Jordi Hereu (Barcelona, ​​1965) has been the Minister of Industry and Tourism since 2023, in a legislature marked by an unstable and volatile geopolitics that affects the day-to-day operations of factories and the tourism sector. Now, the focus is on the war in the Middle East following the US and Israeli attack on Iran, which has caused an immediate increase in oil and gas prices. He is also a former mayor of Barcelona who keeps the city and Catalonia very much in mind, especially during recent crises such as the commuter rail and freight crises, recalling his first job at the Port of Barcelona when the Logistics Activity Zone (ZAL) was just getting started.

The historic ice cream company La Menorquina is taking a significant leap forward in its industrial capacity. The company has announced a €15 million investment to install a new production line at its plant in Palau-solità i Plegamans (Vallès Occidental). This is the largest investment ever made in the factory, expanding the production area by 1,100 square meters. The new infrastructure, which will be operational by early 2027, is notable for its versatility: it will be able to simultaneously produce chocolates, sandwiches, and spirals at a rate of 30,000 units per hour. With this addition, the plant will have 23 production lines and will be able to reach a total volume of 40 million liters of ice cream per year.

This investment is largely due to the company's success in international markets. Currently, La Menorquina exports more than a third of its sales to nearly 40 countries. The US market has become a key component, where it already sells between 25% and 30% of its production through retail giants like Walmart and Costco. The company's CEO, Iván Leal, highlighted on Monday the positive reception of innovative products such as Honeycomb ice cream, which went viral on social media and prompted the shipment of 40 containers to the US between November and December to meet demand. In the UK, the company has also established itself as the main supplier for the Marks & Spencer chain. Job impact and growth

The investment has not only a technological component, but also a social one. The new line is expected to generate between 150 and 200 new jobs. Currently, the company has a workforce of 750 employees, more than 500 of whom are based at its headquarters in the Vallès region. Since 2019, La Menorquina has maintained sustained growth of 15% annually. In 2025, it closed with a turnover of 131 million euros, and forecasts for 2026 again point to double-digit growth. The announcement was made during an official visit by the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, and the Minister of Business and Labor, Miquel Sàmper. Hereu cited the company as an example of "the authenticity of local products that the world values" and highlighted its ability to overcome tariff barriers through innovation and quality.

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The biotechnology pharmaceutical company Hipra officially opened its new campus in Aiguaviva (Gironès) this Thursday, which aims to become one of the main hubs in animal and human health research and development in Europe. The complex has an investment of €500 million and occupies a total area of 114,000 m2, of which only 28,000 m2 have been occupied so far, the first phase. The institutional event was attended by the Minister of Industry, Jordi Hereu, and the President of the Generalitat (Catalan Government), Salvador Illa.

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The tourism sector debate has returned to Barcelona with the sectoral conferences Tourism & Economy Barcelona Summit 2025, under the title A new resilient and sustainable tourism: Large cities and Barcelona's proposal. At this meeting, held in the Cosmocaixa auditorium, the mayor of Barcelona, ​​​​Jaume Collboni, opened the session by stating that the Catalan capital "has made a great change compared to 4 or 5 years ago" in the area of ​​tourism, because "decisions have been made to govern tourism, have quality tourism and eliminate its negative externalities."

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