What Citoliva does

Citoliva is a non-profit technology foundation established in 2002 and headquartered in Mengíbar, Jaén, within Spain's principal olive-growing region. It operates as a specialized technology center (Centro Tecnológico) dedicated exclusively to the olive and olive oil sector, providing R&D management, laboratory analysis, product development, training, and technology transfer services. The organization is governed by 9 patron members and 4 collaborating entities comprising olive sector companies, auxiliary industry firms, universities, and public/private institutions, and it leads innovation in the Andalusian and Spanish olive value chain.

Its service portfolio is organized across three knowledge areas: Food and Health (Alimentación y Salud), Quality and Sustainability (Calidad y Sostenibilidad), and Business Competitiveness (Competitividad Empresarial). Core offerings include a physical-chemical and sensory analysis laboratory for oils and fats, a dedicated R&D laboratory, a Cooking Lab for food product development, the "Almazara Integral" comprehensive olive mill research service, healthy food development, and professional training. The technology center runs a multi-regional seminar series in Jaén, Córdoba, Badajoz, Toledo, and Tarragona, operates an "Oleo-Live" demonstration platform, and runs the AGRO·LIVE initiative with sub-brands Aliados Naturales and Cubiertas Vivas. Named research projects include OMIPERBIO (personalized omic ingredients, microbiome, and food quality), SOST-BISCUITS (sustainable olive-derived biscuit product), and Healthy Oil (industrial processes for healthy vegetable oils).

Revenue is generated through professional services — R&D project fees, laboratory analysis contracts, and training programs — delivered primarily to olive sector companies and auxiliary industry, with secondary engagement of universities and public entities. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; engagements are project-based and structured through patron/collaborator relationships plus external client work, with public sector R&D funding likely a significant component. The center holds ISO 9001:2015 (quality), ISO 14001:2015 (environmental), and ISO 56001:2024 (innovation management) certifications, signaling formal compliance and innovation governance. Headcount is in the 11-50 band, no funding rounds or M&A activity are disclosed, and operations are concentrated within Spain.

Name

Citoliva

Legal name

FUNDACION CITOLIVA

Website

https://citoliva.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Citoliva is a Spanish non-profit technology center founded in 2002, providing R&D, laboratory analysis, training, and technology transfer services exclusively to the olive and olive oil sector across Andalusia and Spain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research and Technology Services

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Tropical Oils Processing (Avocado, Sesame, Peanut, Rice Bran, Grapeseed) (AFAKAEAE)

Keywords

• Olive oil research
• Food technology services
• Sensory analysis laboratory
• Olive sector innovation
• Agricultural technology center

Headquarters

HQ city

Mengibar

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. R&D and Innovation Services: Research and development project services for olive sector companies and institutions
2. Laboratory Analysis Services: Physical-chemical and sensory analysis services for oils, fats, and olive products
3. Training and Education: Professional training programs and courses for the olive oil industry

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Citoliva operates as a technology center that delivers research, development, and innovation services for the olive and olive oil sector. Its offering spans R&D management, physical-chemical and sensory laboratory analysis of oils and fats, healthy food product development, integrated olive mill (Almazara Integral) services, culinary research through its Cooking Lab, professional training programs, and communication and technology transfer services.

Product overview

Citoliva is a technology center for the olive and olive oil sector, established in 2002 as a non-profit foundation. It operates as a platform offering integrated services across three knowledge areas: Alimentación y Salud (Food and Health), Calidad y Sostenibilidad (Quality and Sustainability), and Competitividad Empresarial (Business Competitiveness). The portfolio includes R&D management, healthy food development, comprehensive olive mill services, physical-chemical and sensory analysis laboratories, a Cooking Lab, training programs, communication and technology transfer services, and Oleo-Live events. The center also conducts seminars across multiple Spanish regions. With 9 patron members and 4 collaborating entities including olive sector companies, universities, and public/private institutions, Citoliva leads innovation in Andalusian and Spanish olive cultivation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gestión I+D+i (R&D Management) Research, development, and innovation management services for the olive oil sector, covering project design, execution oversight, and technology transfer to industry. Targeted at olive sector companies and institutions.
• Alimentos Saludables (Healthy Foods) Research and development services for healthy food products, focusing on nutritional quality and health benefits of olive-derived and related food products. Targeted at food companies and research partners.
• Almazara Integral (Integrated Olive Mill) Comprehensive olive mill research and services covering the entire production process from olive reception to oil extraction. Targeted at olive mills and olive oil producers.
• Análisis Físico-Químico y Sensorial de aceites y grasas (Physical-Chemical and Sensory Analysis of Oils and Fats) Laboratory services performing physical-chemical and sensory analysis on olive oils and fats for quality control and regulatory compliance. Targeted at olive oil producers, food companies, and certification bodies.
• Laboratorio I+D+i (R&D Laboratory) Research and development laboratory supporting innovation projects in the olive oil and food sectors. Targeted at companies and institutions undertaking applied food research.
• Cooking Lab Culinary research laboratory for developing and testing food products and cooking applications using olive oil and related ingredients. Targeted at food companies and culinary researchers.
• Formación (Training) Professional training and development programs for the olive oil industry and related sectors, delivered through courses and seminars. Targeted at olive oil professionals, technicians, and sector workers.
• Comunicación y Transferencia (Communication and Technology Transfer) Communication and technology transfer services that disseminate research findings and innovations from the technology center to the broader olive sector industry. Targeted at olive sector companies, media, and public stakeholders.
• Oleo-Live Live event and demonstration platform for olive oil education and industry engagement. Targeted at olive sector professionals and consumers.
• Seminarios Citoliva Knowledge dissemination seminar series held across multiple Spanish regions for olive sector professionals. Targeted at olive sector companies and professionals nationwide.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Premium Experience 2021 ParticipantsminorOthers · 1 January 2021Collaborative industry event focused on premium olive oil experiences, bringing together sector professionals for knowledge sharing and networking.
• Patron Members (9 organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Nine patron members including olive sector companies, auxiliary industry enterprises, and institutional stakeholders that govern and support the technology center's mission to drive innovation in the olive and olive oil sector.
• Collaborating Entities (4 organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Four collaborating entities that partner with Citoliva in research, development, and innovation initiatives for the olive sector, including universities and private/public institutions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• INIA-CSIC (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria): Spain's national agrifood research body, part of CSIC. Operates at much larger scale than Citoliva across the full agrifood sector, but competes for the same national/EU grant funding and works on overlapping olive and vegetable oil topics.
• CNR-ISPA (Istituto di Scienze delle Produzioni Alimentari): Italian national research institute focused on food production, including olive oil quality and sensory science. Comparable as a public research institution active in olive-sector analytical and applied research, though operating at larger scale and with broader food mandate.

Direct peers

• IRTA (Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries): Catalan agrifood research and technology institute offering applied R&D, lab services, and technology transfer to the food sector. Closely comparable as a regional Spanish technology center with industry patron governance and laboratory analysis capabilities.
• CNTA (Centro Nacional de Tecnología y Seguridad Alimentaria): Spanish non-profit food technology center delivering analytical services, R&D, and training to food companies. Mirrors Citoliva's laboratory + R&D + training service mix, though focused on broader food rather than olive.
• IFAPA (Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria, Pesquera, Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica): Andalusian public institute for agrifood research and training. Like Citoliva, it serves Andalusian olive and agrifood producers with applied R&D, lab analysis, and training, and shares the same regional funding and member ecosystem.
• AINIA Centro Tecnológico: Spanish non-profit food technology center providing applied R&D, laboratory analysis, and training to the food industry. Highly comparable business model (professional services for food manufacturers) with overlapping laboratory and innovation management offerings.
• CTAEX (Centro Tecnológico Agroalimentario de Extremadura): Spanish non-profit agro-food technology center providing R&D, laboratory services, and training to regional agrifood producers. Same technology-center business model and member-driven governance structure as Citoliva.

Regional players

• CITA (Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón): Aragonese agrifood research center delivering R&D and technology transfer to regional producers. Comparable as a Spanish regional technology center focused on agrifood, but serves a different Spanish geography and crop mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/citoliva
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@citolivaCT
• Facebookfacebook.com/citoliva
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/citoliva

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Citoliva