Establishing New Grounds

Rocío Hervella, founder and CEO of PROSOL
Led by founder and CEO Rocío Hervella – aka the ‘coffee queen’ – soluble and single serve coffee manufacturer PROSOL has been instrumental in transforming the Spanish coffee landscape over the last two decades. By Anne-Marie Hardie
PROSOL has helped to revolutionise the Spanish coffee space, becoming a European leader in instant and capsule coffee. Established in 1998 in Palencia, Spain, the company was the inspiration of founder Rocío Hervella, who was intrigued by the evolving coffee industry in Spain and the rising demand for quality coffee from consumers worldwide. Two of the five instant -coffee manufacturing companies in Europe co-exist in Palencia, contributing to Spain’s extensive coffee consumption of 14 billion cups annually. PROSOL – a combination of PRO (products) and SOL (soluble) – produces 14 million cups daily, one percent of the world’s daily instant coffee consumption.
“When PROSOL entered the scene, it was not long after the liberalisation of the coffee trade in Spain. For nearly half a century, and until 1981, the state managed coffee purchases in the international market,” said Hervella, who is also the company’s CEO. “It wasn’t until the 1980s that the coffee industry began to shape and develop in Spain. Such was the revolution that over 60 percent of the roasters from that era couldn’t adapt to the new demands of the industry.”
A daughter of a lawyer, Hervella initially decided to follow in her late father’s footsteps, completing her law degree. However, her passion to become an entrepreneur dramatically shifted her plans, resulting in Hervella pursuing her dreams just days before the scheduled state civil service exam. “I was driven by the need to start my own project, a decision that, at that time, meant swimming against the tide,” she shared.
She entered the industry through the instant coffee channel, working at Seda Soluble, one of the four companies dedicated to soluble coffee production in Europe at that time. There, Hervella realised that the market was expanding, presenting an opportunity to start her own company.
“As expected, the beginnings were tough. “There was intense work and a search for investors to get our project off the ground,” she said. The company was established through the support of nearly 75 small investors, including the generosity of friends and family. She even traded in her car for a less expensive one to help contribute to the initial capital. After the first year in operation, the company successfully exported their first kilo of coffee to the United Kingdom, a market in which PROSOL has maintained penetration despite the significant changes in the country, including Brexit.
Adherence and Adaptability
“PROSOL is a product of the third wave of coffee, which began in the 1990s and has continued evolving to this day, encompassing almost our entire lifespan,” said Hervella. “During this time, high-quality coffees tailored to more knowledgeable and sophisticated consumers entered European and Spanish markets, demanding differentiated quality.”
She attributes the success in the initial five years to the effort and intense commitment of the entire PROSOL team. The company was diligent about adhering to its initial business plan, which was condensed into 15 pages, and it helped guide the company through those start-up years.
“Our goal has remained the same since day one: to be the best alternative with our products and services for our clients’ brands and the preferred choice for consumers,” said Hervella. “We base this on a working model developed over two decades, focusing on specialisation in all processes necessary to create the best coffee tailored to each client’s needs and requirements.”
Maintaining this approach throughout the company’s growth has helped establish PROSOL as a benchmark for excellence in instant coffee. In 2012, the company entered a new market, capsule coffee, in response to the consumption trend amongst consumers. Their industrial model is guided by three principles; safety,y, quality,y, and cost, which has enabled them to create a positive impact on clients, their team, suppliers, society and shareholders. PROSOL prides itself on being innovative and flexible, proactively anticipating market challenges and opportunities, and altering its response to these shifting demands.
“Regarding coffee-producing regions, there has been a radical social and economic shift, especially after the pandemic,” said Hervella. “This has been further influenced by geopolitical and regulatory changes in the European Union, leading to volatility and upward pressure on global markets, including those in London and New York.” One of the most significant challenges the company has faced in its years of operation was five years ago, during the global pandemic. The drastic restrictions in all aspects of the business forced the company to change the course of its strategic plan almost overnight.
“We succeeded in demonstrating our great capacity for reaction and organisation,” she shared. “We also managed to seize the opportunity arising from such an unforeseen circumstance, where coffee consumption, especially at home, increased significantly.”
Unbeknown to PROSOL, the pandemic served as training for the extreme global challenges that followed, primarily stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict starting in February 2022. This resiliency has helped PROSOL remain responsive and adaptive, including developing strong allies and financial resilience in response to rising raw material costs, increases in strap prices, and skyrocketing energy prices.
“The coffee industry has grown, driven by technology, to the point where data governance determines process success and profitability,” said Hervella. PROSOL has adapted accordingly, embracing the digital shift, including evolving its communication channels to ensure that it remains a proactive, responsive company, prepared for both the needs of the present and the demands of the future.
Growth, Expansion & Sustainability
In 2023, PROSOL achieved a revenue of EUR 122 million, marking a record year, persevering through significant inflation and rising energy prices. 2024 was another positive year, resulting in a total revenue approaching EUR 140 million. 2024, also marked PROSOL’s entrance into the Middle Eastern market while maintaining Portugal, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, and Canada as the primary destinations for our exports. New product launches this past year included, new coffee capsule varieties and formats within the instant coffee product portfolio, and the addition of cappuccino and espresso flavours to their line. “We continue to strive to offer what we have always provided to consumers: products with a good quality-price ratio to ensure the best coffee reaches every home,” said Hervella.
Today, PROSOL is in over 30 countries worldwide. “Investors and financiers see us as a serious business project deserving of their efforts and resources, with guaranteed returns,” stated Hervella. “Institutions like the European Investment Bank have trusted us to take significant steps forward.” These investments have helped ensure that the infrastructure for PROSOL remains at the top of the industry, including digitizing their factory to optimise performance, increase efficiencies, and develop data-driven processes.
The recent addition of the inaugurated biomass boiler, an investment of EUR 13 million, has enabled PROSOL to become energy self-sufficient, achieving 87 percent efficiency and transforming 100 percent of coffee grounds generated during production into energy. The company firmly believes that sustainability is not an option but a necessity, which has resulted in adopting several initiatives, including a home compostable capsule, eliminating 15 million plastic containers, and reducing waste transport by 500 truckloads, bringing the company closer to its goal of achieving net zero by 2025.
“When we started in 1998 and talked about sustainability, we were seen as outliers,” said Hervella. “Today, it’s an integral part of our DNA, encompassing every stage of coffee’s journey from cultivation to the final cup.” The company is committed to prioritising its values, recognising the need to remain vigilant about developments and shifts in regulatory changes and raw material prices to stay adaptive. She attributes the continued success of PROSOL to the capacity and commitment of their team, who are highly adaptive, innovative, and steadfastly adhere to the company’s values of producing quality products.
“We make the best coffee for a better world, and this is something we have internalised from the very first day. We work to keep it that way,” said Hervella. “Take a moment to think about where the coffee you’re enjoying while reading this interview has been produced… and we are on the other side.”
Anne-Marie Hardie is a freelance writer, professor and speaker based in Barrie, Ontario. She may be reached at: [email protected].