The Innovation Center inauguration

THE PRESIDENT OF THE GENERALITAT OF CATALONIA OPENS THE INNOVATION CENTER OF THE ADFOOD GROUP

Since last February 4, Adfood Group has one of the best equipped Centers of Innovation (Innovation Center) of private capital in the meat sector.

The Center was opened by the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, who highlighted the necessity of carrying out these type of initiatives in order to maintain the competivity in the international context.

The culmination of this Innovation Center Group Adfood has represented an investment of nearly 1.000.000? in the last quarter of 2011 and covers an area of more than 1.600m2, includes a large showroom, training rooms and the test center divided in eight sections: injected & marinated products, cooked products, grinded & emulsified products, sanitary area, additives, cold store, drying room and vacuum packing.

Group Adfood companies started export activity in 1978 and, at present, its products are widely recognized in the market, 75% of the total sales representing international activity in 2011, consolidating a clear tendency of all brands forming part of the Group.

Internationalization, Innovation & market orientation are the pillars of the strategic vision of Mr. Llucià Casellas (C.E.O.) and his partners, what has led the Group to achieve this recognition.

Having since the mid 90’s subsidiary companies in Mexico and Portugal, since 2008 investment in the 3 strategic pillars has been constant. Construction of ROSER’s factory in Mexico in 2008, acquisition of the companies: Talleres CATO, S.A. and OGAL, S.A. in 2009, fulfillment of 4 R+D+I projects co-financed by CDTI in 2010, this INNOVATION CENTER in 2011 and the planning of a new subsidiary company in Jordan to cover the market of the Middle East & Persian Gulf countries. All together has meant an investment of more than 6 million Euros in the last 5 years equivalent of 7% of annual turnover.

In this sense, this inauguration means the culmination of this vision and will allow the Group to intensify, even more, the effort the R+D+I has taken in the last years.

In the short term, we will work in projects that are at the final stage of development, such as “MAS” technology, Micro-Injection Advanced System for the injection of delicate poultry meats, a technical article been written on the subject and published in prestigious specialized magazines of international influence; or the new system to produce cooked bacon that will increase the efficiency of the process and will reduce energetic cost.

The aim of these premises is to contribute to the improvement of the manufacturer competitiveness, optimizing his production processes and differentiating the final products.

Specifically, it will focus on these 3 differentiated dimensions:

- IMPROVEMENT OF CAPITAL GOODS AND PROCESSES

Adding new solutions in order to technologically evolve in the different products and processes. New machines’ prototypes will be tested in order to adjust the needed parameters for their optimization and subsequent marketing.

- FINAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Using the center to check the behaviour of new products and/or recipes in productive processes of last generation and the organoleptic characteristics most valued by the final consumer, such as the appearance, texture and tastes.

- TRAINIG AND DEMOSTRATION

Organizing training sessions in order to optimize the usage of the machines manufactured by the Group. It will be at the service of the international net of customers and distributors to carry out different shows with commercial aim.

The center also plans to collaborate with public organizations such as IRTA and with international entities such as DMRI.

Group Adfood was created in 2010 to boost synergies of the brands drawn together: Roser (hygiene and handling equipment), Ogalsa (Injectors), Cato (Machinery for Sausage Production), and RMT (technology advice on processes, production lines and projects). In 2011 a turnover of 16 million Euros was reached, employing more than 135 direct employees in the five working centers of the Group at Cassà de la Selva, Banyoles, Sabadell, Oporto (Portugal) and Toluca (Mexico).

In this opening, the book “The value of Values” was presented to commemorate the 50th anniversary of ROSER CMSA in which the history of a human team that has achieved its aims being faithful to its principles is reflected, from the time when Mr. Jaume Roser founded the company until now.