Cereais do Alentejo: Tradition, Innovation and Sustainability

In a partnership bringing together the agricultural sector, research, the milling industry and distribution, a value-chain project was established that goes beyond the valorisation of the Alentejo’s agricultural wealth. The commitment to quality and sustainability gave rise to the Cereais do Alentejo project, a brand created by ANPOC – National Association of Protein Crops, Oilseeds and Cereals Producers.

The project aims to increase national cereal production in the Alentejo region, promoting an integrated approach to the value chain and bringing together research, agricultural production, processing and distribution. In doing so, it contributes to the valorisation of national resources and value creation throughout the entire value chain.

The selection and rigorous study of the cereal varieties to be cultivated are carried out by researchers at INIAV – National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, in collaboration with the Polytechnic Institute of Beja. It is in this context that science and agricultural production meet the milling industry.

It is also within this value-chain approach that Germen, one of the milling units of the Better Foods Group, plays a key role in the processing of these cereals. Its laboratory conducts tests to assess the industrial and baking potential of the varieties previously selected by INIAV and the Polytechnic Institute of Beja.

Once produced, the flour undergoes a validation process in the laboratory and experimental bakery of Germen. Only after this validation is the flour packaged and transported to the production facilities of Continente stores, where it is used to produce different varieties of bread, namely Pão Alentejano Massa Mãe and Pão de Trigo Alentejano Massa Mãe.

Within this project, Germen plays a key role in the supply chain between agricultural production and distribution, ensuring the transformation of cereals into flours intended for the production of bakery products. The work carried out throughout this chain contributes to the production of breads with a high protein and fibre content, which are important in the context of a healthy and balanced diet.

This collaboration demonstrates the importance of a value-chain approach and cooperation between research, agricultural production, the milling industry and distribution in creating high-quality products and value throughout the entire chain. This partnership promotes the sustainability of the sector and the development of rural areas, while also contributing to the valorisation of national production.

The Better Foods Group’s continued commitment to innovation, quality and sustainability is reflected in projects that seek to address the current challenges facing the food industry, while simultaneously valuing national resources.

From the fields of the Alentejo to the tables of Portuguese consumers, Cereais do Alentejo is the result of a value-chain project that brings together tradition, knowledge and innovation, valuing what is ours and contributing to a more sustainable future.

About the Better Foods Group

The Better Foods Group is Portugal’s largest milling group, producing high-quality cereal flours and food ingredients, with the important mission of supporting the foundation of Portuguese food and extending beyond its borders.

Established in 2018, the Group comprises four cereal milling plants that process different types of grains, a frozen food company specialising in the distribution of bakery and pastry products, and two logistics complexes responsible for distribution throughout Portugal, as well as in Galicia and Andalusia. It is therefore one of the most important B2B groups in Portugal’s food sector, dedicated to cereal processing and the production of everyday foods.