ANICE (the Spanish National Association of Meat Industries) held its General Assembly and presented its 2020 Annual Awards at the “Duques de Pastrana” Complex on Paseo de la Habana in Madrid. The founder and president of Jamones Aljomar, Mr. Alfonso Sánchez Bernal, was honored to receive the ANICE Award for Business Trajectory for his more than 50 years of dedication to the production and distribution of Iberian pork products, personally selecting the finest to offer consumers excellent fresh meats, hams, shoulders, and Iberian sausages.
The event - which had to be suspended last year due to the pandemic - was held in a live-virtual format, with a smaller number of in-person attendees than desired given the current health circumstances, but thanks to digital technology it reached many more people than in previous editions.
The event was opened by Alberto Jiménez, president of ANICE, and continued with a presentation on 'Practical Advice for Accessing European Union Recovery Funds' by Pedro de la Vega, senior manager at PwC. In addition, Lorena Tudela, from the Research Department of CAJAMAR, presented an 'Analysis of the Spanish Meat Sector', based on the ANICE-CAJAMAR barometer.
The 'Boosting the internationalization of the meat industry' was the central theme of the round table discussion in which Raúl Calleja, director of Agri-food Events at IFEMA; Ignacio Bartolomé, director of How2Go; and María Bollaín, director of the Internationalization Department of ANICE, participated; moderated by Ana Luisa Rubio, head of Communication at ANICE.
Finally, the ANICE 2020 Awards were presented, which are celebrating their 5th anniversary recognizing the effort and work of "people, companies, organizations or institutions in the meat sector that have turned a new idea into a successful innovation or a business model, based on the development of a need or an opportunity in the market or sector" .
Don Alfonso Sánchez Bernal received the ANICE Lifetime Achievement Award for his lifetime of work, during which he has been distinguished by "his dedication to promoting a global culinary culture centered around Iberian pork." His connection to this sector began in childhood, surrounded by nature and learning firsthand, within his family, the secrets of artisanal Iberian cured meat production . In his early twenties, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to market these products in Seville, and from there, in 1992, he fulfilled his dream of building his own ham and cured meat factory in Guijuelo, the headquarters of Jamones Aljomar. He later completed his business project by raising Iberian pigs on his own farm and, as a partner, spearheading the construction of the El Navazo slaughterhouse.
Today, Alfonso Sánchez chairs Grupo Aljomar, a highly regarded company in the Spanish meat sector, and also established in international markets in 30 countries in Europe, Asia, America and Africa.
Alfonso Sánchez and his son, José Luis Sánchez, assistant to the Director of Aljomar, were present at the ANICE Annual Assembly and the 2020 Awards ceremony.
Upon receiving the award, Alfonso Sánchez Bernal expressed his gratitude to his family and all the employees of Jamones Aljomar, stating that "the more than 55 years I have been working are undoubtedly worth it; life ultimately rewards you."
