In early reports, Hyperxele stores across Galicia faced a chilling reality: cold storage rooms were empty, refrigerators stood idle, and the shelves that usually brimmed with fresh goods carried only sparse selections. The Galician company at the center of the crisis, Vinova Group, was accused by employees of failing to supply the core products that once defined the brand. For a year, fish and other starred items were missing from the facilities, while occasional vegetables, seafood, and a handful of breaded fried foods remained. The situation intensified as several lines indicated that new trucks with fresh stock had not arrived for more than twenty days. The payrolls and routines that staff relied on continued, even as customers grew increasingly dissatisfied and frozen products were halted due to mounting damage. The works council and local leadership pointed to Vinova’s leadership as the principal cause, urging transparency from management amid fears of a broader collapse .
No店舗 were closed at that moment, but there was a stark warning: if closures began, they might spread rapidly. An informed circle of sources suggested the company was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, with potential impacts spanning roughly ten stores in Vigo, sixteen in the metropolitan area, 38 in Pontevedra, and a wider Galicia footprint of about 102 stores. The potential job risk was substantial, with more than 300 positions at stake, concentrated in the province and particularly in the city, all under a veil of suspended activity and delayed payments to suppliers .
Analysts trace the disruption to corporate changes at the end of July 2021, when Vinova acquired a stake in Hiperxel and then faced consequences as Iberconsa reduced its involvement. Initial financial signals emerged nine months later in 2022, as Hiperxel participated in a capital increase of 4.8 million euros, bringing the total to just over 7 million. Rumors on the streets of Barcelona and other cities spoke of diminishing deliveries and products disappearing from catalogs as the supply chain tightened. These shifts appeared to foreshadow broader inventory gaps that would later become public knowledge .
As the weeks passed, stores reported a gradual emptying of inventory. Not only were cold rooms left idle, but some refrigerators became part of the public display as a cost-saving measure, with about a third of units switched off to reduce electricity use. The remainder kept heavy stock on non-perishable items, while stocks of fresh fish and other star products dwindled. Workers warned that the business might be facing more serious consequences if the trend continued, describing a real risk to the viability of the brand’s core offerings .
Statements from long-time employees underscored the gravity of the situation. One veteran worker, employed for over two decades, spoke of a reluctant, morning-after routine where confidence in product availability had eroded. Colleagues reported ongoing attempts to find solutions that never materialized, with some recalling that goods remained in place only until they were exhausted and then replaced by fewer, lower-quality items. The prevailing narrative, supported by the works council, centered on Vinova’s CEO as the principal architect of the crisis, amid reports that promised remedies had not materialized.
Insiders added that Vinova’s management team could be delaying payroll and social security contributions, while procurement and energy costs appeared unsettled. Stores halted new purchases, power outages affected some facilities, and landlords pursued rent claims as the financial pressure mounted. In the face of this strain, the works council argued that the leadership had failed to provide a coherent explanation from the outset, replacing accountability with evasive responses. The council indicated it would continue to press for document access and a transparent accounting of the events that led to the current state .
Against this backdrop, plans for organized labor actions emerged. Workers prepared for a strike slated for the following week, with calls to assemble on September 20 and 21. While organizers suggested this would be the first such action, they did not rule out additional measures should the situation persist. Observers also noted the possibility of broader action across Frigalsa and other affiliates if financing options failed to emerge. Vinova sources acknowledged treasury challenges but insisted no store would be closed under any circumstances, signaling a commitment to preserving the network despite the turmoil.