Over its 155 years of history, the story of Grupo Cuevas from Ourense is also that of the legacy of four generations of the De las Cuevas family. Today they are a leading company operating in three major sectors: food distribution, the agri-food industry and the automotive industry.

Grupo Cuevas not only continues to be a leading business group, but is also increasing its turnover figures and its presence in new locations. What are the strengths behind this growth?

Our history is one of great heritage, coming from the De las Cuevas family. Each generation left a mark on the character of the company. Our founder Francisco de las Cuevas left us entrepreneurship; his son José de las Cuevas, social responsibility; the third generation, with Ignacio de las Cuevas, promoted innovation and, finally, the current generation relied on the company's professionalisation to make it grow and take it to new horizons.

We have always said that Grupo Cuevas' objective as a company is to try to make people's lives easier. This means that we have always placed people at the centre of the equation and, around them, we build our global business strategy. We work for innovation aimed at providing useful services. We continue to be committed to high quality, local, fresh produce, optimising the logistics chain to reduce delivery times while preserving service excellence, developing channels and formulas that improve and personalise interaction with consumers as much as possible, and to digital transformation in its most integral form.

What advantages could a company from Ourense count on in a sector such as food distribution, in which they compete with large operators?

The swift adaptation to change and the resilience that characterised us in our 155-year history have a lot to do with who we are today. We have been capable of change whenever the situation has required it. When we multiplied our points of sale exponentially, when we strongly expanded our logistical capacity, when the pandemic came and we proved essential to serve the population, and now, also taking on part of the inflation that is having an impact on food... We are already a big company, even if we are small in the sector. Our size has also given us enough flexibility and agility to implement the necessary changes. Right now, it's a competitive advantage.

Grupo Cuevas and Marrón Glacé form an indivisible partnership. How important is the export of chestnuts in the business?

Cuevas is the leader in Spain in marketing Marrón Glacé and products derived from chestnuts, but the popularity of Cuevas' Marrón Glacé has spread beyond our borders. Nowadays, our products can be found on the shelves of large retailers and the most exclusive establishments in more than 30 countries. Our main markets are in Europe, especially Italy and France, major consumers of chestnuts and their products. In South America, Brazil and Mexico in particular are long-standing markets in our commercial biography, reinforced by the demand from the Spanish community living in these countries. Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar...) are markets with a strong tradition of consuming sweet products and, of course, Asia, especially Japan, a producer and important consumer of chestnut products, as well as consumers who are highly passionate about quality European products.

What are the challenges and plans for the group's expansion?

Over the course of the last 10 years, we have seen ourselves grow, grow and grow, and the decisions have been made to respond to this growth in the best possible way: expanding the team, opening new work centres, extending, adapting or creating new infrastructures, such as the centre in the Ciudad del Transporte or the increase in rural sales outlets. We must always keep in mind that we must continue to put the necessary pieces in place to allow the road to continue in a solid way.

What legacy does Grupo Cuevas want to leave in its environment and in Galicia?

Social commitment has been the focus of much of Grupo Cuevas' efforts over the last decade and will continue to be so because it is one of the timeless values associated with us. By generating employment, we are generating wealth, opening numerous points of sale in the countryside, giving shape to the dreams of enterprising people, and working tirelessly to make the most of the chestnut also gives an economic boost to the province. The opening of a new headquarters of more than 32,000 m2 in San Cibrao das Viñas or the opening of the first large Cuevas Cash food centre in this area are different initiatives with which to strengthen society and build territory. Our commitment will remain the same: to repay the trust we receive every day from our different partners.