What Novaltia does

Novaltia is a Spanish pharmaceutical distribution cooperative headquartered in Zaragoza that distributes medicines and full-range parapharmacy products to more than 1,000 member pharmacies across Aragon, Bizkaia, Álava, and (since expansion into Navarra) that autonomous community. Founded in 2013, Novaltia operates as a 100% pharmacist-capital Sociedad Cooperativa (NOVALTIA, S. Coop.) and is the sixth-largest pharmaceutical distributor in Spain, with stated regional market share exceeding 74% in Aragon and approximately 30% in Bizkaia and Álava. The cooperative runs five logistics centers (Zaragoza, Calatayud, Lezama-Zamudio, Zarátamo, and Vitoria) totaling more than 26,000 m², processing roughly 3,000 daily orders from 650 laboratories across 40,000+ active product references, with 70 daily delivery routes covering 17,000 km.

The operations platform combines 98% warehouse automation via KNAPP, IoT-based cold-chain monitoring on electric vehicles through a partnership with Vodafone and Loalco Green, drone-delivery prototyping under the Pharmadron initiative with Delsat International and Plataforma Aeroportuaria de Teruel, and a new Zaragoza warehouse under construction — the first in the world with PassivhausPlus certification, backed by a €25 million investment beginning in autumn 2024. Around this distribution core, Novaltia has assembled a portfolio of member-service brands: Cruzfarma (umbrella pharmacy brand within Grupo Unnefar), Gelpy (mobile teleassistance), Vadefarma (specialized second distributor, 118,000+ references, 2,500+ pharmacies in year one), FarmaPremium (loyalty program with 2,100+ pharmacies and 370,000 customers), CuidadosFarma (socio-healthcare social workers embedded in pharmacies), Familiados (caregiver platform), and Farmápolis.

Revenue is generated primarily through pharmaceutical and parapharmacy product distribution to member pharmacies (transaction-fee economics on roughly €360M of FY2024 cifra de negocio), supplemented by recurring service fees from member-pharmacy services such as Gelpy, FarmaPremium, and CuidadosFarma. EBITDA exceeded €2.4M in FY2024, a 4.4% increase year-over-year — thin margins typical of pharmaceutical wholesaling. As a cooperative member of Grupo Unnefar (a network of nine distributors serving 3,400+ pharmacies with combined turnover near €2.5 billion), Novaltia benefits from shared platforms (Expofarma, Vadefarma, Sigma Farma) but is geographically concentrated in northern Spain, with no disclosed external funding or M&A activity.

Name

Novaltia

Legal name

NOVALTIA, S. Coop.

Website

https://novaltia.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Novaltia is a Spanish pharmaceutical distribution cooperative headquartered in Zaragoza that distributes medicines and parapharmacy products to 1,000+ member pharmacies across Aragon, Basque Country, and Navarra via five automated logistics centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (4242)

SIC

Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Line Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (HLAIAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pharmacy Front-End & Sundries Distribution (Health & Wellness, Personal Care, Convenience) (CRAOAHAG), Pharmacy Benefit/Channel Services (PSAO, 340B Admin, Chargebacks/Rebates Ops) (CRAOAHAK), Specialty Pharmaceutical Distributors (HLAIAJAB)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical distribution
• Pharmacy cooperative
• Medicines wholesaling
• Parapharmacy products
• Pharmaceutical logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Zaragoza

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Distribution Services: Novaltia generates revenue through distribution of medicines and full-range parapharmacy products to member pharmacies. The cooperative model means pharmacies are members/owners, and revenue comes from distribution fees and product margins. Business figure approximately 360 million euros.
2. Services to Member Pharmacies: Additional services including Gelpy (telehealth), digital tools, training, and exclusive pharmacy services under the Cruzfarma brand, distributed through Grupo Unnefar network

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Novaltia distributes medicines and full-range parapharmacy products to its 1,000+ member pharmacies across Aragon and the Basque Country from five logistics centers. The cooperative operates a 98% automated pharmaceutical warehouse with daily deliveries covering 17,000 km across 70 routes, handling more than 40,000 active product references from 650 laboratories. Beyond core distribution, Novaltia offers value-added pharmacy services through sub-brands including Gelpy teleassistance, FarmaPremium loyalty, Vadefarma second-distribution, CuidadosFarma patient care, and Familiados caregiver matching.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gelpy: Mobile teleassistance service for elderly and dependent patients with 24-hour emergency support and health monitoring through pharmacy
• Vadefarma
• FarmaPremium
• CuidadosFarma
• Familiados

Products and services

• Pharmaceutical Distribution Services Wholesale distribution of medicines and full-range parapharmacy products to more than 1,000 member pharmacies across Aragon, Bizkaia, and Álava. Operates from five logistics centers running 70 daily delivery routes covering 17,000 km, processing 3,000 daily orders from 650 laboratories with 40,000+ active references. Targets cooperative member pharmacies.
• Gelpy Mobile Teleassistance Mobile teleassistance service for elderly and dependent patients providing 24-hour emergency support and health monitoring accessed through member pharmacies. Designed for community pharmacies serving aging populations.
• Vadefarma Second-Distributor Service Specialized second-distributor service offering pharmacies an additional channel of more than 118,000 product references across 5,000+ brands. Distributed under the Sigma Farma ecosystem via Grupo Unnefar, complementing primary pharmaceutical distribution.
• FarmaPremium Loyalty Program Pharmacy loyalty and digital services program, the first of its kind in the Spanish pharmaceutical sector, with over 2,100 participating pharmacies and 370,000 customers. Provides digital tools and engagement programs for member pharmacies.
• CuidadosFarma Social Healthcare Service Pioneering service providing socio-healthcare-specialized social workers within community pharmacies to support patient care. Targeted at community pharmacies seeking to broaden their patient-care offering and differentiate from chain pharmacies.
• Familiados Caregiver Platform Family care platform delivered via mobile app that connects families with professional caregivers and domestic helpers, distributed through Novaltia member pharmacies.
• Cruzfarma Pharmacy Brand and Services Pharmacy brand and services platform under Grupo Unnefar providing digital solutions, training programs, and exclusive member services to independent pharmacies. Includes FarmaPremium, Farmaoffice Go, and Cruzfarma Red digital solutions.
• Farmápolis Pharmacy Network Pharmacy network brand operated by Novaltia providing a branded retail identity and service offering for member pharmacies in the cooperative.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue approaching 360 million euros (2024), with EBITDA exceeding 2.4 million euros (4.4% increase YoY)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• KNAPPcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Austrian leader in automation, digitalization, and robotics solutions. Novaltia participates in Move Healthcare events and utilizes KNAPP warehouse automation technology achieving 98% automation.
• VodafonecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023IoT technology partnership enabling real-time temperature and humidity monitoring during pharmaceutical deliveries through connected refrigeration devices in electric vehicles.
• Loalco GreencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Zaragoza-based urban logistics company providing electric vehicles (vans and motorcycles) for sustainable pharmaceutical delivery, with isotermic boxes integrated with Vodafone IoT monitoring.
• Farmacia CruzfarmacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Exclusive brand under Grupo Unnefar for member pharmacies, offering digital solutions (FarmaPremium, Farmaoffice Go, Cruzfarma Red), training, and services.
• Delsat International / Plataforma Aeroportuaria de TeruelstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership for Pharmadron drone delivery project to develop autonomous drone pharmaceutical distribution to pharmacies in difficult-to-access areas or disaster zones.
• Universidad San Jorge (USJ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Cátedra Novaltia partnership established in 2011 to promote pharmacy profession research and training in Aragon. Includes annual research projects on pharmaceutical topics and environmental assessment, five research grants for pharmacy students, and joint activities for scientific dissemination.
• Grupo UnnefarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNovaltia is a member of Grupo Unnefar, a cooperative group of 9 pharmaceutical distributors serving 3,400+ pharmacies across northern Spain. Joint initiatives include Expofarma trade events, Vadefarma second-distributor service, and Sigma Farma innovation space.
• SEFAC (Sociedad Española de Farmacia Comunitaria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for pharmacy training courses including the SEFAC Lifara program for pharmaceutical care updates, hosting sessions at Novaltia facilities.
• VadefarmaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialized second distributor for pharmacy categories, serving 2,500+ pharmacies in first year. Part of Sigma Farma ecosystem promoted through Grupo Unnefar.
• AENORminorOthersSpanish standardization and certification body conducting annual audits for ISO 14001 (environmental), ISO 9001 (quality), and ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety) certifications.
• Arahealth ClusterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth cluster in Aragon where Novaltia participates alongside other healthcare companies for collaborative innovation projects.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• McKesson: Global pharmaceutical distributor and healthcare services company. Analogous full-line pharma distribution and value-added services business model; useful as a benchmark for distribution economics and digital services expansion.
• Celesio / McKesson Europe: European pharmaceutical distribution and pharmacy services operator (under McKesson ownership). Comparable business model in full-line pharmaceutical distribution combined with pharmacy services across multiple European countries.
• Alliance Healthcare: Major European pharmaceutical wholesaler (part of Phoenix Group) with significant Spanish operations. Provides full-line pharma distribution to pharmacies at national scale, directly competing for regional distribution contracts in Novaltia's territory.
• Phoenix Group: European pharmaceutical wholesale leader (parent of Alliance Healthcare). Operates pan-European pharma distribution network comparable in scope and services to a scaled-up Novaltia, including pharmacy digital services and manufacturer partnerships.

Direct peers

• Hefame: Spanish cooperative pharmaceutical distributor serving community pharmacies across multiple Spanish regions. Direct cooperative competitor with similar member-owned governance and full-line pharma distribution business model.
• Cofares: Spain's largest pharmaceutical distribution cooperative, serving as the national market leader. Direct comparison as both are pharmaceutical distribution cooperatives serving member pharmacies with similar full-line wholesale offerings in the Spanish market.
• Centro Farmacéutico (now part of Bidafarma): Historical Spanish cooperative pharmaceutical distributor serving pharmacies in northern/central Spain. Comparable cooperative structure and full-range distribution model; now integrated into Bidafarma but remains relevant for historical benchmarking.
• Bidafarma: Second-largest Spanish pharmaceutical distribution cooperative formed from the merger of several regional cooperatives including Centro Farmacéutico. Comparable cooperative model and full-line distribution to Spanish community pharmacies, including northern Spain regions.

Regional players

• Europharm: Smaller Spanish pharmaceutical distributor with regional operations, including pharmacy network services. Comparable full-line distribution model focusing on Spanish community pharmacies, though at smaller scale than Novaltia.

Others

• Grupo Unnefar: Parent cooperative network of nine pharmaceutical distributors in northern Spain serving 3,400+ pharmacies with combined revenue near €2.5B. Novaltia is a member distributor; Grupo Unnefar functions as both parent and peer consortium for joint initiatives.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/novaltia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Novaltia