food

60% of what we spend on food already goes to them

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Markets are not immutable spaces. They change. They transform. They reinvent themselves due to trends that are born, grow and die. In recent years, however, few sectors have experienced as many ups and downs as supermarkets. He Mercadona boomthe push of the regional chains and the merchants They are revolutionizing the business, although there is another phenomenon that is even clearer: white label success. From being the ‘ugly ducklings’ of the stores, the cheap option and of dubious quality, brands like Hacendado or Auchan have come to dominate more than 60% of what households spend on food. The reason is very simple: today’s ‘white label’ is not yesterday’s white label and everything indicates that it will not be the same one we will see in a few years. A pillar of the sector. The white label is doing well in Spain. Very good, in fact. For some time now the sector manages studies which demonstrate that the distributors’ brands have expanded their weight in the market, taking an increasingly larger portion of the food and drugstore business. What’s more, there are supermarket chains that can no longer be understood without their brands. The latest data show that almost 79% of Mercadona’s sales are made up of items that carry their own labels, such as Bosque Verde. And the percentage is not very different in Aldi, Dia or Lidl, where it rises to 82.6%. The percentage: 61.2%. The above is not new. What is new is the study by the consulting firm Circana, advanced by Efe, which shows that the private label is becoming the undisputed queen of the food business in Spain. According to your latest datafrom the first semester, you teach like Bosque Verde, Hacendado or Deliplus, they monopolize 61.2% of spending total in food. In practice, this means that six out of every ten euros that were moved in Spain within the food sector and branch went to brands controlled directly by the supermarket chains, not by the manufacturers. But… Has it grown? Yes. And quite clearly, too, what take to the experts to wonder if the expansion of private label will peak at some point. Circana’s report shows that during the first half of 2026 its food footprint has increased by 5.3% in terms of sales value and 3.1% in volume. This difference in percentages is largely explained by the increase in prices, which these months have risen on average by 2.2%. There are business niches in which the expansion has been even clearer. On the shelves of drugstores and cleaning supplies, the white label has grown by 3.4% until achieving a 65% quota. At the opposite extreme is the beverage business, in which brands from manufacturers other than supermarkets (Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Bezoya, Font-Vella…) continue to dominate with an iron fist. In that case the picture is the opposite: external manufacturers account for 65.5% of the total expenditure, so private labels must be content with only a third of the pie. Other percentage: 47.2%. Circana is not the only one that has recorded the growing success of private label. So has Worldpanel by Numerator, which has focused primarily on the demand for packaged products. Its estimate for the first five months of 2026 shows that around 47.2% of products packages that households purchased carried labels from supermarket chains, a percentage that rises to 48.6% in the specific case of food and 56.3% if we talk about drugstores. And what is the reason? Better to talk about reasons, in the plural. One of the key factors that explain the success of private labels is cost. In 2025 Shopdavizor published a report that found that for 90% of consumers Price continues to be a determining factor when purchasing items from brands such as Hacendado. And that is not a minor issue in a context clearly marked by inflation and with the Bank of Spain worsening your outlook. There are studies that they assure that the supermarkets themselves are taking charge of penalizing the cost of external items on the shelves precisely to encourage the purchase of their brands. This explains why there are chains in which the white flags already represent more than 80% of sales in value quota. Beyond the price. White label has always been associated with cheaper prices. That’s nothing new. The curious thing is that in recent years it has managed to shake off the ‘toll’ that this entailed: the low quality image. It’s not just that the brands of Mercadona, Eroski, Consum, Alcampo… are growing, it’s that they have managed to change the perception that customers have of them and even aspire to put their heads into a business that was unimaginable until recently: premium items. Buying white label is no longer equivalent to comparing ‘cheap and bad’. Now people buy out of loyalty, trust, familiarity. “Innovation, premium proposals, health and well-being or sustainability are expanding the role of the private label,” confirm Circana. The same idea is underlined by its managing director, Antonio Khalaf, who explains in the Efe agency that the chains themselves have changed the way they approach private label. “It is no longer just a tool to gain share, it behaves like a brand in itself, capable of generating loyalty to the brand.” Changing image. In its 2025 report, Shopadvizor highlighted this by pointing out that for 80% of consumers there are no longer big differences between private labels and those sold under the names of their manufacturers. In fact, although customers continue to focus on price tags, more and more factors enter the equation, such as emotional connection, variety, trust, quality or the degree of familiarization with the products. “The private label has surpassed its traditional role as an economic alternative to consolidate itself as a value option,” concluded the Shopdavizor report. Images | Eroski Group (Flickr), Wikipedia and CCOO Services (Flickr) In Xataka | In Barcelona, ​​hoteliers have grown tired of the competition from Mercadona’s ‘mercaurantes’. So they are denouncing them

Philips launches new air fryer for small kitchens with double basket and windows to see the food

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Philips has new air fryer. This appliance has become an essential in many kitchens, no matter if it is for large or small families. There are different capacities to cook large quantities of food, but when it comes to cook variety instead of quantitybetter if the fryer has two baskets. That’s where the Philips 4000 series fits in, available in Spain for 229.99 euros. 4000 series Airfryer with double stackable basket The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Double basket, but without taking up half the kitchen As we say, there are many air fryers that have double baskets. This is something very interesting because it allows you to cook two foods at the same time, each with its own temperature and cooking time. For example, you can make some wings in one of the baskets while you have vegetables or potatoes in the other. Philips is committed to this distribution with its 4000 series, but it does so with a compact appliance that barely measures 24 centimeters wide. Each of these baskets has a total capacity of 5 liters and the fryer is designed so that the air circulates evenly throughout the interior. Furthermore, each basket It has a window so we can see the inside without having to open itsomething key because, by doing this, we are releasing a large part of the heat from the interior. The fryer has 6 automatic programs and up to 13 different cooking techniques, such as dehydrating or gratin, among others. One of its best features is that it has a system that allows you to automatically synchronize the time of both basketsso you can set different temperatures and cooking times, but both will finish cooking at the same time. ⚡ IN BRIEF: Philips 4000 Series Air Fryer ✅ THE BEST Double basket for small kitchens: This type of double compartment fryers is usually very large. The Philips breaks this trend and is positioned as a top option if you don’t have much space. Window to see its interior: Being able to see the inside of the basket without opening it is not only very cool, but it is very useful when cooking. Cooking synchronization: You can put two foods in the baskets that require different times and temperatures and they will still finish at the same time. ❌ THE WORST It has a high introductory price: It costs almost 230 euros and arrives in stores without a launch promo, which means it is not for all budgets. 💡 BUY IT IF… You want an air fryer that allows you to cook two dishes at once and you have a small kitchen or you want it to take up as little space as possible. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… You’re on a tight budget or you usually use the air fryer for a single food. You may also be interested Cosori Large Air Fryer with Double Basket 8.5L Air Fryer, High Power and Speed, Max 8-10 People, 10 Functions, Stainless Steel Interior with Bail, Healthier, Intuitive Touch Panel, Cleanable The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Cecotec Oil-Free Air Fryer 9L or Double Bucket 4.5L Cecofry Advance 9000 Window Plus. 2200W, Dividing Wall, Dual Temperature, Display Window, 8 Menus, Temp 60-200 ºC, Touch Panel The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Philips In Xataka | Which Cosori air fryer to buy according to your needs In Xataka | The best air fryer for 4 people. Which one to buy? Tips and recommendations

the illegal sale of street food

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If you usually travel by metro around Madrid, especially through the Plaza Elíptica or Oporto stations, it is likely that you have come across the scene: You leave the stop and suddenly you smell an intense smell of roast meat that makes you salivate and a voice that announces ’empanadas’, ‘humitas’ or ‘stuffed potatoes’. It is not a matter of any bar in the area determined to offer its merchandise to passengers, but rather the business of street vendors (normally immigrants, with and without papers) who have made the surroundings of the stations your particular market. It is not something anecdotal. Its activity has grown so much that Hospitality of Spain (HDE) already warns of its risks. Looking for life. That there are street vendors who have turned Madrid stations and their surroundings into improvised markets is nothing new. Nor that part of those merchants are dedicated to food. Long before the pandemic it was possible find people selling hot empanadas around La Elipa, just as other vendors were dedicated to offering counterfeit football shirts, handbags, belts or sunglasses. In 2024 ABC he even dedicated an extensive report to a group of Peruvians who were selling in the subway Bon Bon Bum lollipopa sweet from the Colombina brand. Despite the control of the security guards, there were 50 immigrants who made a living from this business, a task that they organized through WhatsApp and to which they dedicated up to 15 hours each day. They obtained the Chups through a “completely legal store,” argued one of them, who claimed not to understand why the authorities seized their merchandise. What has changed? That far from slowing down or stagnating, the irregular street sale of food in the area of ​​certain metro stations seems to have worsened in recent years. So revealed it a few days ago Alfredo Herrera in The Confidentialin a chronicle in which he describes the activity of several street vendors who sell their merchandise (especially empanadas, potatoes, soft drinks and ice cream) to passengers leaving the Plaza Elíptica, Entrevías, Oporto stations or even the Alcalá de Henares Renfe terminal. In hot and cold, rain or wind. These are usually Latin American immigrants. Some have papers. Others don’t and doubt they will ever be able to get them. They buy the merchandise from suppliers, relatives or prepare it themselves at home and then transport it in boxes or thermal refrigerators with which they are installed outside the stations, exposed to the sun, heat, cold, rain or wind. They strive to capture passengers leaving and entering the terminals because they know that the security provided by Metro can cause problems if they move their business inside. They charge in cash, although there are also those who accept payments via Bizum. “There are more and more”. Another of the ideas that leaves you bouncing the report of The Confidential The thing is that for many of them it is not a specific way of making a living. Some admit that they have been subsisting basically on street food sales for years. “I dedicate myself to this because I don’t have papers and it’s difficult to get them. Nothing has ever come of me in hospitality. I have to live off of something and this is a good option for those of us who don’t have documentation, which is why there are more and more people doing the same thing,” comments Juana 29-year-old Colombian who has been selling food for two years. “When I started there were very few of us, now the number of street vendors throughout Madrid has increased.” @soycolombianoeneuropa Let’s share this video to support this Comombiano who sells empanadas at the Plaza Eliptica metro station. IMPORTANT ⚠️ IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANYTHING GOOD TO SAY, IT BETTER NOT SAY ANYTHING. • • #soycolombianoeneurope #colombianosporelmundo #colombianosenespaña #colombianoeneuropa #immigrantlife #strangemytown #colombianinmadrid ♬ original sound – I am Colombian in Europe More than 1,200 euros per month. Her testimony is similar to that of Camila, Peruvian, 39 years old. Since he arrived in Spain, more or less in 2023, he has basically dedicated himself to selling food at a station on the Renfe network in the Community of Madrid. Recognize that it is removed more than 1,200 euros per month, but at the cost of working more than 10 hours a day at the door of a station and exposing themselves to the police confiscating their merchandise and suddenly losing goods worth more than 100 euros. It’s already happened to him. She assures that she registered as self-employed to regularize her business, but that only allows her to “move food, not sell it.” He is already looking for another job in bars and restaurants, although he also admits that to date “nothing has come of it.” “Absolute irregularity”. Proof that street food sales have increased in recent years is that it is already worrying Hospitality of Spainan association that brings together thousands of companies in the restaurant sector. Its general secretary, Emilio Gallego, warns that businesses like Juan’s or Camila’s represent a “absolute irregularity” and insists that “the least important thing” is that the bars and cafes in the neighborhoods where these street vendors work may lose customers. “The main problem lies in the violation of food safety,” he emphasizes after recalling that legal catering businesses must adhere to “more rigorous and strict” regulations than local ones. The big risk: poisoning. “In addition, these sales fail to comply with trade, tax and labor regulations. Not to mention that they can even constitute a crime for public health if someone suffers from poisoning,” duck. He is not the only one who emphasizes that last point. Experts remember how difficult it is to control the origin and traceability of a food that is sold outside legal channels. It may smell good, it may even be tasty, but… Where did the ingredients come from? Have they been kept at a good temperature? What about allergens? What if there is poisoning? “Serious impact”. On … Read more

Pediatricians agree on new food fads for children: “It can cause nutritional deficiencies”

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There are many diets that we find on social networks in recent years that advocate be really restrictive with certain foods and nutrients that demonize. The problem is that these restrictive diets designed for adults with the aim of making them look healthier are causing nutritional deficiencies in children, as pediatricians themselves already point out. The alert. The Spanish Association of Primary Care Pediatrics (AEPap) has been clear in its latest report pointing out that ‘nutritional fads’ have made a strong impact on children’s nutrition and can cause “nutritional deficiencies.” And the culprit is the adoption of restrictive diets such as prolonged fasting or the exclusion of gluten without receiving advice from specialists. But these diets are not limited to adults who want to lose weight or improve their health, but are generally applied to all members of the household. And this is explained by Dr. Marta Castell, pediatrician at the Campanar Health Center in Valencia, who point to the following: More and more families come to consultation with a proactive interest in the healthiest eating pattern, but also with great confusion between scientific evidence and fads such as 2-exclusion diets or ‘superfoods’ without clinical evidence. The enormous amount of information they receive becomes massive and often contradictory. The problem of extrapolating it. Restricting food groups without clinical justification has a very high physiological cost during the growth stages that the little ones in the house are experiencing. This is why pediatricians warn that the withdrawal of essential nutrients without a prior diagnosis of intolerance such as lactose or celiac disease is dangerous. And this practice can interrupt the caloric intake and essential micronutrients for the child’s body and especially for correct physical and brain development. The recommendations. Here the medical institutions they point because one should avoid diagnosing alleged eating pathologies at home, and apply a restriction without the advice of a specialist doctor. But in addition, one should avoid applying nutritional advice aimed at adults to minors that is disseminated by content creators without scientific endorsement on social networks. One of the clearest pieces of advice that the Vithas Medimar Hospital points to in its web is that “the best prevention against obesity and malnutrition is to recover a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, fish, nuts and seeds, and free of ultra-processed foods.” Veganism. The scientific debate does not criminalize dietary choices such as veganism, but requires absolute rigor in its pediatric approach. Something important to highlight is that a child can be perfectly healthy following a diet without animal consumption, but this “does not consist only of raw fruits and vegetables,” explains pediatrician and neonatologist Miriam Martínez Biarge, who describes poorly planned diets as “reckless.” From the clinical point of view, the Spanish Society of Out-of-hospital Pediatrics and Primary Care warns that in the vegan population there is a high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. This deficit can have “serious neurological consequences,” being a particularly critical risk in infants breastfed by mothers who do not take supplementation. For this reason, clinical guidelines recommend the possible supplementation of vitamin B12 in the event that foods fortified with it are not consumed. Images | Helena Lopes In Xataka | Being vegan makes you biologically younger, but not for the reason you think: the hidden key to calorie restriction

Festivals turned food trucks into a money-printing machine. Now they have a problem: Ozempic

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During the marathon days of the past Coachellaone of the most important music festivals in the world where, paradoxically, music is the least important thing, an image caused a certain sensation on social networks: the total absence of lines at the food stalls. To the plethora of content generated by the festival, a showcase for social networks where only the show by Niece Carpenter and the revival by Justin Bieber caught some attention strictly musically, we had to add the “get ready with me” on Instagram and the usual parade of looks themed, generally quite unsuitable for the Californian desert. In the background a silent revolution was brewing. Because within this hyperaesthetic ecosystem there was a shadow. In the videos of many influencers and tiktokers We were able to observe a scene repeated day after day: non-existent queues to get food (even when it’s free), facing crowded lines to buy sunglasses or other accessories. For many, the reason was obvious: Ozempic. We can interpret it from irony or, on the contrary, as a clear cultural symptom that is deeper and difficult to ignore. Because, if something seems evident, it is that, in a festival where consuming aesthetics is much more important than consuming food, the Ozempic era has found its best showcase. Less hunger = less business Anyone who’s been to a festival, especially in recent times, knows what it’s like. Until recently we went with our eyes closed and our wallets open, assuming that, in addition to the increasing price of admission, we had to pay absurd amounts for a cold burger or a pad thai stale at Michelin star price. We got into the game and no one was surprised by the exorbitant prices, those 20 euros on average per plate were part of the ritual of the festival experience; but something has started to change at Coachella. To get an idea of ​​the importance of this change: the economic volume of its gastronomic industry covers more than 100 positions. Ozempic and derivatives are completely redefining the cultural codes of the last decade. Starting from the basis that each person does with their body what they consider, it is true that we were already noticing in red carpets and derivatives that curves are beginning to go out of fashion; with bloody examples because they are carried out by former standard-bearers of the movement curvy. Actresses and artists like Rebel Wilson, Barbie Ferreira either Meghan Trainor show a change in their figure that advances from photocall in photocall. Little by little this permeates society; and also leaves a side effect that someone may consider unexpected. It is not only transforming bodies but also habits and, among them, our relationship with food in spaces of mass leisure. This change in the psychological relationship that we establish with food and the hunger-suppressing effect means that this character is eliminated from the equation. hedonist and impulsive. If the desire for food ceases to exist, the key turn occurs. For years festivals were governed by a simple rule: the economic margin is not so much in the entrance, but rather in everything that happens inside. In this mechanism, food is a key element with these inflated prices, encouraging impulsive decisions in marathon days that invite consumption. This is where Ozempic has broken the model at Coachella, fully attacking that impulse. In this showcase where it seems that eating is “annoying,” a drug that controls hunger is not useful, but rather more than consistent with the environment. And yes, Coachella may not be the Cruilla or the Arenal Soundbut on a large scale what is at stake is not only what the companies can bill food trucks. What is relevant is something deeper: in an environment where excess was part of the festival attraction, a model is now beginning to prevail where control, especially of the body and image, redefines spaces designed for the opposite. Ozempic and the end of hunger The impact of this medication is such that we are no longer talking about a health phenomenon, but rather a cultural phenomenon. What began as a diabetes medication, later converted into a weight loss solution, is no longer the beauty secret of the celebrities. The pharmacological equivalent of “drinking a lot of water and sleeping eight hours” has spread with universal consumption, and with this it not only transforms bodies with their corresponding physical consequencesalso behaviors. What began as a resource for the elite is now heading towards a more affordable distribution and on a large scale. Because we are not talking about a diet, but about something much more radical, deactivating one of the most basic impulses of human behavior on a large scale, and the data begins to reflect that change. At a global level, about 46 million of people already use these medications. In the United States, the number of people without diabetes who start treatment with these drugs has grown more than 700% in just four years. Today, around 12% of adults use them, with annual growth close to 30%. This impact does not remain only in the body and, if we transfer it to the context at hand, we see that it is directly reflected in consumption; These users spend 31% less on food and drink, especially on everything associated with whim and impulse (snacks, chocolate, etc.). In Spain the trend points in the same direction, approximately 6% of households are already consumers of these treatments, thus representing an expense of 5.4 billion euros annually in food and beverages. And, again, the most relevant thing is not what you spend, but on what: this hedonistic consumption falls and basic and functional products increase. With these numbers it is logical that the conversation of “surely he has lost weight thanks to Ozempic” does not die, but it is no longer limited to celebrities like Oprah, Kelly Clarkson or the native Ibai Llanos. The same statement now slips and extends to much closer environments such as the office, the … Read more

Who do you love more, bars or Mercadona? Hospitality is taking the battle over prepared food to a zero-sum game

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Since Spain believe made the “menu of the day” official 61 years agoin Manuel Fraga’s time, workers, travelers and families have gone to bars at midday basically looking for two things, in addition to food: time savings and good prices. That sacred triad turned the menu into the great success of the national hospitality industry (with forgiveness for the omelette). Now it plays against him. The same customers who have been eating in restaurants for generations have found an alternative that offers them food at better prices and with greater flexibility: supermarkets. The hoteliers, of course, they are not willing to give up and have taken out their best weapon: regulation. What has happened? The event was intended to review the data and needs of the sector, but it ended up leading to something else: a call to attention to chains such as Mercadona or Alcampo. Yesterday, during the General Assembly of Hospitality of Spain, the president of the group, José Luis Álvarez Almeida, post against a rival that until recently was off the radar of the country’s bars and restaurants: supermarkets. Without expressly mentioning them, the head of the employers’ association complained about the competition exerted by firms such as Mercadona, Carrefour, Bon Preu or Alcampo (to name a few), which have been betting on the sale of prepared dishes for some time and, in some cases, even include dining rooms in their premises so that customers can consume the food and drinks that they previously bought in the store right there. A model, Almeida insistswhich looks too similar to yours. “Unfair competition”. “Now we have gas stations, stores, hypermarkets or supermarkets that want to be bars. That is unfair competition,” argument the president of Hospitality of Spain during an event that was also attended by the Minister of Tourism, Jordi Hereu. “What we tell them is that, from an economic and competitive point of view, they can do what they want; but we all have to play on equal terms and be equal before the law.” your words have resonated with force in the sector, although it is not the first time that the expansion of the ready-to-eat dishes business within the supermarkets themselves leads to this question: Can it be considered unfair competition? He floated the same idea in December during an interview with SER Emilio Gallego, general secretary of Hospitality of Spain. “It is a controversial question. Either you are a supermarket or you have a space for a restaurant,” argument. “If you have a space where you buy food and eat it, you obviously have to have a restaurant activity license.” The key word: merchant. That the hospitality industry has raised its voice just now is no coincidence. Although supermarkets have been selling pre-cooked and ready-to-eat food for decades, in recent years some chains are shifting towards a new business model: the merchants. It is no longer about buying a tray of sushi, a cold tortilla or some pre-cooked noodles from a factory that the supermarket sells packaged. The key is that the customer can choose what they want to eat on a counter full of steaming stews, stews, fish… and then, if they want, they can devour that same food without leaving the store. The menu dilemma. Things get complicated there for bars, especially those that rely most on the concept of ‘menu of the day’: an affordable, varied and time-saving gastronomic offer. For years bars dominated that field. Now they have to fight with heavyweights like Mercadona, which offer prices that are difficult to match by family businesses that have been juggling for some time to make their menus profitable. This change in trend was summed up wonderfully well a few months ago by a gym instructor who The World interviewed while eating in a Mercadona in Madrid: “Although they pay me for the food, this is more practical and faster. You eat for six euros and I don’t spend 45 minutes. I haven’t eaten from a menu since summer.” In that same reportage The journalist spoke with other customers who came to Juan Roig’s store to buy dishes (stews, casseroles…) that they then ate in their own living rooms or office. Two years ago they might have gone to a bar with a menu or cooked at home. Not anymore. Has things changed that much? The data is revealing. In 2025 Mercadona had a turnover of around 700 million euros in Spain through its ‘Ready to Eat’ section. It may not seem like a big deal for a corporation whose sales exceeded 41.8 billionbut it is good to keep several things in mind. First, the ‘Ready to Eat’ section is very young. It was launched in 2018 and has expanded to more than 1,400 points of sale. Second, that those 700 million of euros are just part of the cake. If we take into account the entire supply of pre-cooked products (refrigerated, trays…) and the business in Portugal, the figure rises to 3,000 million. To give us an idea, this figure exceeds the annual sales of McDonald’s in Spain (2 billion) or Burger King (1,500). In general, it is estimated that the Valencian chain accounts for a 19.7% share of value in food and beverage consumption. That is, almost two out of every ten euros What we spend on that branch ends up in the company’s coffers. A key percentage: 7.6%. To understand how quickly the prepared food business is expanding, it is good to review Algori data advanced a few days ago by theEconomist. According to the consultancy, this segment was (by far) the one that recorded the greatest growth in sales volume last year among supermarkets and hypermarkets in Spain. In general, the sale of pre-cooked and cooked dishes soared by 7.6% in volume. Above fruits and vegetables (7%), meats (6.1%) and fish and seafood (4.9%). The Valencian chain is not the only one that is committed to this business niche, although it has managed to lead it. Your … Read more

For 120 years, scientists considered the Omiltemi rabbit extinct. Meanwhile, in Sierra Madre del Sur they were hunted for food.

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When in 1904 Edward William Nelson identified the first Omiltemi rabbits, he did not know that this was going to be one of the last confirmed sightings of what, for decades, has been considered one of the most endangered mammals in the world. The bug. It was a large, nocturnal rabbit, with dark reddish hair, long ears and a short tail. But not much else was known because zoologists had frepeatedly scratched in finding and studying it. And yet, if they had asked the inhabitants of the Sierra Madre del Sur (in the Mexican state of Guerrero), they would have been able to add one more thing: that they are very rich. Because while scientists were looking for these bugs, neighbors hunted them and integrated them into their usual diet. Where are those rabbits? We must not fall into simplifications, since 1998 we already suspected that the rabbit was still alive and there. That year, some local hunters gave researchers the skin of a killed specimen: that is, we had physical proof that the species still existed. Therefore, the species was not officially extinct; What appeared in the species lists is that we did not have enough data to know what was happening with it. Now, after a long investigation with traps and sampling, we do have them. He wasn’t dead… Between 2019 and 2024, a team led by José Alberto Almazán-Catalán (the Institute for the Management and Conservation of Biodiversity) carried out a specific search for the rabbit under the program Search for Lost Species by Re:wild. They visited 10 areas and obtained records in 7 of them. The conclusion of this work (and I quote verbatim) is that the Omiltemi rabbit “is a rare species, but not only is it not extinct, but it is much more common than previously believed.” The data matches with the graphic material that Fernando Ruiz-Gutiérrez published in the Mexican Journal of Mastozoology. And then? Well, although the situation has not changed, it has revealed everything that we do not know. It is now evident that the distribution reaches an area up to three times larger than previously suspected. It is also true that, without suspecting it, the communities in the area have been hunting (and even breeding) these rabbits for decades without knowing that they were Omiltemi rabbits. And it is curious how this type of news helps make clear how little we know about the world around us. The initiative Search for Lost Species from Re:wild has already ‘recovered’ 13 species around the world. Some of them, like Winton’s golden molethey had gone 86 years without confirmed records. “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than your philosophy dreams of,” Hamlet tells Horatio and, if we apply it to contemporary science, we see that this is still the case. Image | Re:Wild In Xataka | Spain is witnessing a shocking phenomenon: three invasive species are feeding each other to conquer the country

The world depends on gas to produce food. Paraguay believes it has the definitive solution thanks to the Itaipú dam

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In the midst of a scenario of high tension in the Middle East and threatened trade routes, a project in the heart of South America promises to change the rules of the game for global agriculture. The British company Atome has given the final green light for the construction of Villetaa fertilizer plant in Paraguay valued at 665 million dollars, which will completely eliminate the use of fossil fuels in its production. A question of food safety. As detailed Financial Timesthe fertilizer industry’s dependence on natural gas is an Achilles’ heel for the global economy. Traditionally, most nitrogen fertilizer is produced by combining nitrogen from the air with hydrogen extracted from natural gas. However, Villeta will use renewable electricity to separate hydrogen from water (electrolysis). For Olivier Mussat, CEO of Atome, the project’s focus goes far beyond sustainability. “It’s not an ecological story, it’s actually a food security story,” declared in FT. Mussat’s warning is no small matter, since between a quarter and a third of global nitrogen fertilizer exports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. With the recent conflicts, gas shipments have fallen, raising prices and raising alarms about a possible food crisis. For Latin America, an agro-export power but highly dependent on imported fertilizers, the project works as a “structural hedge” against geopolitical volatility. The financial milestone that Wall Street observes. Atome managed to close a financing package that includes $420 million in debt and $245 million in equity. This backing comes from development lenders of the caliber of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), along with specialist hydrogen investment fund Hy24. “We have shown that you can actually close and finance a green fertilizer facility on an industrial scale. It has never been done before,” Mussat said. For his part, Pierre-Etienne Franc, executive director of Hy24, explained to the press that having cheap and non-fossil energy sources offers “a route to green fertilizer that will be localized”, making the industry independent of raw material prices dictated by natural gas. The technical feasibility. Green hydrogen has historically been too expensive to compete with its fossil counterpart. However, Paraguay’s competitive advantage changes the equation. The Villeta plant will operate with electrolyzers large-scale powered by the Itaipú hydroelectric dam (shared between Paraguay and Brazil). According to the company’s projections, electricity costs will be just under $30 per megawatt-hour under a long-term agreement. This technical and economic feasibility was enough to convince the Norwegian fertilizer giant, Yara International, to sign a binding contract of 10 years to purchase the entire production of the plant, estimated at around 260,000 tons per year, a detail exhaustively covered by the industrial press. The view from Asunción. For decades, Paraguay has exported its surplus energy generated in Itaipú to its neighbors, Brazil and Argentina, at very low prices. For the local pressAtome’s installation represents a historic paradigm shift. It means taking that clean energy and using it within the national territory to generate local jobs and produce a good with high added value. Although Villeta will represent less than 1% of the global nitrogen fertilizer market when it begins production in 2029, its backers and market observers agree on something fundamental: if the Paraguayan model works, it could become the definitive template for freeing global agriculture from its dependence on fossil fuels. Image | Atome Xataka | We are wasting a valuable resource: urine is helping solve the fertilizer crisis

In the Middle Ages there was a very expensive culinary trend that today would make your food inedible: they bathed it in spices

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For tastes, colors. But if you were the guest of a landowner from the Middle Ages, a wealthy count or baron who wanted to impress his diners with a sumptuous banquet of fish, meat, wine and sweets, it would be best if your tastes leaned towards hyper-spicy food. After all, it was not unreasonable that on the table you would find a tray of pheasant swimming in a sauce made with 17 different spicesso many that its flavor would hardly please today’s palates. Maybe that expectation seems unappetizing to you, but for medieval diners it made perfect sense. Better with spices. Medieval diners liked spices. A lot. So much so that their banquets were an authentic display of dressings of ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg or saffron, among a long and well seasoned etc. As an example, Michael Delahoydefrom Washington State University, explains that a meat sauce could contain about 17 different spices. In another recent example The Country spoke of recipes up to 15 and plenty of sugar. Everything on the same plate. Combined. Forming a mixture of flavors that would make the foods that gave luster to the great banquets of medieval nobles hardly edible for 21st century diners. And that (culinary ironies) has never been as easy to find spices as it is today: it comes with entering any supermarket to find full shelves. A gastronomic window. If we know what and how medieval nobles ate, it is thanks to the work of historians and works such as ‘The Book of Sent Soví’a manuscript that stands out for several reasons: it is the oldest recipe book of its type in the Iberian Peninsula and for a few days it has been starring an exhibition about medieval food in Valencia. The work contains 72 recipes and dates back to the 15th century, although experts are convinced that the work is based on a previous original, now lost, that was written in 1324. The work is interesting not only because of its recipes. It is also because it tells us about what the diners of the Late Middle Ages were like, perhaps somewhat different from us in tastes, but not in terms of attitude. In addition to appreciating the good taste of the dishes, they liked to show off, using gastronomy as a status symbol. They appreciated kitchens with large stoves, the carvers who cut and distributed the meat among the diners, spices and sugar. Cooking and marketing (medieval). “We all have to eat, every day, but in the Middle Ages they did not have the ways of distinguishing themselves that we have. They turned food into a liturgy, a ritual in which they demonstrated their wealth and that was seen even outside because they gave leftovers to the poorest classes. It was a way of demonstrating status,” comment to The Country Juan Vicente García Marsilla, professor of Medieval History and curator of the exhibition. The 15th century recipe book preserved in Valencia has much of that pomp and prestige that was sought among kitchens and pantries. In its prologue it slips that the original work was prepared some time ago by commission from an English kingbut the recipes speak of another reality: an author probably Valencian or Catalan accustomed to the gastronomic tradition of the Mediterranean. “Marketing hype of the time”, summarizes García. By attributing the work to a foreign and ancient chef, the recipe book sought to imbue itself with exoticism and prestige. Why so many spices? Partly because of the above. Status. Today we may find them in any Mercadona, but spices or sugar centuries ago They were luxuries that were not within reach of all the tables. “Spices were a sign of luxury and opulence. They denoted prestige,” comments Delahoydewho reflects on the peculiar value of medieval cookbooks: probably not all cooks knew how to read and the recipe books were not used in the kitchen either, but rather were kept in private collections. Therefore… Were they useful for those responsible for provisions? Were they a sign of status? A way to learn about the exotic ingredients in each dish, garnishes that might otherwise go unnoticed by diners? In search of flavors… and names. Analida Braeger slips some interesting reflections in Medievalist.neta platform founded in 2008 and specialized in medieval history. In a comprehensive article On the subject, he points out that the medieval palate became accustomed to foods heavily seasoned with spices, a symbol of power increased in part by its exotic origin and the imports from the East. In the extensive list included cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, saffron, mace, cardamom or galangal. insatiable demand. “Europe’s insatiable demand for spices in the late Middle Ages is a notable example of a drastic historical shift brought about by consumer preferences,” pointed out in 2012 Paul Freedman in an article published in ‘The Oxford Handbook of Food History’. The result is recipes like chicken with sugar which we can read in the 15th century manuscript preserved in Valencia. Furthermore, spices were not only used in cooking, they also had medical applications. There is who assures that despite their limited availability and high cost, a very high percentage of the recipes in cookbooks from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries include spices and that at least some works cite up to 40 different types. In any case, it must be clear that the cuisine of the aristocracy and that widespread among the popular classes are not the same. Among the latter it was not strange that cold food for a matter of costs. Revisiting old topics. As happens often With everything related to the Middle Ages, the use of spices is overshadowed by clichés and prejudices that are not always accurate. Delahoyde remembers the “common myth” that cooks of the time relied heavily on seasonings to mask the taste of spoiled meat. After all, there were no refrigerators or freezers to keep meat fresh, right? Why not season it well? It is not likely that … Read more

Prepared food already represents a business of 3,000 million for Mercadona. And that is a problem for McDonald’s and Burger King

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The proverb says that a picture is worth a thousand words. The success of the so-called ‘merchants’ Supermarkets that are hybridizing to become places where you can buy and consume already cooked dishes are not only measured in images and words. It can also be followed with something much more forceful: figures. One of the most resounding he just left her Mercadona. Throughout 2025, the Valencian chain had a turnover of around 700 million euros in Spain through its section ‘Ready to eat’. If we expand the focus to include its pre-cooked offering (refrigerated, trays…) the joint business volume in Spain and Portugal amounts to 3,000 million euros. What has happened? We have just obtained data that helps us better understand how the ‘Ready to Eat’ section is working for Mercadona. According to the information advanced by Food RetailIn 2025, the Valencian chain invoiced 700 million euros in Spain through this channel. Perhaps it seems like a discreet figure when compared to its global sales, which were close to 39.8 billion in Spain, but it is interesting for two big reasons. First, because the ‘Ready to Eat’ section is young. It was not launched until 2018. Since then Mercadona has been expanding it throughout its network (in 2025 it reached 210 new supermarkets) until it was present, at the end of last year, in 1,469 points of sale from Spain and Portugal. The second reason is that in reality ‘Ready to eat’ is only one of the multiple channels that allow Mercadona to capitalize on the growing demand for already cooked food. If the entire business and its turnover in Spain and Portugal are taken into account, the level of income is much higher. How much do you earn then? In total, if we count both the business generated by the ‘Ready to eat’ section and the sale of pre-cooked food (creams, packaged chicken or refrigerated pizza, for example), Mercadona entered around 3 billion of euros in Spain and Portugal. Not only does it represent just over 7% of the company’s global turnover, it also shows a growth of 20%, which confirms the potential of that line of business. The figure helps to understand Mercadona’s commercial strategy, which has been betting on the ‘Ready to eat’ section for years (in 2025 it implemented it in 250 new super) and in recent months it has redoubled its bet, adding to its offer of dishes and desserts a new service of freshly ground coffee. The cooked food sections also play a decisive role in the so-called ‘Store 9’the new establishment format that the company wants to implement in its network. Does the data matter that much? It is certainly striking. FRS contributes another brushstroke which helps to understand to what extent the sale of pre-cooked or ready-to-eat food has grown in Mercadona. The 3,000 million euros registered in Spain and Portugal in 2025 far exceed McDonald’s annual sales in Spain (around 2 billion euros) or Burger King (others 1.5 billion). In fact, it almost equals the sum of both subsidiaries. It’s not surprising at all. Mercadona has conquered 20% of the entire food and beverage business (in value share) and ships a large part of the hamburgers with buns sold in Spain. According to the Numerator signatureis behind approximately 10.2% of consumption occasions. They are just nine points lower than the national market leader McDonald’s (19.5%). Does it only happen with Mercadona? At all. The chain stands out for its considerable market share, but it is not the only one seeking to benefit from the growing demand for already cooked food. In February, the consulting firm NielsenIQ estimated that “prepared and ready-to-eat food solutions” are growing at a rate of more than 10% in supermarkets and hypermarkets, which is in turn shaping a billion-dollar business. “Right now this segment represents a total of about 3.7 billion,” explains Nacho Biedmatechnician of the consulting firm, in an interview with elDiario. There are analysts who calculate that the distribution sector (which includes supermarkets) already monopolizes 23% of what we spend on food outside the home. Why this change? Because consumer habits are not immutable. We do not eat the same, nor in the same way nor in the same places as our grandparents. And our grandchildren probably have different habits too. I predicted it last year Juan Roig, predicting that in the middle of this century Spanish homes will no longer have kitchens, so supermarkets will become more than just the place where we buy food to fill our refrigerators: they will be our great reference in food. Beyond these changes at the domestic level, sections like ‘Ready to Eat’ play a great role. They offer customers variety, agility and, above all, rates that traditional bars can hardly match. Prepared meals from supermarkets are in a way the successors of a ‘menu of the day’ that has been in crisis for yearssuffocated by rising prices. More and more people stop going to the corner restaurant to spend 14 euros in a menu of first, second and dessert that will take you 45 minutes to consume. He goes to an Alcampo, Carrefour or Mercadona, buys a couple of dishes for 10 euros and devours them in less than half an hour in the dining room located in the supermarket itself. Many people even take cooked food to devour at home. Images | Mercadona Via | FRS In Xataka | Very few national supermarkets are resisting Mercadona: regional chains like Froiz are

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