Frit Ravich to invest more than €115 million in new factory and Madrid distribution hub

Spanish food company Frit Ravich will invest more than €115 million in two industrial and logistics projects designed to increase its production capacity and strengthen distribution across central and southern Spain.

The family-owned business plans to construct a new factory beside its headquarters in Maçanet de la Selva, in the province of Girona, and open a distribution centre in Madrid.

Construction of the Catalan plant is scheduled to begin in 2027. The facility will cover approximately 33,000 square metres and concentrate primarily on the production of potato crisps and popcorn, two of the company’s main product categories.

Frit Ravich’s existing 26,000-square-metre factory will remain operational and become more specialised in the processing and production of nuts.

The combined programme forms part of the company’s 2030 Strategic Plan and is intended to provide the manufacturing and logistics capacity required to increase annual revenue to €600 million.

Frit Ravich reported sales of €359 million in 2025, an 8% increase from €332 million in the previous year. The latest investment commitment is therefore equivalent to at least 32% of its most recently reported annual revenue, although spending will be distributed across several years.

Production capacity to double by 2030

The new factory is expected to double Frit Ravich’s overall production capacity by the end of the decade.

The site has also been designed for expansion in successive phases, creating the potential to quadruple the company’s current capacity by 2050. This does not mean that the full increase will be delivered immediately: construction and the installation of production lines will advance according to demand and the development of the business.

Frit Ravich describes the operating model planned for the factory as “flex-efficient”, a company term referring to the ability to adjust production to changes in consumer demand and temporary peaks without losing operational or logistical efficiency.

The plant is currently in its master-planning phase. Preliminary work to prepare the plot has already been completed, while teams are defining its layout, internal workflows and construction sequence.

Engineering, architecture and environmental planning are being developed with Colomer-Rifà, a specialist firm participating in the design and management of the project.

The company has not disclosed how the €115 million investment will be divided between the Girona factory and the Madrid distribution centre, nor has it provided a complete construction and commissioning timetable.

Around 500 new jobs

The expansion is expected to create approximately 500 jobs progressively over the coming years, mainly as the new manufacturing capacity enters operation.

Frit Ravich estimates that the increase could take its workforce close to 2,000 employees. The company reported having around 1,300 workers earlier in 2026.

The recruitment programme will require production personnel as well as technical, maintenance, quality, logistics and technology profiles. The pace of hiring will depend on the activation of the different phases of the industrial project.

Chief executive Judith Viader said the additional capacity is needed to respond to customer demand, develop the company’s brands and strengthen its dual role as a manufacturer and distributor.

That dual model is central to Frit Ravich’s strategy. The company produces potato crisps, popcorn, snacks and nuts under its own portfolio, while also distributing Spanish and international consumer brands through food retail, hospitality, impulse-purchase and bulk channels.

Its brands include Caseras, Premium, Top Corn, Cocteleo and Real Bites. The company has also expanded its distribution catalogue through agreements involving brands such as Capri-Sun and Samai.

Madrid hub to strengthen 24-hour deliveries

The second component of the investment is a new distribution centre in Madrid. Its purpose will be to improve service across central and southern Spain, reduce replenishment times and increase local stock availability.

The facility will support Frit Ravich’s commitment to deliver orders within 24 hours to customers in food retail, hospitality, impulse and bulk distribution.

Locating additional inventory closer to those markets should reduce the distance travelled by products from Girona and provide greater flexibility during periods of high demand.

The company has not yet disclosed the Madrid centre’s surface area, storage capacity, location within the region or expected opening date.

The logistics investment reflects the requirements of Frit Ravich’s distribution business. Unlike a manufacturer supplying a limited number of supermarket warehouses, the company manages a broad catalogue and serves several sales channels with different order sizes and delivery frequencies.

Expanding the Madrid network should therefore allow the group to grow without concentrating all national distribution flows at its Catalan base.

A step up from previous annual investment

Frit Ravich invested €8 million during 2025, 14% more than in the previous year, mainly in production capacity, technology and process efficiency.

Although the new €115 million programme covers several years and is not directly comparable with annual capital expenditure, it represents a substantial increase in the scale of the company’s investment cycle.

The business says the projects are consistent with its owners’ policy of reinvesting earnings to finance long-term expansion. It has not specified whether the programme will also use bank debt or other external financing.

Founded in 1963 by Josep Maria Viader, Frit Ravich has been managed since 1997 by his daughter Judith Viader. Under her leadership, the company expanded from its manufacturing origins into a combined production and distribution platform.

Sales reached €302 million in 2023, €332 million in 2024 and €359 million in 2025. Reaching the €600 million target will require the company to increase revenue by approximately 67% from its latest reported level.

The expansion will depend not only on additional factory space but also on the performance of its own brands, new distribution agreements, growth in hospitality and impulse channels, and further development of international sales.

A long-term industrial commitment

The investment divides the company’s next stage of growth between two complementary assets.

The Girona factory will increase output and specialise production between the new and existing plants. The Madrid centre will extend the logistics network and improve access to customers across a large part of Spain.

This structure is intended to prevent manufacturing growth from placing excessive pressure on the company’s current distribution system.

It also provides Frit Ravich with room to adjust its expansion to market conditions. The new factory can be enlarged through different phases, while the Madrid hub can absorb additional volume as sales grow.

The €115 million programme moves Frit Ravich from incremental investment to a multi-year expansion of its industrial base. Its execution will determine whether the company can convert recent sales growth into the production, logistics and workforce required to approach €600 million in revenue by 2030.