About us
Our history
More than a century of decisions, people and territory that have
made Cadí what we are today.
Crisis as a Starting Point
In the late nineteenth century, the Pyrenean counties of Alt Urgell and Cerdanya were undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. The phylloxera epidemic had devastated the vineyards, forcing farming families to reinvent themselves. In that context of crisis and uncertainty, the high-mountain meadows and the dairy cattle that grazed them revealed their potential. Josep Zulueta i Gomis, a visionary lawyer from Barcelona, saw in cooperation the means to transform individual effort into collective strength. In 1915, his vision became reality with the founding of the first dairy cooperative in Catalonia.
Milestones
- 1915 Foundation of the Societat Cooperativa Cadí.
- 1915 Launch of Cadí Butter, the Cooperative's first product.
Quality as a Founding Principle
The Cooperative's earliest years coincided with the slow but irreversible shift in the dietary habits of Catalan society. Cow's milk and dairy products were gaining a place at the table, and Cadí was positioning itself with purpose. The launch of collective milk collection —guaranteeing daily pick-up for every member and setting rigorous hygiene standards on the farms— laid the foundations of a model built on quality above all else.
Crisis as a School
Rapid growth brought tensions. With 150 members and 1,500 liters of milk processed daily, the Cooperative was confronting the challenges of its own scale. Internal disputes over the commercialization of production put the cohesion of the project to the test. But the crisis was also a school: the management partnership of Bonaventura Rebés and Domènec Moliné drove the introduction of pasteurization and the hiring of a Dutch cheesemaker—decisions that would shape Cadí's production forever toward the soft, creamy cheese that is its hallmark today.
The Wind of Modernity in the Pyrenees
The winds of modernity were reaching the Pyrenees. The mechanisation of farming —tractors, automatic milking machines, sprinkler irrigation systems— radically transformed livestock production and freed farming families from some of their most demanding work. The Cooperative kept pace: automating processes, expanding its facilities and building a solid, recognisable brand. It was a time to grow, to consolidate, and to believe in a future that, at last, seemed within reach.
From Local Excellence to Global Recognition
From the 1990s onward, the Cooperative faced a dual challenge: modernising from within while looking outward. Improvements in production processes, the adoption of computing in management and control, and the first measures to reduce environmental impact signalled a deep shift in outlook. The excellence recognised at home found its international projection with the turn of the millennium: two Protected Designations of Origin affirmed the uniqueness of a territory and an irreplicable expertise.
Milestones
- 2000 EU registration of the PDO Cheese of Alt Urgell and Cerdanya.
- 2003 EU registration of the PDO Butter of Alt Urgell and Cerdanya.
A Century of Roots, a Vision for the Future
In 2015, Cadí marked a century of existence, firmly rooted in the land and looking toward new horizons. The Cooperative's cheeses and butter were already available at the majority of food retailers in Catalonia, across various regions of Spain, and in European and North American markets. Technology was transforming farm management and production processes, but what remained unchanged was the essence: an exceptional territory, the highest-quality raw materials, and the commitment of the families who, generation after generation, made the project possible.
Milestones
- 2015 Creation of the new cheese Neu del Cadí.
- 2015 Centenary celebration of the Cooperative.
A New Identity, the Same Purpose
More than a century of history does not diminish the need to renew one's purpose. Cooperativa Cadí opens a new chapter with a corporate identity rethought from the ground up: We Give Life to the Land. A statement that is not advertising, but conviction. One that recognises consumers as active allies in the preservation of the territory, and that asserts —not with nostalgia, but with pride— the fundamental role of farming and livestock in the future of our environment.
A Standard, a Way of Being
Cooperativa Cadí receives B Corp certification, awarded by B Lab, recognising compliance with the world's most demanding international standards in social responsibility, governance and environmental impact. An accolade that reaffirms the cooperative values that have guided our work since our founding, and that consolidates our commitment to the territory, to people, and to a business model built around the creation of shared value.