RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

One of the values which has always prevailed in the management of Grupo Alimentario Copese is the attention given to market evolution, as well as the demands of distributors, retailers and consumers. More than 100 projects are proof of our concern to always be at the forefront in Research & Development, some of them distinguished with the “Eureka” category by the EU.

The CDTI project “Handling factors which influence animal welfare and sow productivity, quality and uniformity of the final product” should be highlighted. One of the 13 projects in which Copese had the support of the Centre for Industrial and Technological Development concluded in 2009.

In 2008, another project also carried out in collaboration with the CDTI was successfully finished: “Development of microbiological control strategies to guarantee the safety of traced, boneless cured ham of proven quality". An initiative based on the scientific and technical understanding that professionals at Copese applied in ham production to adapt it to their meat quality and ageing conditions, with the aim of achieving a ham with exceptional quality.

Furthermore, the Board of Directors of CDTI in their meeting of 27th November 2015 approved the award of a partially refundable grant to Grupo Alimentario Copese to carry out the project “Effect of the diet’s glycaemic index on piglet production and fat deposition of the butcher pig”. This grant was co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through the Multi-region Smart Growth Operational Programme.

In their facilities in Coca (Segovia), Grupo Alimentario Copese has carried out the project titled: "Development of nutritional additives to reduce the use of antibiotics in recently weaned piglets". The general objective of this project undertaken in collaboration with 3F FEED & FOOD, S.L., was to develop nutritional strategies to reduce the use of medicated premixes in the weaning stage of pigs between 18/09/2017 and 31/12/2018.

In addition, at their facilities in Coca (Segovia), Comercial Pecuaria Segoviana S.L. carried out the project titled: “Study on the effect of the genetics of the finishing male on the fat deposition in meat intended for producing charcuterie products from the white and Iberian pig”. The general objective of this project was to study the effect of four genetic breeds of finishing male from the Duroc breed, when crossed with white or Iberian reproductive sows on the fat deposition and quality of the halves and meat in fattening pigs destined for the creation of charcuterie products, which was carried out between 20/11/2018 and 31/12/2019.

Both projects were financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) from the European Union and the government of Castile and León, through the Institute for Business Competitivity of Castile and León (ICE), with the aim of boosting the Promotion of R&D activities led by companies and supporting the creation and consolidation of innovative companies.

In November 2018, Grupo Alimentario Copese was selected to be part of CRE100DO, a programme launched by the Bankinter Innovation Foundation, ICEX and the Entrepreneur’s Circle with the objective of contributing to the development of Spanish companies, to achieve an increase in their added value by being more innovative, competitive and international.

Today, this track record in R&D enables early adaptation to the European regulations in the pork sector at Grupo Alimentario Copese. Similarly, we’ve been able to be forerunners in achieving objectives as important as the perfect feed for our livestock, ideal weight for slaughter, prolificacy, pre- and post-mortem process, essential in the constant improvement of meat quality.