"RetornA is an example of how eco-design can be integrated into a circular system that prioritizes reuse."
bonÀrea carries out all the livestock, industrial, and commercial activities necessary to reach consumers without intermediaries. It has more than 600 stores distributed in Catalonia, Aragon, the Valencian Community, the Community of Madrid, Castile and León, La Rioja, Navarra, and Andorra. In packaging, it has promoted RetornA, a pioneering circular packaging return system with consumer participation, who receive compensation for each returned container.
What advantages does the bonÀrea model offer? What are its unique advantages?
The bonÀrea model is based on complete vertical integration, allowing us to directly control all stages of the value chain: from livestock and agricultural production to processing, distribution, and sales in our own stores. This unique structure, without intermediaries, gives us key advantages such as full traceability, greater operational efficiency, and exhaustive quality control at every stage of the process.
Thanks to this model, we can offer fresher, safer, and more competitive products, optimizing resources, reducing logistics costs, and minimizing environmental impact. It also allows us to implement improvements and innovations quickly, such as the RetornA circular economy system, as we directly manage all the steps in the process.
What measures are you implementing to promote sustainability?
At bonÀrea, we develop a comprehensive sustainability strategy based on three fundamental pillars: energy efficiency, the circular economy, and the responsible use of natural resources. Thanks to our vertical integration model, we can directly and quickly implement sustainable improvements at every stage of the value chain, from the farm to the consumer.
We are firmly committed to energy self-generation and the use of renewable sources, such as photovoltaic energy, which is already installed in many of our farms, production centers, and service stations. We are also promoting automation, intelligent process control using artificial intelligence, and machinery upgrades to increase energy efficiency and reduce consumption at our facilities. Founded in a dryland region like La Segarra, we are particularly aware of the value of water. Therefore, we have implemented a specific investment plan to optimize its use in all our activities. Of particular note is the more than €7,5 million invested in the Guissona Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), which incorporates advanced technology such as the Membrane Bioreactor (MBR), allowing up to 20% of the treated water to be reused for irrigation and cleaning. These measures have reduced industrial water consumption by 11,5% in the last two years.
Furthermore, we work with institutions such as the University of Vic, the Catalan Water Partnership, and the Catalan Water Agency to continue promoting sustainable and innovative solutions. Finally, we continue to emphasize the importance of working on a concept that is central to bonÀrea: affordable sustainability. This means that sustainability can be met by the budgets of families and consumers; otherwise, the path will inevitably be limited.
What future goals have you set?
At bonÀrea, our strategic objective for the coming years is to continue consolidating our unique model of vertical integration, without intermediaries, expanding our territorial reach, and strengthening our commitment to sustainability, innovation, and operational efficiency.
In this regard, for the 2025 financial year, as previously announced, we plan to invest €116 million to strengthen key infrastructure such as the Guissona food center, promote the development of the new Épila logistics center in Aragon, and expand our sales network with the opening of 40 new bonÀrea stores throughout the country.
We aim to continue generating stable, quality employment, promoting rural development, and ensuring access to fresh, safe, and sustainable food through an increasingly efficient, controlled, and technologically advanced logistics system.
Do they have organic or animal welfare certifications?
At bonÀrea, we hold several certifications that endorse our commitment to sustainability, quality, and animal welfare throughout our integrated value chain. In the area of animal welfare, we hold the Welfair® Animal Welfare Certification, certified by AENOR. This certifies all our farms (chickens, turkeys, laying hens, white and Iberian pigs, calves, laying quails, and dairy cows), in addition to certifying our pork, beef, chicken, turkey, egg, milk, and dairy products. This certification recognizes the good farming and industrial practices we apply to guarantee animal welfare and the traceability of all our products. We comply with the demanding criteria of the Welfare Quality protocol, which is based on fundamental principles such as good nutrition, good health, a suitable environment, and respectful behavior for livestock.
We also have ISO 9001 certification, which guarantees the quality of all our products and processes, and ISO 22000 certification, which ensures food safety. Some of our production lines also meet IFS and BRC, two food safety standards.
Furthermore, the conglomerate group without its own legal personality to which Corporación Alimentaria Guissona, SA belongs, bonÀrea Agrupa, controls the entire production cycle, from its livestock farms to processing, distribution, and direct sales to the end consumer without intermediaries.
This process, certified by AENOR as "Direct from the Field," covers everything from the birth of birds and livestock, through feed production, animal breeding and fattening, slaughter, processing, and product production, to distribution and direct sale in bonÀrea stores, ensuring food safety and complete traceability.
All fresh meat, processed meat products, milk, dairy products, eggs, and products made with eggs from our partner farms and associated farmers come from animals raised on their own feed. Furthermore, the Corporation directly oversees and controls all processing and sales processes to the end consumer, ensuring maximum efficiency and sustainability in our processes, without intermediaries.
And in the environmental field? We have also been recognized for our ongoing efforts to reduce the ecological impact of our activities. We hold ISO 14001 environmental management certification, and our Guissona production center, along with the feed mills in Bujaraloz, Tremp, Moià, and Reus, and the Verdú hatchery, have obtained the AENOR "Zero Waste" certification, thanks to a waste recovery rate of 98,9%. This achievement has been possible thanks to the continuous recycling and recovery of the waste generated at our various centers. We are also promoting improvements in packaging, such as the RetornA project, which encourages the reuse and recycling of packaging, thus contributing to reducing the use of plastics and fostering a circular economy. At the same time, we are making progress in the implementation of renewable energy, with the installation of photovoltaic panels in various facilities and the implementation of measures to improve energy efficiency in our production processes.
These certifications and initiatives reinforce our commitment to a responsible, efficient production model aligned with the highest standards in the agri-food sector. At bonÀrea, we work every day to continue advancing toward a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.
Regarding packaging, do you follow eco-design criteria?
We apply eco-design principles in the development of our packaging, aiming to reduce its environmental footprint, but—and this is very important—without compromising food safety or functionality. It's not always possible to find a solution that makes both aspirations compatible. We constantly evaluate materials, formats, and processes to ensure recyclability, logistical efficiency, and resource minimization. RetornA is a clear example of how eco-design can be effectively integrated into a circular system that prioritizes reuse.
Do you use recycled or recyclable materials?
At bonÀrea, we also follow sustainability criteria in the area of packaging, using recyclable materials and actively promoting reuse as part of our circular model. Prominent examples include the RetornA project and the white box logistics system, based on 100% recyclable packaging, which has eliminated the use of 25.000 tons of cardboard, 75 tons of film, and 36 million adhesive labels.
What is ReturnA?
RetornA is a pioneering initiative that allows customers to return trays of meat products to any bonÀrea store in Guissona and the province of Tarragona without the need for prior cleaning, thanks to an exclusive design with a removable base film. The trays are then collected using our daily reverse logistics and transported to the Guissona food center, where they undergo a rigorous evaluation, cleaning, and disinfection process for reuse up to 50 times, complying with all food safety guarantees and avoiding the production of thousands of single-use trays. Upon purchase of the product, the customer pays a deposit of €0,45 per tray. Upon return, bonÀrea adds a small bonus and reimburses the customer a total of €0,50.
RetornA is currently available in 57 stores in Tarragona. Is it planned to expand to all bonÀrea stores?
The goal is to progressively expand RetornA to the entire bonÀrea store network. Starting with the pilot tests in Tarragona and Guissona, we will evaluate the results and adjust the processes to ensure an efficient and scalable implementation. The next phase plans to expand RetornA to the entire region of Catalonia and, subsequently, to the rest of Spain.
Are reusable containers, whenever possible, a better alternative to recycled ones?
From a sustainability perspective, reusable packaging offers a clear advantage, as long as operating conditions allow. They help extend the useful life of materials, reduce the need for new raw materials, and minimize waste generation. However, their effectiveness depends on design, logistics, and consumer engagement. At bonÀrea, we focus on a mixed model that combines recyclable packaging with reusable solutions like RetornA, always prioritizing food safety while also pursuing the lowest overall environmental impact.
Is it easier to implement innovative initiatives in food than in other sectors?
Innovation in the food sector poses significant challenges in terms of safety, traceability, and regulations, but also offers significant opportunities for direct impact on consumers. Our unique vertical integration model allows us to implement improvements quickly at all stages of the process, which is a significant competitive advantage. The key lies in combining technical knowledge, customer proximity, and long-term vision.
What other projects do you have, in terms of packaging?
In addition to the RetornA system and the white box system for internal logistics, we have several lines of work underway aimed at further advancing sustainability in the packaging sector. At the same time, we continue to invest in innovation applied to packaging traceability, as demonstrated by the system.
"Direct to the source," which uses QR codes to identify the entire product journey, and which in future phases will include features such as automated payment without the need for a barcode. This digitalization of packaging opens up new possibilities for optimizing expiration date, stock, and food safety management, while fostering a more transparent relationship with the consumer.
Will you continue to diversify your offering, with products in sectors other than food?
At bonÀrea, we already have a diverse offering that goes beyond human food. One example is bonMascota, our brand specializing in pet food, which is part of our animal nutrition business line.
In addition, we have other lines of activity such as bonÀrea Energia, bonÀrea Assegura, and CaixaGuissona, which allow us to offer complementary services. This structure contributes to operational efficiency, self-sufficiency, and a strong commitment to rural development.
And more openings?
In 2025, we reached a significant milestone with the opening of our 600th store, a clear reflection of the success and consolidation of our business model based on vertical integration and a commitment to local products and quality. During the first few months of the year, we have already opened 10 new stores in various autonomous communities, including Catalonia, Aragon, and the Valencian Community, thus strengthening our presence in both large urban centers and small towns in rural areas.
As for our forecast for the rest of the year, we maintain an ambitious plan with the opening of around 40 new stores, combining new openings with relocations and expansions, especially in territories where we are already present, such as Catalonia and Aragon, and making progress in other strategic regions such as La Rioja, Navarre, and Castile and León.
