Today we presented at a press conference the new Onyar Food Workshop located in our facilities in Girona, where the Ramon Noguera Foundation is headquartered. In 2017, our organization assumed the organic production of the Aliments Onyar brand, which until now had the workshop in Quart (Girona).
Pepita Perich, managing director of the Ramon Noguera Foundation, said that "we are committed to this social project and we believe that it is a line with potential growth that can allow us to achieve more jobs for the collective. This should be the starting point for growth both in sales and, especially, in consolidation and growth in employment of people with disabilities. " With this growth objective, two major actions have been promoted : investing in a new workshop with the capacity to achieve high growth at the production level, and promoting and promoting the Aliments Onyar brand with a new image.
New opener
The facilities of Quart did not allow the project to grow and that is why we chose to invest in a new workshop in the facilities of the Mas Xirgu estate in Girona. The investment in the new workshop is 800,000 euros, in facilities that occupy an area of about 800 m2. The project has been financed with own funds and has been supported by Fundación ONCE , with a co-financing of € 70,000, as well as local and regional administrations, and other organizations, with a co-financing of the remaining 20% .
The facilities have a total of six chambers (three of raw materials and three of finished products), a storage warehouse, four different processing rooms (two of them with controlled cold), a loading dock. and unloading, order preparation areas, cleaning room and sanitary steps. The new Onyar Food Plant has a CO2 cooling system, a natural refrigerant that reduces the environmental impact of other conventional refrigerant gases, such as halogenated ones.
Origin, evolution and projection
In 2012, the Onyar-La Selva Foundation, a social entity born in Quart, started the production and commercialization of organic foods as a way of employment integration for the group of people with disabilities. In 2017, this entity joined the Ramon Noguera Foundation Group, which has managed the activity of the workshop to grow and expand the organic food project, as a strategic future line to increase places. of work for people with disabilities.
Currently, the organic food activity is staffed by 15 people, 10 with disabilities. From the beginning in 2012 until today the production has doubled and, annually, a volume of 45,000 kg (pasta and pizza) is being produced, which is equivalent to about 160,000 units of product, and the projection is to increase it by 50% in the short term.
New image and more sustainable packaging
Another of the actions that has been taken to boost the project's growth is the image change, which has been worked on from the renewal of the logo, the creation of the slogan Tasta la Vida! and a new image that conveys the characteristics of the project. In this sense, the Aliment Onyar brand is accompanied by the ECO & SOCIAL values, wrapped in a fresh, natural and close image. The new image has been applied to packaging, labeling, all graphic material and communication.
When renewing the packagings, it should be noted that they have been considered as sustainable as possible, while minimizing the use of plastic bags of pizza and pasta, which has resulted in a reduction in up to 37%. It is important to note that for the type of product we produce, there is still no plastic-free material with the barrier that allows it to be maintained in optimum conditions, therefore, the micrograph of the material is reduced to obtain the right and necessary to maintain the product. according to the life span it is given.
Guaranteed organic production
Alimentos Onyar is an organic food project that highlights the production of fresh pasta and organic pizza. They are local products made with natural, fresh and quality ingredients. All ingredients used in food processing are from organic farming and no preservatives, dyes or other chemical additives are added in the process of processing. Organic production is guaranteed by the certificate of the Catalan Council for Organic Agricultural Production (CCPAE): CT / 002063 / PE.
Marketing
Organic Foods Onyar is marketed in much of Catalonia, especially in the province of Girona and Barcelona, as well as in Spain, such as the Valencian Community, Madrid and Galicia. They can be purchased at specialty stores, supermarket chains and restaurants. All points of sale are available at www.alimentsonyar.org.
Added social value
Alimentos Onyar, like the Ramon Noguera Foundation, is a project with great added value, since its purpose is the job placement of people with disabilities. Consuming their organic food is key to creating and maintaining jobs for these people and at the same time contributing to a just and sustainable society.
The Ramon Noguera Foundation is an organization close to the territory, social, sustainable and with a solidary and inclusive vocation, which faces the challenge of working for this group of people with creativity, enthusiasm and professionalism. Each year, they serve over 1,000 people, both adults and children, and employ 200 in different lines of self-management activity.
