A coffee with Nieves Ocaña, Head of Global Purchasing at DEOLEO

Empack: Tell us a little about your experience at Deoleo and what your day-to-day life is like at the company.

Nieves: I have been part of Deoleo for more than two decades. From day one, I have been proud to work for a company that is part of our Mediterranean culture thanks to its flagship product: olive oil. We work with world-leading brands such as Carbonell, Bertolli and Carapelli, a leadership that is reflected in the figures. In 2024, the company achieved a turnover of close to £85 million, which underlines the scale and impact of our daily work.

My career has always been linked to the area of Purchasing and Procurement, where we coordinate everything from the search and selection of suppliers, through the strategy for each category, critical negotiations, contracting and just-in-time supply of materials to the plant. Day-to-day work is very dynamic, combining long-term strategic vision, essential for mitigating global risks, with immediate operational management. The key lies in anticipation and agility: analysing data in real time, understanding global market trends and making agile decisions to ensure the supply of materials with the quality and timing that our customers and production require.

Empack: What is Deoleo’s commitment to sustainability? What changes have you implemented and what changes do you expect to implement in the near future?

Nieves: At Deoleo, we are firmly committed to sustainability, which is one of the fundamental pillars of our strategy and an essential part of our social and environmental responsibility. We work to reduce our environmental impact through initiatives that span the entire value chain. This commitment is quantifiable. For example, in just two years we have managed to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 30%. In addition, we have been awarded the EcoVadis Platinum medal, which places us among the top 1% of companies worldwide in terms of ESG ratings.

We have installed solar panels at our plants to produce clean energy, and currently 98% of the energy we use comes from certified renewable sources, allowing us to move towards self-consumption. We have implemented a ‘zero waste’ strategy, ensuring that 94% of the waste generated is reusable. In terms of materials, we have replaced vPET with recycled rPET in our bottles (already present in 25% of our packaging) and replaced virgin paper with recycled paper in our packaging. In addition, we prioritise collaboration with nearby suppliers to minimise transport emissions.

Empack: What do you think are the biggest advantages of trade fairs such as Empack and Logistics & Automation for our industrial fabric?

Nieves: Trade fairs such as Empack and Logistics & Automation are a unique and multifaceted opportunity for our entire industrial fabric. Firstly, they act as an essential window to innovation, allowing us to connect with other professionals in the sector, discover new trends in materials and processes, and learn first-hand about the latest technologies that are breaking into the market.

For an area such as Purchasing, it is essential to be able to visit suppliers face-to-face, establish high-value strategic contacts and gather ideas that we can immediately integrate into our own efficiency or sustainability projects. Furthermore, these events represent a space for constant inspiration and learning. Talks, success stories from other industries, and presentations on leadership or digital transformation help us disconnect from the usual pace of daily work and open our minds to new ways of doing things. Participating in industry meetings such as these revitalises our way of thinking and drives us to innovate beyond the everyday.

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