In the heat of the ice age
Helena Montenegro Zurron
In certain areas like Asturias, record-high temperatures over recent days pushed the country into an unusual heat spike. A company such as Procubitos Europa, which earns about 70 percent of its profits from June through September, confirms the trend. Francisco Delgado, the group’s chief financial officer, notes that Cubers, the continent’s leading ice producer and seller, operates in an untapped market. When temperatures rise, people flock to beaches and terraces, and sales climb by approximately 20 percent, he explains.
Asturias has a historic connection to cycles of cold and warmth. Cubers Premium opened its first factory in Gijón in 2011, and later adopted its current brand after joining forces with the Cadiz-based Procubitos. The Asturias facility can produce up to 80 tons per day, making it the second-largest site and supplying ice to Cantabria, Galicia and Castilla y León. Delgado adds that after two very challenging years due to the pandemic, demand surpassed expectations as the market swung toward a peak season.
Despite Procubitos Europe’s expansion, the focus on Asturias remains strong. The region continues to attract investment, and some ownership remains Asturian, underscoring a local commitment to the market.
Seasonal pleasures family
Marta Otero Maya
The city of A Coruña transforms with the seasons. In summer, walkers gather along La Marina to savor the best ice cream, while in winter scarves and coats fill the streets as locals seek warmth with a cone of roasted chestnuts. These seasonal shifts reflect a city that adapts to demand. The Gallego Gómez brothers, Silvia and Gonzalo, run La Ibi, one of the hottest summer spots in town, and the chestnut cart that signals autumn. They do so with a sense of street-level tradition. The family behind the business, Sergio and Pura, started both ventures in the 1960s, with the father beginning as a young worker for the initial ice cream stand. For over five decades, the wheels have turned, and the stand has become a local landmark. Yet they remain committed to the nomadic chestnut cart, recognizing its value for tourists and locals who know they are always there.
La Ballena Alegre, Europe’s most sustainable campground
Santi Coll
La Ballena Alegre in Sant Pere Pescador, Girona, earned Europe’s best sustainable and eco-friendly campground award in 2022, presented by the continent’s largest automotive association, ADAC. Managed by Camping Car SL, this five-star site is a benchmark for Mediterranean coastal accommodations. In recent years, it has extended its season from spring through autumn, broadening opportunities beyond the traditional summer window. The manager, Antoni Castellar, notes that autumn expansion has helped capture momentum from slower Sepembers and Octobers. The campground lies on a beach in the Bay of Roses, a renowned and scenic destination. August remains the peak month, often reaching full occupancy of about 4,500 guests. The plan is to exceed 2019 turnover this year as the team leverages its sustainability track record to attract visitors from diverse markets, including German, Dutch and Spanish tourists. The organization has also reduced more than 100 tonnes of CO2 annually and was selected by Volkswagen Spain to showcase its electric van identity.
Alvalle gazpacho record: 38 million liters this year
lola garcia
Gazpacho stands out as a summer staple born from Europe’s vegetable gardens, a product cherished beyond Spain and enjoyed across the Americas. The brand behind this popular drink originates in the Murcia region, drawing produce from nearby provinces including Alicante, Valencia, Almería, Córdoba and Jaén.
The Alvalle group traces its roots back 25 years to a mission: to launch a new generation of fresh, high-quality foods. Through innovation, the company introduced the first refrigerated liter-sized gazpacho to market in 1991, marking a breakthrough for a product long associated with homes in southern Spain.
Today, production is projected at 38 million liters for the season, a 12 percent rise from the prior year, with half of output destined for export, notably to France. Since joining PepsiCo in 1999, the brand has seen six-fold growth in production. The latest innovation is a transparent PET bottle series called Season Selection, featuring seasonal and regional tomato varieties such as Pera and Kumato and seasonally adapted blends for summer and winter versions with Rosa and Negro tomatoes.
Alvalle uses around 40 million kilos of vegetables sourced within a 200-kilometer radius of its Alcantarilla facility to ensure freshness. Approximately 98 percent of the vegetables are hand-picked at optimal ripeness, underscoring a commitment to quality. In short, this gazpacho is a crafted union of regional produce and careful processing.
Jaraba juice to refresh
Jorge Heras Pastor
Water represents summer’s best ally and a prized resource in Jaraba, a Zaragoza town famed for its hot springs Sicilia and La Virgen. The Cobecsa unit, part of the Ágora group, has held a long-standing license for access to spring water and sees demand peak in warmer months. The water is drawn at about 30 degrees from a 100-meter-deep catchment and marketed under Lunares and El Cañar de Jaraba. The Lunares line is a familiar presence across Spain, recognized for its purity and mineral richness.
The bottling operation employs 32 staff, swelling to around 40 in summer. Half of its annual production, roughly 30,000 million liters, concentrates in the June-to-September period. Production is driven by temperature effects, with hydration needs rising as heat increases, notes Javier Sicilia, head of the Ágora group’s factory. Still, heat waves have only a modest impact on throughput; the key is a reliably hot summer.
About 75 percent of output serves the hotel sector. The group benefited from the reopening of bars after the pandemic and is experiencing renewed demand. The current year is looking positive. The company’s turnover sits near 10 million euros, with plans to strengthen private liquidity holdings in the near term.