Innovation

Grupo Apex's goal is to sell excellent snacks while making them as healthy as possible. The company does this by eliminating flavor enhancers, preservatives, and allergens and by reducing the amount of saturated fat and sodium in its snacks. By 2025, Grupo Apex is committed to reducing the average salt content of its chips by 10% and its overall snacks by 5%. It plans to do so by sourcing healthier ingredients, including salts and oils, supporting the UN’s SDG of Good Health and Well-Being. In 2022, Grupo Apex was able to reduce salt content in crisps by 1.79% and in overall snacks by 1.04%.

When producing its goods, Grupo Apex is committed to making its production more sustainable by reducing waste, which fulfills the UN’s SDG of Responsible Consumption and Production. By 2025, the company is committed to creating a 1% reduction in water consumption per kg of crisps and extruded snacks. It also plans to search for alternative plastic materials and replace non-recyclable plastics with 100% recyclable materials. In 2022, Grupo Apex was able to reduce its total non-recyclable plastics by 1.8% in 2022, and it reduced water consumption in its crips by 6.18% and extruded snacks by 0.88% in 2021.

Finally, Group Apex is committed to the UN’s Decent Work and Economic Growth and Gender Equity SDGs by promoting gender equality in their workforce. Women occupy 54.50% of positions. By 2025, they are committed to reducing the employee absence rate by 5.70% and reducing the injury frequency rate by 10%. Grupo Apex's approach is to increase health and safety training and improve the absenteeism rate by 1.8% in 2022.

Inspiration

As Mireia, Leader of Group Apex's Sustainability and SDG Effort, explained, “There are some actions in your daily life that you have not baptized as sustainable or that you simply do because they are a bit in your DNA. It is a way of acting." The company noticed that certain sustainable actions were ingrained in the company's DNA but hadn't been explicitly acknowledged and that, at the same time, the company strove to improve and have a more positive impact on our environment.

The realization that there was room for improvement across the value chain, from distribution to production, led the company to analyze its impact in different areas. Around 2020, the team analyzed its value chain internally to see where it had the greatest impact and where it had the greatest range of possibilities to improve. These areas were analyzed and then translated externally. The production level is where the company can exercise the most influence. Since Grupo Apex had been environmentally- and people-friendly activities naturally without tracking where they wanted to be, the team decided, “To know what we improved, we need to know where we are."

In 2020, Grupo Apex compiled all its objectives to evaluate its position. Each year thereafter, the team resumed this monitoring with indicators, carried out measurements, and evaluated their position always keeping the goal in mind. They established a five-year plan with the final goal set for 2025. Now, they have a reference point to continue following their path.

Overall impact

The overall impact of the innovation at Grupo Apex has been multi-faceted and extensive. The company has successfully implemented changes across various areas, including product development, packaging, supplier relationships, and production processes. These innovations align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Health and Well-being, Responsible Production and Consumption, and Decent Work and Economic Growth.

In the interview, Mireia highlighted several short-term and long-term effects of the company's sustainability initiatives. In the short term, the company experienced increased visibility and presence in various forums to showcase its commitment to environmental and social responsibility. This enhanced reputation not only positively impacted the company's image but also opened doors for collaborations and partnerships. The engagement in corporate volunteering and sharing the company's talent with foundations demonstrated a shift towards more active and meaningful participation in social causes. This inspired other companies to follow suit. Additionally, in the short term, the company focused on reducing product waste and increasing donations, leading to a significant improvement in the efficient use of resources. The emphasis on working with local suppliers had direct effects on the local economies - creating employment opportunities and contributing to the vitality of the communities where Grupo Apex operates.

Looking at the long term, Mireia mentioned the gradual awareness and mindset shift among employees towards sustainability. While acknowledging the time it takes for these changes to manifest, the company anticipates a sustained positive impact as more laws and regulations align with its sustainable practices. The continuous tracking and measurement of their progress, supported by the recent application of food waste laws, indicate a proactive approach to compliance and a commitment to achieving long-term goals.

Business benefit

Because of this innovation, Grupo Apex has become a leading company in the snacks sector. With 100% Spanish capital, it has achieved a new turnover record in its 2022-2023 financial year by accelerating its growth to 35% and exceeding 135 million euros in revenue.

Growth has also been achieved by doubling the size of the company every 4 years. It has a total of 9 work centers in Spain with an employee base of more than 550 people.

Over the years, Grupo Apex has combined organic growth with the acquisition of brands, companies, and businesses that strengthen its competitive position. For example, Grupo Apex incorporated the Catalan Vegetable chip manufacturer Viube Foods, the Pop Up brand, and the newly acquired Santo Reino French Fries with a factory in Jaèn.

Moreover, the business' portfolio increased to more than 12 of its own brands. The famous Aspitos, the iconic Jumpers, the appreciated Marinas, and the unmistakable Popitas among many other brands are part of the company's growing portfolio.

Social and environmental benefit

The innovations that Grupo Apex has implemented in the company benefit society and the environment positively. One of its goals is to have 100% compostable containers for all of its products. Grupo Apex also aims to have 100% of its turnover to be with reusable plastic. This is an important goal for the environment to have the packaged products be 100% recyclable so that nothing is going to waste and can all be reused for other purposes. Another innovation that the company has put into place is not wasting water in the production stage. The company reuses the water from washing the potatoes, returns it, and utilizes it for second resources. Finally, the company has 90% of its suppliers from Spain, instead of coming from other countries, and 20% of that comes from local areas.

Having 100% reusable products is an important goal for a company because it shows a commitment to the environment and adds less to the issue that so many companies are a part of. It is an extra cost, however, consumers resonate and appreciate this positive step that the company is taking.

Having products sourced locally also has a positive impact on the local communities and the economy of the country. It also benefits the environment. It reduces carbon emissions by not having to fly the potatoes in from around the world, and it makes the operational processes much simpler.

Interview

Mireia Ribé Garriga, Leader of Group's Sustainability and SDG Effort