Together with our partners, we are celebrating a year of growth, driven by a favourable climate and good prices for our products

The General Assembly of Cooperativa Ganadera del Valle de los Pedroches (the Livestock Cooperative of the Los Pedroches Valley), or COVAP, approved the Group's 2024 financial statements today with a turnover exceeding €1 billion for the second consecutive year. 

The COVAP Group —which is composed of the subsidiary companies Lactiber León, Làctia Agroalimentària and Naturleite— supplies milk, milkshakes, cream and butter to Mercadona, as well as to COVAP USA and COVAP UK. It reached a revenue of €1.013 billion and a production of 1.473 billion kilolitres in 2024. The parent company's revenue closed at €728 million.

In terms of business activities, both the meat and dairy divisions have grown, with the latter achieving 814 million litres of milk and butter sold, which is a historic production record that surpasses the Group’s level.

The Animal Feed department saw a €50 million drop in sales due to the excellent weather conditions and the impact of lower raw material prices. These factors have in turn fuelled a very positive year for the Cooperative's livestock members following years of low profit margins and drought.

The COVAP Group has 2,000 active livestock members and a team of 1,303 employees, all of whom share a high level of commitment and a sense of pride of belonging to the organisation.

2024 Investments

In 2024, the COVAP Group invested more than €23 million in its efforts to improve production processes, increase efficiency, ensure its commitment to sustainability and generate value at all stages of the agri-food chain.

Leaders in the development of initiatives for the future of the sector

COVAP recognises the importance of generational renewal and the continuity of livestock production for both its members and the sector at large. To this end, COVAP has taken proactive measures and created the Livestock Production Department, which provides the necessary services and support to members to ensure the transition and to find viable alternatives to maintain the activity. 

Among the range of actions implemented in this regard are the creation of a generational renewal support office and the University Livestock Program, which is supported by the University of Cordoba and provides comprehensive training for livestock farmers. Technical and legal advice is also being provided to partners to ensure the future of livestock production and to facilitate the hiring of farmworkers.

For Ricardo Delgado Vizcaíno, president of COVAP, "situations with low profitability, difficulties finding labour, periods of drought, excessive regulation or lack of social recognition do not exactly facilitate generational change and the incorporation of young people. These are some of the reasons why the Cooperative has focused on guaranteeing the continuity of our members' livestock farms, which is its true raison d'être, and thus maintain the rich livestock business network of our regions. This important challenge is combined with a decisive commitment to environmental sustainability that ranges from agricultural production to the consumer. The most notable example of this commitment are the significant investments made in a renewable energy plant."