Contexte

LICUADOS VEGETALES was the first company to produce plant-based drinks in Spain. From the very beginning it specialised exclusively in producing and marketing plant-based drinks, mainly from soya, oat, rice and almond. According to the consultancy Nielsen, the volume of plant-based milk sales has increased steadily by around 8.3% to a total consumption in 2019 of 228,570 million litres. These increasing demands are not only focused on organoleptic aspects such as colour, aroma and flavour, but also on the impact these types of plant-based drink can have on health and reducing the carbon footprint from obtaining the product.
Consequently, this study of oat production in Catalonia by GRANS de LLUÇANÈS was motivated by the interest in obtaining local raw materials, as oat milk one of the most nutritionally rich plant-based drinks, while oat production in the region is very low and the product is mainly used for animal feed. Thus, there is a need to study introducing oat farming in Catalonia to offer healthy products for human nutrition obtained from local products, with the aim of reducing the current carbon and water footprint.

Having both a plant-based drinks industry such as LIQUATS and a production and storage structure such as GRANS del LLUÇANÈS offers a great opportunity for the production sector to diversify its product. Furthermore, IRTA’s participation as an expert in the knowledge, study and development of new varieties, as well as carbon and water footprint studies, will enable us to undertake the proposed studies in depth. Finally, the participation of the farmers’ association ADV Sustainable Arable Crops will help disseminate information and conferences among its members, ensuring much more efficient dissemination and transfer.