La Espanola
La Española is a Spanish olive food company founded in 1940, producing anchovy-stuffed olives, classic olive varieties, seasoned olives and the OLIMOLE guacamole format. It serves consumer retail and HORECA channels domestically and exports to over 60 countries from factories in Alcoy and Seville.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1940
- HeadquartersAlicante, Spain
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What La Espanola does
La Española (legal name: LA ESPAÑOLA ALIMENTARIA ALCOYANA, S.A.) is a privately held Spanish food manufacturer founded in 1940 by Alfredo Alberola in Alcoy, Alicante. The company produces and sells a portfolio of olive-based products, with its core category being anchovy-stuffed olives that combine fine manzanilla olives from Andalusia with premium Cantabrian Sea anchovies — a product format the company pioneered. The portfolio spans Rellenas de Anchoa (in Classic, Suaves with 35% less salt, Deluxe, Selección and Gourmet variants), Rellenas Originales (stuffed with jalapeño, Iberian ham, pepper, truffle), classic pitted and whole olives, seasoned/marinated varieties under the Sabores de la Alhambra brand, and the recently launched OLIMOLE olive-based guacamole. Production runs from two factories in Alcoy (Alicante) and Aznalcázar (Seville), with quality control incorporating artificial vision inspection alongside traditional craftsmanship.
The company serves two primary channels: consumer retail (supermarkets and retail chains in 100g to 2kg formats) and the HORECA (hotel, restaurant, catering) channel via the specialized Selección HORECA line with larger-size, premium olives. Distribution is global, reaching over 60 countries, and the company maintains certifications including BRC Food Safety, IFS Food, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and HALAL to enable export and private-label channels. La Española monetizes through unit sales of branded packaged food products; no subscription, licensing or platform model is in evidence. Pricing details are not publicly disclosed. Marketing combines long-standing brand heritage assets (a 1949 jingle still recognized by Spanish consumers, with 84% spontaneous brand recall) with contemporary digital channels and the Aperitivismo brand community, and a strategic partnership with Iberian Ham brand Enrique Tomás extends the brand into premium co-branded stuffed olives.
La Espanola firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- La Espanola
- Legal name
- LA ESPAÑOLA ALIMENTARIA ALCOYANA, S.A.
- Website
- https://laespanola.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1940
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- La Española is a Spanish olive food company founded in 1940, producing anchovy-stuffed olives, classic olive varieties, seasoned olives and the OLIMOLE guacamole format. It serves consumer retail and HORECA channels domestically and exports to over 60 countries from factories in Alcoy and Seville.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
La Espanola industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Packaged Olives
- NAICS
- Food Manufacturing (311)
- SIC
- Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies (2033)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Preserved Specialty Foods Manufacturing (Olives, Antipasto, Relishes) (AFAKACAN)
Keywords
Where La Espanola is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Alicante
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
La Espanola business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Olives and olive products sales: Revenue generated from the production and sale of stuffed olives (primarily anchovy-stuffed), black olives, green olives, and related products through retail, HORECA, and supermarket channels
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
La Espanola product offering
Product offeringCore offering
La Española manufactures and sells olive-based food products, with its flagship offering being anchovy-stuffed green Manzanilla olives. The portfolio also includes original stuffed olive variants (jalapeño, Iberian ham, truffle, pepper), classic pitted and whole olives, seasoned/marinated olives, a dedicated HORECA foodservice line, and recent innovations including OLIMOLE (olive-based guacamole), produced across two factories in Alcoy (Alicante) and Aznalcázar (Seville).
Product overview
La Española is a Spanish olive food company offering a diverse portfolio centered on stuffed olives. The core product line includes Rellenas de Anchoa (anchovy-stuffed olives) in variants from classic to gourmet, Rellenas Originales (stuffed with jalapeño, ham, pepper, truffle), and Las de siempre (classic pitted/whole olives). Specialized lines include Selección HORECA for foodservice and Nuestros Aliños for seasoned/marinated varieties. Recent innovation includes OLIMOLE (olive guacamole). The company operates two factories in Alcoy (Alicante) and Aznalcázar (Sevilla), with over 80 years of history since founding in 1940.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Olimole: The guacamole of olives — a brand extension introduced as a new product line.
- Sabores de la Alhambra
- Aperitivismo
Products and services
- Rellenas de Anchoa (Anchovy Stuffed Olives) Green Manzanilla olives stuffed with anchovies — La Española's signature product available in variants including Clásicas (classic), Suaves (35% less salt, launched 1996), Deluxe (premium, launched 2007), Selección (larger size), and Gourmet.
- Rellenas Originales (Original Stuffed Olives) Green olives stuffed with alternative fillings including jalapeño, Iberian ham (via Enrique Tomás partnership), pepper, truffle, and Gildas (anchovy and chili pieces).
- Las de siempre (Classic Olives) Traditional Manzanilla olives from Andalusia in classic formats including green pitted, green with pit, black pitted, and whole black olives.
- Selección HORECA (Foodservice Range) Premium product line dedicated to the HORECA (hotels, restaurants, catering) channel, featuring larger-size Manzanilla olives with superior fillings including Cantabrian anchovy, jalapeño, and boquerón from the Aljarafe Sevillano region.
- Nuestros Aliños (Seasonings and Marinades) Seasoned and marinated olive varieties including Sabores de la Alhambra (green olives with red pepper, garlic, and aromatic spices inspired by Andalusian tradition), Gazpacha (with onions, pickles, carrots, cauliflower, garlic), and Aliñadas (with red pepper, vinegar, and spices).
- OLIMOLE Olive-based guacamole product, marketed as 'El guacamole de aceitunas', combining olives in a guacamole-style format as a new product innovation from La Española.
Quantifiable outcome
- 84% spontaneous brand recall
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use La Espanola
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
La Espanola technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
La Espanola partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Enrique TomáscoreStrategic collaboration for Jamón Ibérico (Iberian Ham) stuffed olives. La Española partnered with Enrique Tomás, a leading reference in Iberian Ham, to create premium olives stuffed with authentic Iberian Ham pieces. This partnership combines the quality and guarantee of a renowned Iberian Ham brand with La Española's olive expertise.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
La Espanola competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Serpis: Historic Spanish table olive brand (founded 1926) producing stuffed olives, gildas, and snack formats. Comparable heritage positioning, product mix, and Spanish retail distribution.
- Dcoop (Hojiblanca): Largest Spanish olive oil and table olive cooperative, controlling major volumes of manzanilla olive production. A direct competitor in olives with substantially larger scale and cooperative sourcing advantages.
- Aceitunas Guadalquivir: Spanish specialty olive processor headquartered in Andalusia, producing stuffed and seasoned olives for retail and private label. Directly comparable on product format, Spanish origin, and category focus.
- Grupo Ybarra: Spanish family-owned food manufacturer with a significant olive, oil, and condiment portfolio directly overlapping La Española's category. Comparable in scale, heritage, and Spanish retail presence.
- Fragata: Spanish olive brand offering stuffed olives, anchovy specialties, and Mediterranean snacks. Closely comparable in product portfolio and Spanish-market positioning.
Regional players
- Musco Family Olive Co. Leading US privately-held olive company producing branded and private-label table olives. Comparable olive category focus and family-owned private structure, but geographically focused on the US.
- Bell-Carter Foods: Largest US table olive processor and brand owner, competing with La Española in international olive markets but primarily serving North American retail. Comparable in olive category specialization.
- Star Fine Foods: US-based olive, Mediterranean, and specialty foods brand serving retail and foodservice. Comparable in olive product format and dual retail/HORECA channel strategy, but US-centric.
Broad incumbents
- Deoleo: World's largest olive oil company and parent of Spanish brands including Carbonell and Hojiblanca. A broad incumbent whose olive products compete with La Española in retail and HORECA.
- Borges International Group: Spanish family-owned food group with a broad Mediterranean portfolio spanning olive oils, vinegars, nuts, and olives. Overlaps with La Española in olives while operating as a broader Mediterranean pantry incumbent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
La Espanola social profiles
Digital presenceLa Espanola compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
La Espanola financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
La Espanola leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
La Espanola funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
La Espanola M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about La Espanola
What does La Espanola do?
La Española manufactures and sells olive-based food products, with its flagship offering being anchovy-stuffed green Manzanilla olives. The portfolio also includes original stuffed olive variants (jalapeño, Iberian ham, truffle, pepper), classic pitted and whole olives, seasoned/marinated olives, a dedicated HORECA foodservice line, and recent innovations including OLIMOLE (olive-based guacamole), produced across two factories in Alcoy (Alicante) and Aznalcázar (Seville).
Is La Espanola a public or private company?
La Espanola is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was La Espanola founded?
La Espanola was founded in 1940. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is La Espanola based?
La Espanola is headquartered in Alicante, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does La Espanola make money?
One revenue line is on record: olives and olive products sales.
Who are La Espanola's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Serpis, Dcoop (Hojiblanca), Aceitunas Guadalquivir, Grupo Ybarra and Fragata. Regional players are Musco Family Olive Co., Bell-Carter Foods and Star Fine Foods. Broad incumbents are Deoleo and Borges International Group.
Does La Espanola have an API?
No public API is recorded for La Espanola.
What industry is La Espanola in?
La Espanola's product category is Packaged Olives. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKACAN, Preserved Specialty Foods Manufacturing (Olives, Antipasto, Relishes). Its NAICS code is 311 and its SIC code is 2030.