Biniatzem Productes de la Terra, El Iris Award for Agriculture and Local Product

Itziar Lecea/Ciutadella - With just over two years of experience, Biniatzem Productes de la Terra has become one of the most dynamic initiatives within Menorca’s agri-food sector. Created with the aim of directly connecting the countryside with consumers, the company has developed a model that integrates production, processing, and distribution, placing local products at its core. The 2025 El Iris Award for Agriculture and Local Product recognizes this commitment and its impact on the territory. At a time when farming is seeking new paths for viability and tourism demands authenticity, projects like this take on special relevance. Siscu Joan Plovins, the company’s manager, explains the origins, operations, and challenges of a model that aims to add value to Menorcan products and ensure their future.

What has it meant for you to receive the El Iris Award in this category?
It has been a great satisfaction. When you receive an award like this, the first thing you think is that the work you are doing is reaching people and is valued. For us it is very important, because we are a young company and still in a growth phase. This kind of recognition gives us confidence to continue and encourages us to keep working with the same enthusiasm. In the end, it’s also a way of telling us that the model we have chosen, focused on local products and the territory, makes sense and has a future.

How was Biniatzem Productes de la Terra created and what was the initial idea behind the project?
It all started with a very clear idea from Sebastià Triay and Tònia Amorós: to supply their Sagitario Group hotels and apartments with local products. From there, the project began to take shape, and what initially was an internal initiative to serve their own establishments has become a company with its own identity. The idea was simple but powerful: to make the most of Menorca’s agricultural products and bring them directly to the consumer, without unnecessary intermediaries and ensuring quality.

In a short time you have grown significantly. How has this evolution been?
It has been quite rapid growth. We started with a small base, but the response from clients has been very positive, which has allowed us to expand. At first, we mainly worked with hotels from the same group, but gradually we have entered restaurants, supermarkets, and other channels. The key has been offering a quality product and a reliable service. When customers are satisfied, they come back, and that has helped us grow a lot.

The project is closely linked to your own farms. What role do they play in the model?
They are essential. We currently have five farms: Biniatzem, S’Aranjassa, Son Marc, Son Marquet, and Son Tarí. These farms provide most of our products: beef, pork, and lamb, seasonal vegetables such as summer crops, and also cheese. Having this own base gives us security and allows us to better control product quality from the source.

And what exactly is your role within the supply chain?
We are responsible for processing the product so that it reaches the final customer in the best possible condition. This includes cheese curing, meat preparation, sausage production, and other processes. It is a very important job because it adds value to the product and makes it more attractive to consumers.

You also work with other local initiatives.
Yes, for example with La Payesa, which is also part of the group and allows us to expand our product range. This helps us innovate and offer new products, such as cheese creams or other preparations that adapt to market trends.

Beyond the product, there is a clear philosophy behind the project.
Yes, and it is a very important part. We don’t just sell products—we package the essence of Menorca. When someone buys one of our products, they are not just buying food, they are buying an experience, a way of understanding the territory. Tourism has changed a lot, and now people want to get to know the places they visit through gastronomy as well. And that’s where we can contribute a lot.

The project also supports the farming sector, which faces many challenges, and initiatives like this can help provide an outlet. We try to support farmers and ensure their products gain more value and reach more people. We are clear that without them, we would be nothing—they are the foundation of everything.

Does working with farm and seasonal products also involve difficulties?
Yes, it is a constant challenge. Agriculture depends on many factors, and production cannot always be guaranteed. There are products we cannot fully cover and must source externally, such as chicken. Even so, around 80% of what we offer comes from our own farms, which is a very significant figure.

Having several farms gives you flexibility.
Exactly. If one farm doesn’t have a certain product, we can source it from another, which gives us great flexibility and allows us to guarantee supply—something essential when working with hotels and restaurants.

Your model also simplifies things for clients.
Yes, that is one of its main advantages. We bring together many products under a single supplier. A hotel can cover up to 90% of its food needs with us, which greatly simplifies management while ensuring that the product is local.

How do you organize internally to manage this workload?
We are currently six people working at the industrial facility. We have a sales representative, two butchers, and two people dedicated to cheese. The work is constant and keeps us busy. In summer, demand increases significantly and we need to reinforce the team. We also maintain a direct relationship with farmers. We must understand that without them we would not exist, so the relationship is very close and forms part of our identity as a company. We act as a bridge between the countryside and the consumer.

Do you adapt to market demands?
Yes, we always listen to the customer. For example, we have made smaller cheeses and “fogasses” because customers usually don’t take the standard size. But if it’s smaller, they do. We try to adapt to what people want without losing our identity.

Which product works best?
Without a doubt, cheese is the star product. It has a designation of origin and great acceptance, even beyond Menorca. In fact, we do quite a bit of business with Mallorca, although expanding beyond the islands is more complicated.

Are you considering expanding beyond the Balearic Islands?
Yes, it is a long-term goal. We know there is strong competition, but we want to try. If we have come this far in a short time, with patience we can go even further.

What is the main challenge for the future?
To give value to local products. To make people understand their quality and that they are worth their price. Menorca has excellent products, and what we must do is give them the place they deserve.