November 2014
Galicia's Minister for Economy and Industry, Francisco Conde López, visited our facilities in Bora (Pontevedra), accompanied by the territorial delegate José Manuel Cores. He was shown around by our manager, Tomás Casquero Cimadevila, R&D Director Dr Francisco Fernández de Ana Magán and Director of Strategic Planning Esteban Sonde Stompel, visiting our research laboratories, the Mycological Interpretation Centre, the drying and processing facilities, the organic log-cultivation area, the greenhouses and the mycorrhizal tree nursery.
The Minister described Hifas da Terra as an example of 'innovation and revitalisation of economic activity in rural areas', noting that the company already exported 10% of its production to France, Italy and Portugal.
At the time, the company had launched nine research projects, two of them co-funded by the Galician Ministry of Economy and Industry (through IGAPE and the Galician Innovation Agency):
- Cosmetinnova – with four other Galician companies and the universities of Vigo and A Coruña, extracting natural ingredients for natural cosmetics.
- Micotecnosoles – coordinated by Hifas da Terra, designing 'technosols' that use fungi to help restore soils contaminated by hydrocarbons and heavy metals.
As explained during the visit, these projects, the company's international growth and the diversification of its activity reflect how Hifas da Terra rebuilt after the 2006 fires, which destroyed half of the Bora facilities. Since then, the company has focused on mushroom research and on developing foods and food supplements, as well as promoting the chestnut as a native resource that allows multi-purpose use of the land – mushrooms, fruit and timber.
Press coverage: Diario de Pontevedra, Faro de Vigo, Xunta de Galicia, Galicia Confidencial, Revista de Innovación and CRTVG.