Agropal Grupo Alimentario

What Agropal Grupo Alimentario does

Agropal Grupo Alimentario (Agropal S. Coop.) is a first-degree agricultural cooperative headquartered in Palencia, Spain, founded in 1972 and operating across Castilla y León, Cantabria, and Zamora. It serves 8,000 farming and livestock families and employs 850 people directly, making it the fourth largest first-degree cooperative in Spain, formed through the integration of 15 cooperatives over 54 years. The cooperative runs over 50 service centers and 270,000 m2 of warehousing infrastructure, with full vertical integration from certified seeds (processed at Europe's most advanced optical selection center at 20+ tons/hour) through fertilizers, crop protection, fuel, animal feed (169,000 tons annually), dehydrated forages (three plants), dairy collection (47 million liters), and cheese production (Quesos Cerrato subsidiary, the largest cheese cooperative in Spain), to final commercialization of cereals (27% of turnover), legumes, and horticultural products.

The cooperative monetizes primarily through transaction-fee streams on member purchases of inputs and sale of member outputs, supplemented by professional services including insurance brokerage, PAC administration, tax advisory, and accounting. Revenue-generating activities span cereals commercialization, animal feed, dairy/cheese, certified seeds, custom-blended NPK fertilizers (Megactiv range plus Yara/Fertiberia distribution), fuel (Repsol/Cepsa/BP partnerships with home delivery), dehydrated alfalfa, NaturAvena oat processing for human consumption (€22M plant), horticultural products, and insurance. Distribution is via the owned service-center network, home delivery, and the Magaz de Pisuerga centralized logistics hub handling 20,000 tons of certified seeds annually. Subsidiaries include Quesos Cerrato (cheese/dairy) and Bodega Reina de Castilla (Rueda DO Verdejo wines). Recent capex of €26M+ (NaturAvena + Astudillo dehydration), five new warehouses in 2024, and the Villoldo agroindustrial complex with 1,200 kW solar capacity demonstrate an active capital investment cycle moving the cooperative up the value chain from feed-grade commodities into branded consumer food products.

Pricing is not publicly disclosed; transactions with member farmers are priced at market rates based on volume and conditions. The AIRE+P precision agriculture program and a proprietary AI-driven early-warning station for pest/disease prediction provide agronomic decision support, though AI capabilities are operational rather than differentiating. The cooperative is member-owned with no external investors or parent company.

Name

Agropal Grupo Alimentario

Legal name

Agropal S. Coop.

Website

https://agropalsc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Agropal is a Spanish agricultural cooperative serving 8,000 farming and livestock families across Castilla y León and Cantabria through 50+ service centers. It vertically integrates the full food value chain — seeds, fertilizers, crop protection, feed, dairy, cereals, fuel, insurance, and the NaturAvena oat processing plant — for member farmers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Cooperative Food Group

NAICS

Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42491), Support Activities for Animal Production (11521), Oilseed and Grain Farming (1111), Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112), Other Animal Production (1129)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Dairy Products (2020), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Farmer Cooperatives & Co-op Retail (AFABAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agronomy Advisory & Field Services (Retailer-Affiliated) (AFABAJAH), Fertilizer & Nutrient Retail (Dry, Liquid, Blends) (AFABAJAF), Seed & Trait Distribution (Dealer Networks) (AFABAJAD), Livestock & Pasture Supply Retail (Feed Supplements, Animal Health Inputs) (AFABAJAJ), Supply Chain, Marketing & Contracting Advisory (Grain/Livestock Marketing) (AFACAJAH)

Keywords

• Agricultural cooperative services
• Certified seed production
• Compound animal feed
• Dairy cheese processing
• Cereal commercialization

Headquarters

HQ city

Palencia

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cereals Commercialization: Marketing and storage of cereals representing 27% of group turnover. Includes wheat, barley, corn, oats, and rye for human and animal consumption, including biofuel applications.
2. Animal Feed Production: Feed factories in Benavente and Villoldo producing high-precision animal nutrition with own formulas. Over 169,000 tons of feed managed annually.
3. Dairy Products and Cheese: Transformation of milk from member farms into cheese at Quesos Cerrato (Baltanás). The largest cheese cooperative in Spain, producing award-winning cheeses including Cerrato Umami and Cerrato with Avena.
4. Certified Seeds: Seed certification and distribution through Magaz de Pisuerga logistics center managing 20,000 tons annually, positioning Agropal as largest certified seed producer in the region.
5. Fertilizers: Manufacturing and distribution of customized NPK fertilizers through blending technology in own plants, plus distribution of leading European brands (Yara, Compo-Basf, Fertiberia).
6. Fuel Supply: Distribution of agricultural diesel (Gasóleo B), heating oil (Gasóleo C), and automotive fuels through home delivery service and own station network. Strategic alliances with Repsol, Cepsa, and BP.
7. Dehydrated Forages: Alfalfa and forage dehydration through three plants, producing high-density 750kg bales and alfalfa granules for dairy and sheep farming.
8. NaturAvena Human Consumption Oat: Processing of domestic oat for human consumption, producing flakes, flour, and bran. Strategic project to replace 280,000 tons of annual oat imports with domestic production.
9. Horticultural Products: Marketing of fruits, vegetables, and legumes from member producers with full traceability. Only packager using exclusively Spanish legumes from Castilla y León.
10. Insurance Services: Comprehensive insurance services for agricultural and livestock operations, vehicles, homes, and health through specialized department.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Agropal Grupo Alimentario is an agricultural food cooperative that integrates the value chain from farm inputs to finished consumer products. It supplies member farmers with certified seeds, crop protection products, fertilizers, compound animal feed, fuel, insurance brokerage, machinery sharing, and technical/advisory services (including PAC management); processes and commercializes cereals, dehydrated forages, and oat derivatives; and produces branded dairy (Quesos Cerrato cheeses, DO Castilla y León award-winning) and wines (Bodega Reina de Castilla, Cigales DO) for consumer markets.

Product overview

Agropal Grupo Alimentario is an agricultural cooperative offering an integrated platform spanning the entire food production chain. The core portfolio includes cereals commercialization (27% of turnover), animal feed (piensos) produced in Benavente and Villoldo factories, dairy transformation through Quesos Cerrato (award-winning cheeses), and fresh milk under the Leche Agropal brand. Supporting agricultural inputs encompass certified seeds (processed at Europe's most advanced selection center), the Megactiv fertilizer range with custom blending, crop protection products (official Corteva/Bayer/Syngenta/BASF distributor), fuel distribution, and shared machinery services. The cooperative also operates dehydrated alfalfa/forage plants, the NaturAvena/FuturAvena oat processing facility for human consumption, and provides professional services including PAC management, tax advisory, accounting, and comprehensive insurance brokerage. Legumbres (legumes) are commercialized as the only packager using exclusively Spanish-grown legumes. The AIRE+P program delivers precision agriculture advisory, while Bodega Reina de Castilla extends the portfolio into wine production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Q-List certified seeds Certified seeds carrying the proprietary Q-List quality seal, produced with optical selection technology to ensure varietal purity and genetic quality. Sold to member farmers and other agricultural producers seeking high-purity sowing seed.
• Crop protection products (phytosanitary products) Phytosanitary / crop protection products distributed through the Suministros Agropal network for member farmers managing cereals, forages, and other crops.
• Fertilizers Fertilizers supplied to member farmers and agricultural customers via the cooperative's service center and online store channels.
• Compound animal feed (ruminants, pigs, sheep/goats) Manufactured compound animal feed tailored to ruminants, pigs, and sheep/goats, formulated for member livestock farmers and livestock operations in Castilla y León and Cantabria.
• Dehydrated forages Industrially dehydrated forages (including alfalfa and other forage crops) processed by Agropal and commercialized for animal feed and feed-trade customers.
• Oat derivatives (flour, flakes, bran) Processed oat derivatives including flour, flakes, and bran for food and animal feed applications, produced from oats sourced through member farmers.
• Quesos Cerrato cheese line Branded cheese range under the Quesos Cerrato label, manufactured from member-farmer milk and awarded the Best Cheese of Castilla y León DOA recognition. Distributed to retailers, supermarkets, and HORECA channels in Spain for consumer end-buyers.
• Bodega Reina de Castilla wines Wines produced under the Bodega Reina de Castilla label with Cigales DO certification, sold to retail, specialty, and HORECA channels in Spain for consumer end-buyers.
• Cereals commercialization Aggregation, storage, and commercialization of cereals produced by member farmers, channeled through the cooperative's sales offices to downstream buyers.
• Fuel supply (gasóleo) Supply of fuel (gasóleo) for agricultural machinery, including home delivery service, targeted at member farmers and agricultural operators.
• Insurance brokerage services Insurance brokerage services arranged for member farmers and others in the agricultural sector, including agricultural, livestock, and related property and liability coverage.
• PAC management advisory (Common Agricultural Policy grants) Advisory service helping member farmers manage applications, compliance, and reporting for PAC (Common Agricultural Policy) grants and subsidies.
• Farm machinery sharing (Siembra Directa) Shared access to agricultural machinery including Siembra Directa (no-till) equipment, allowing member farmers to use high-cost machinery without individual purchase.
• Suministros Agropal service-center retail network Network of more than 50 physical service centers across eight provinces distributing seeds, fertilizers, phytosanitary products, feed, fuel, and other supplies to member farmers.
• Tienda Online Agropal (e-commerce) Online store (agropalstore.com / Tienda Online) offering agricultural inputs, supplies, and selected cooperative products to member farmers and customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces seed costs through PMG-informed precision seeding
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Quesos CerratocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntegrated dairy processing facility in Baltanás producing cheese from member farm milk. The largest cheese cooperative in Spain. Products include award-winning Cerrato Umami (World Cheese Awards Super Gold) and Cerrato with Avena (Sabor del Año 2025/2026). Complete vertical integration from milk production to finished cheese.
• Bodega Reina de CastillacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinery located in Rueda denomination producing white wines from Verdejo grape. Founded to create wines reflecting the distinctive character of the land. Combines traditional methods with modern techniques. Part of cooperative's food industry diversification strategy.
• Corteva (DuPont and Monsanto Union)majorTechnology or IntegrationOfficial distributor of Corteva crop protection products including leading herbicides like Glean and Javelo. Access to company's R&D pipeline and latest innovations in agricultural chemicals.
• Bayer Crop SciencemajorTechnology or IntegrationOfficial distributor of Bayer crop protection products. Provides access to latest fungicide technologies including Inatreq for control of rust, septoria, and powdery mildew.
• SyngentamajorTechnology or IntegrationOfficial distributor of Syngenta products. AIR (ALS Imidazolinone Resistance) sunflower technology developer. Provides advanced sunflower varieties and crop protection solutions.
• BASFmajorTechnology or IntegrationOfficial distributor of BASF crop protection products through Compo-Basf alliance. Access to advanced formulations and herbicide technologies.
• RepsolmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic fuel supply partnership. Distributor of Repsol diesel (B agricultural, C heating, A automotive) and gasoline products with additive formulations for engine protection.
• CepsamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic fuel supply partnership for distribution of Cepsa petroleum products to agricultural and rural customers.
• BP (British Petroleum)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic fuel supply partnership for BP fuel distribution to agricultural operations and rural communities.
• YaramajorTechnology or IntegrationDistribution partner for Yara fertilizers. Leading European fertilizer manufacturer providing high-purity raw materials complementing Agropal's own blending production.
• FertiberiamajorTechnology or IntegrationDistribution partner for Fertiberia fertilizers. Spanish fertilizer manufacturer providing quality raw materials and exclusive products.
• Nickerson (Limagrain)majorTechnology or IntegrationSeed breeder/supplier providing cereal varieties including wheat and barley. One of leading seed obtentors in Agropal's catalog.
• RAGTmajorTechnology or IntegrationSeed breeder/supplier providing competitive cereal varieties. Part of Agropal's diverse seed obtentor network.
• MaisadourmajorTechnology or IntegrationSeed breeder/supplier providing sunflower and other crop varieties. Contributes to Agropal's comprehensive seed catalog.
• MAPA (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación)coreOthersSpanish Ministry of Agriculture. Regulatory oversight for PAC subsidies, phytosanitary regulations, and agricultural policy. Agropal assists members with PAC applications and regulatory compliance.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Agrial: French multi-sector agricultural cooperative covering crops, livestock, dairy, and produce. Comparable to Agropal's integrated structure across cereals, feed, dairy, and horticultural categories within a cooperative model.
• Grupo AN: Spanish first-degree agricultural cooperative (Navarra) covering cereals, fruits, vegetables, feed, and supplies. Directly comparable to Agropal in member-driven integrated agricultural services and field-to-market model.
• ACOR (Sociedad Cooperativa General Agropecuaria): Spanish agricultural cooperative focused on sugar beet and cereals. Comparable to Agropal in cooperative structure, multi-product agricultural processing, and member-supply integration.
• DCOOP: Spanish second-degree cooperative grouping olive oil, dairy, livestock, and cereal cooperatives. Closely comparable to Agropal as a multi-product Spanish agricultural cooperative integrating member production and commercialization.
• Lantmännen: Swedish agricultural cooperative with grain, feed, machinery, and food operations. Comparable to Agropal's integrated agricultural services and member-driven structure, though operating at much larger scale.
• COVAP: Spanish dairy and livestock cooperative (Andalucía) producing cheese, milk, and meat under cooperative model. Comparable to Agropal's Quesos Cerrato and Leche Agropal dairy operations with similar member-driven processing.

Broad incumbents

• BayWa AG: German agricultural trading and services group with grain, agricultural inputs, and energy divisions. Comparable to Agropal's input distribution and cereal commercialization, though much larger and more diversified.

Others

• Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España: Umbrella organization representing Spanish agricultural cooperatives, of which Agropal is a member. Comparable as an industry reference and cooperative ecosystem rather than direct competitor.

Emerging players

• FrieslandCampina: Dutch dairy cooperative with global cheese and dairy products. Comparable to Agropal's Quesos Cerrato dairy arm in cooperative structure and member-driven milk processing, though internationally scaled.
• Arla Foods: Danish-Swedish dairy cooperative with global cheese and dairy business. Comparable to Agropal's Quesos Cerrato and Leche Agropal in cooperative ownership and dairy processing focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/bodegareinadecastilla
• Xx.com/AgropalSC
• Facebookfacebook.com/Agropalsc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agropal-s-c-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Agropal Grupo Alimentario