Our colleague Jose Antonio Cortés is an institution inside BETIS Olive Oil, 56 years working in our company is a proof of that.

During these years, he has seen lots of changes not only in the company, but also in Spain and all over the world. Speaking to him is like opening a book of the history of the last century.

- Mr. Cortés, could you tell us about yourself?

I am from Seville, I have always lived here. I began to work at an early age, first as an Engineer in the control flights office in Seville before going to the Spanish Army, that it was compulsory during that time. To be honest, it was a comfortable job which allowed me to explore a new fascinating experience.

The Olive Oil industry was already very important in Andalusia and in Spain, and BETIS Olive Oil was already known in our sector because of their more than 50 years as an established company at that time, so I decided to begin to work with them too. The company continued developing the business instead of the Spanish civic and 2nd World War, so it was a guarantee for the future.

- What values do you highlight about Torres Y Ribelles?

The combination of tradition and modernization, I am an example! When I began to work in Torres y Ribelles, I realized that Spain was already one of the biggest producers of olive oil all over the world, so we had to take advantage of that to increase our exports.

The investment in promotions and participation in International fairs is also a key that I would like to mention. We were one of the first Spanish companies in the 50s and 60s years to participate in food fairs abroad. My level of language was not very good at that time but when I saw the people enjoyed our oils, that was very easy to understand for me, it means that they enjoyed our products and we had some opportunities to develop with them. I believed in those signals.

There was an important adaptation of our product to several cultures as Chinese, Arabic and others during last decades, always keeping high-quality standards. The innovations in the packaging are other points to mention.

On the other hand, the technology in our packing line has not almost anything to compare with some decades before. All our processes are automatic and our production capacity increases year after year. I would like to be here other 56 years to see the evolution of the company.

- What do you most like about your job?

Being in contact with young people as our colleagues and with people from so many countries.

For example, our Export Department has also an International side. First, we are physically in two locations: Dos Hermanas and San Juan de Puerto Rico. From Puerto Rico, we export to all American markets and from our main facility, we export to Europe, Africa, and Asia.

All members of our export department have international experience in France, Italy, Chile, China or Japan, either having lived in different countries to study and work. I am still interested to know other different ways of living.

- Let's get back to you, what do you like doing in your free time?

Sleep siesta! The traditional Spanish sport! This is also good to maintain your mind clear and make your body rest. I love to travel and the good gastronomy, as our olive oils, enjoy a glass of wine with a delicious tapa in my local bar, sharing those moments with relatives and friends. This is the most important thing in my life.