produce, which would otherwise go ungrown or lost, and then donated to the state’s food banks who distribute it to underprivileged families.  Last year, CAFB’s “Farm to Family” program delivered more than 250 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to food banks across the state, providing nutritious, quality food to communities and reducing food waste. Established in 2005, the program secures and delivers stable food such as beans, soups, cereals, and grains, as well as protein such as eggs and meat to families.

The donation of funds raised through the Jars of Hope initiative will be made in early 2025 and will also include donations (in-kind) of RiceSelect®, and other Riviana products.

Stacia Levenfeld, CEO of CAFB, stated; “Teaming up with Riviana Foods for the Jars of Hope program will not only support our work of fighting hunger in California but serves as a powerful example of the role food producers and distributors can play in feeding communities. We are grateful to Riviana and applaud the organization for their commitment to California families”.

Erica Larson, Director of Marketing at Riviana Foods, added: “As the leading rice manufacturer in the U.S., we understand the critical role our products play in fighting hunger and supporting families and communities in California. Riviana cares about California families and the California Association of Food Banks’ Farm to Family mission aligns perfectly with our commitment to responsible agriculture that nurtures the population for generations to come. We are excited to bring this partnership to life and look forward to having a positive impact in California communities through the ‘Jars of Hope’ program.”

Ebro has been one of the main protagonists of the IV edition of Sustainability Day 2024, which was recently held at the Reina Sofia Museum, in Madrid.

Under the motto “Inspiring actions for a better world”, Sustainability Day has become a reference meeting point for Social Responsibility and Sustainability professionals from private companies, public administrations, startups, educational entities, and NGOs, where experts and organizations are granted the chance to have a say whilst presenting and sharing their progress, new trends and first-hand experiences in the most relevant topics.

In this context, Ebro had a meeting area where, chosen for our commitment to sustainability, we were able to explain in greater detail the actions developed within the framework of our Sustainability Plan, HEADING TOWARDS 2030, to the thousand attendees summoned at this Conference.

Click on the image to zoom.

Being energy efficient in our home brings many benefits, not only for our personal economy, but also for the environment and our health.

1. Economic savings: the increasing price of electricity, gas and fuel is a significant economic burden on the monthly expenditure of any household. In order to reduce monthly bills, it is necessary to carry out practices that lead to a reduction in their use.
2. Improved quality of life: in addition to reducing the cost of energy invoices, energy efficiency makes the home a more comfortable space: well insulated, with a constant temperature, less humidity and better air quality.
3. Environmental sustainability: the burning of fossil fuels needed to create energy has, among other negative effects on the environment, the emission of greenhouse gases. Saving energy or substituting it for other renewable sources reduces these polluting sources, improving the quality of the air we breathe and protecting the environment.

Here are some tips to save energy in your home.

Take note!

► THERMAL INSULATION

Good thermal insulation of the home is essential to prevent heat loss in winter.

Aluminum doors and windows with double or triple glazing guarantee total insulation from the outside. If you cannot change them now, avoid air leaks by sealing the current ones with weatherstripping or specific sealants.

The use of curtains and blinds also favors energy savings.

► HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES

Appliances with the A+ energy label consume up to 55% less than conventional appliances.

Regulate the temperature of your refrigerator.

Fill household appliances (such as the washing machine or dishwasher) to their maximum capacity.

Use the ‘eco mode‘ program on your appliances.

► LIGHTING

If you are still using conventional light bulbs, replace them with energy-saving ones. Using LED bulbs means an energy saving of 80%, besides being much more durable.

Make the most of natural light.