Spain's Cantabria and Castilla y León boost agrifood sector with €16 m grants and €934 m sales

The Cantabrian Rural Development program will distribute €16.4 million in subsidies to 72 agrifood companies and producers between 2025 and 2027. The funding targets dairy, meat, bakery, beverage and artisanal firms, with private investment commitments of €57.6 million. The largest grant, €5.4 million, goes to Quesería Lafuente, while other notable recipients include the mineral water plant Manantial de Fuencaliente and several bakeries and craft distilleries.

Grupo Vall Companys reported €934 million in revenue from its operations in Castilla y León for 2025, representing about 20% of the group's total turnover. The company employs 1,562 people in the region and invested €20.8 million, including €9 million in upgrades to its ibérico pork plant in Soto de la Vega. The business faced pressure from an African swine fever outbreak that closed several export markets and depressed pork prices, prompting a €61 million provision and a cut in its 2026 investment plan.