The company’s name comes from combining the surnames of the founding family: Villalba del Río, which together form Vidrio.
Julio Valenzuela, Vidrio’s field technical manager, indicated that the company plans to continue increasing its cultivated area.
“We have an approximate growth rate of 250 hectares per year,” he said. He explained that the orchards are distributed across different agroclimatic zones to stagger production, from the earliest areas in Mequinenza, through La Almunia de Doña Godina, to the later areas located on the slopes of Moncayo.
Weather Setting the Season’s Trend
The technical manager commented that the main challenge of the current season is the unstable weather, with more than two consecutive weeks of rain during the early harvest period, which impacted production.
“It rains every year at some point, but this season we had storm after storm for more than two weeks, mainly affecting the early varieties,” he noted.
This scenario was compounded by an unusual heat wave in May, with temperatures exceeding 38°C, precisely during the fruit’s development and growth stage.
As a result, the production forecast decreased by a couple of million kilos, but remains above 10 million kilos.
The company also purchases fruit from partner growers, allowing it to process several kilos of cherries throughout the year.
Quality as a Differentiating Factor
Beyond volume, Vidrio has built its position on the quality and consistency of its product.
“Our goal is that if a consumer buys a kilo of cherries today, they will have exactly the same experience ten days from now, even if the fruit comes from a different producer,” he stated.
To achieve this, the company works closely with partner producers, advising them on orchard management and establishing consistent production and quality protocols for all the fruit it sells.
This is complemented by a significant investment in irrigation technologies, traceability, quality control, and post-harvest handling—fundamental pillars that have allowed it to consolidate its presence with some of the most demanding clients and markets in Europe, such as Mercadona in Spain and the German and UK markets, where quality, food safety, and product consistency are essential requirements.
Currently, Vidrio sells its cherries in Spain and in the main European markets, with a consolidated presence in countries such as Germany, the UK, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
“Our commercial strategy seeks to continue strengthening the domestic market and expanding the brand’s presence in high-value markets,” Valenzuela noted.
He added that demand in Europe is very strong and that the company’s production growth is geared towards meeting it progressively, while maintaining the quality standards that characterize Vidrio.
“Our goal is not to grow at any cost, but to do so sustainably and by offering a consistent product to all our customers,” he said.
China: The Next Destination
The big news of the season is the opening of the Chinese market to Spanish cherries. Vidrio plans to make its first commercial shipments to the Asian giant this year, although with a different strategy than that followed by other exporters.
“We are not looking for volume. We want to have a presence and showcase a high-quality product,” Valenzuela emphasized.
He explained that the first shipments will be of the Sofía and Lapins varieties, which will be marketed under brands specially designed for the Chinese consumer and using export formats of 5 and 2.5 kilos.
A World-Class Packing Facility
One of Vidrio’s main assets is its modern processing center. Luis Lasarte, the company’s production technician, told Portalfruticola.com that it is one of the largest facilities in the world dedicated exclusively to cherries.
“The packing facility has a capacity of nearly one million kilos per day. It’s a state-of-the-art facility, incorporating advanced hydrocooling, sorting, quality control, and automated processes for different marketing formats,” Lasarte explained.
The company is also working on developing artificial intelligence-based tools to optimize various production and management processes.
A Family Business in Constant Growth
Vidrio is a family business founded by three brothers with a long history in agriculture.
Its development has been driven by a business-oriented vision, characterized by a constant pursuit of innovation and a strong commitment to meeting the most demanding standards in the European market. This has allowed the company to maintain sustained growth in recent years.
“We are a company that strives to be reliable. Quality, traceability, and the professionalization of all our processes are the foundation of our growth,” Valenzuela concluded.
Source: Portal Frutícola
