A lover of nature, healthy food and the Galician countryside, Gerardo Lagares decided to start Orballo in 2012. His company offers 100% organic products of the highest quality. From the village of Donín, in Paderne (A Coruña), they market 6 types of herbal teas and 36 aromatic products.

What’s it like living off the land in Galicia with an innovative crop?

At first, it was a big risk to try; now it’s our responsibility to continue making a positive contribution to the environment through this exciting project. We are very pleased with the appreciation of initiatives such as ours, which seek to demonstrate on a daily basis that it is possible to be sustainable, profitable and innovative. It is overwhelming to see how interested many people are when they see us at fairs and come up to greet us. There we discovered how truly engaged they are and how they are increasingly aware of the power they have as consumers.

How can you be profitable and respectful of nature?

We believe that the key is to do things right from the beginning, constantly improving and dreaming at the same time to find positive solutions to problems as they arise. Where there’s a will there’s a way. In the current climate context, we believe that companies that are not sustainable are no longer an option. The status quo is changing rapidly. That's why I would ask the question the other way around. How can there be companies that intend to be profitable without respecting nature?

What is the formula for continuing to grow when selling herbal teas?

To us, it means remaining faithful to a certain model and values: to promote the cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants and tea in Galicia; to care for the environment and people; to offer products that are beneficial to both; and to distribute them in sustainable packaging.

The area where you work has been recognised as a Biosphere Reserve. In addition, in 2021, you achieved the Biosphere Reserves Recognition for environmental commitment in the 'brand' category awarded by the Ministry of Ecological Transition. What have these two milestones meant for your company?

It is a source of great pride. We are very grateful to all the people who, from the Biosphere Reserve at the institutional and technical level, have done an impeccable job, constant work for years that has led us to be not only a Biosphere Reserve, but one of the most active and internationally recognised ones today.

Our philosophy is fully aligned with what the reserves promote: sustainable coexistence between human activity and nature. For this reason, we have been awarded the recognition of the Spanish Network of Biosphere Reserves for our environmental practices, which undoubtedly certifies a way of doing things that generates a positive impact on the environment.

This type of recognition and institutional support is a great boost to our brand, because it improves the visibility of small projects like ours that aim to make a difference to improve the future.

What are your plans for the future?

We want to continue working to generate a positive impact in society and the environment. To this end, it is clear to us that we must work along three lines. First, to maintain the current high standards of sustainability and quality. Second, to optimise all our processes, while scaling up production and cultivation area. Finally, we will continue to rely on R&D&I to enable us to obtain differentiated products in the medium and long term.