"As agriculture becomes increasingly industrialized, artisanal work is becoming our greatest differentiator"

According to experts, the best melons in Spain are produced in the municipality of Xilxes, in the southern part of Castellón's coast. This is due to the saline properties of the area's marshland soil, favorable climate, and the artisan care they receive throughout the cultivation process.

© Frutas Minguet

Frutas Minguet is the leading producer in the area. The company, which is now run by the third generation, is devoted to growing melons and watermelons in summer, and citrus during the rest of the year.

"As agriculture becomes increasingly industrialized and mechanized, concentrated by large companies to stay profitable, artisan work and attention to the smallest detail to produce a truly tasty product have become our greatest differentiators, our philosophy," stated siblings Juanjo and Silvia Minguet.

"We don't harvest the melons with machines. The personnel we train ourselves harvest them by hand, using wheelbarrows, when they're at their optimum point of ripeness, ensuring we provide the consumer with the best possible flavor," Silvia stated.

In this sense, the company mainly focuses on flavor when choosing the varieties it will work with, even if this means sacrificing productivity. "We can't drift away from our identity in the slightest if we want to continue to survive, since it would be impossible to compete in the 'volume markets', where large companies backed by funds are growing. The truth is that our clients trust the way we work," Juanjo stated.

© Joel Pitarch | FreshPlaza.com

"We can still grow a little more, as customers have asked us to, but with certain limits if we want to continue offering a truly premium and distinctive product," he added.

Xilxes' melon and watermelon season begins in June and typically ends in mid-September. "This year, heavy storms in mid-July reduced the crop by 40%, but it continues to maintain the quality characteristics that characterize this product," Juanjo stated.

"Watermelon demand was above supply, but the drop in temperatures and the rains in central and northern Europe between the end of July and the beginning of August slowed consumption and brought down prices. However, the current heat wave is reactivating purchases," Silvia said.

In addition to the melon and watermelon from Xilxes, Minguet also works with a selection of fruit from Almeria, Murcia, and Castilla-La Mancha to achieve an annual production of 3 to 4 million kilos.

© Joel Pitarch | FreshPlaza.com

"Only the melon grown in the Xilxes marshland qualifies to carry the Melón de Xilxes seal of origin and quality, which, in our case, includes the nutritional properties of the melon, as well as a photo of our father and grandfather in the fields to emphasize our family tradition," Juanjo Minguet stated.

The company primarily sells its melons and watermelons in the domestic market, with a significant presence in the Valencia and Catalonia regions, as well as in France and, occasionally, in Germany, especially in wholesale markets. They also work with some supermarket chains in the Valencian Community that prioritize local produce.

For more information:
Frutas Minguet
Calle Valencia, 40
12592 - Xilxes (Castellón)
Tel: +34 964 58 30 72
Email: [email protected]
www.frutasminguet.com