“Animal welfare is respect: for the animal, for the product, and for the person who consumes it.”
“When booking a hotel online, we used to look at the stars, now we look at the rating. Welfair® is that: the degree of satisfaction the animal has had in our home.”
Guillem de Planell Asón is the quality manager of Viñas Group, a family business based in Vic (Osona, Barcelona) and more than six decades of experience in the meat sector. Born from a small butcher shop in the city center, the company has evolved into an integrated group that controls the entire production chain: from raising the animal to slaughter, processing and final distribution.
At present, Grup Viñas produces around 17.000 tons of meat per year and registers a slaughter volume of 65.000 head of cattle annually. The company exports to more than a dozen countries, entre ellos France, Italy, Germany, Denmark, United Kingdom, Portugal, Greece, Malta and Hong Kongcombining a strong international presence with a commitment to maintaining their family roots.
With a model based on excellence and respect for the product, Viñas embraced animal welfare as a scientific, productive, and ethical tool. In this interview, Guillem reviews the company's evolution and its relationship with Welfair®, and how science, efficiency and respect have become the pillars of its philosophy.
A story that grew without losing its essence.
“We are a family business, which has greatly shaped our character,” explains Guillem. “It started 60 years ago in a small butcher shop in the center of Vic, where the mother ran the business and the father was a cattle dealer. Over time, that butcher shop expanded to include a workshop, a cutting room, and then a slaughterhouse. Furthermore, the live animal aspect led to the acquisition of farms that complemented the meat production,” he clarifies.
The Group has grown organically, but while maintaining its identity: “It doesn’t make sense to have a slaughterhouse without raising the animals; we have the entire production chain integrated. That’s the model that has grown year after year, without losing our essence.” He adds that, even after so many years, they continue to serve both the small, traditional butcher and large multinationals: “We haven’t lost that focus,” he concludes.
The beginnings of animal welfare at Grup Viñas
Animal welfare was incorporated at Viñas long before current certifications existed. “We started with animal welfare in 2002 at the request of some clients. At that time, it was something very innovative, and focused solely on slaughter,” he recalls.
That initial requirement soon became a learning opportunity. “We started with that, we learned as we went along, and we saw that we were ahead of the other companies. We learned about the Welfare Quality® project in 2008, when it was presented by the current heads of IRTA's Animal Welfare Unit, Antonio Velarde and Antoni Dalmau.” That discovery marked a turning point. “It was a continuation of what we had learned in the slaughterhouse, but applied to the farm. In other words, a protocol that allowed us to measure animal welfare on the farm and, from there, take improvement measures,” he explains.
From scientific research to practical application
After learning about the protocol, Grup Viñas proposed a joint project to IRTA. “We proposed a research project to link animal welfare, measured using the Welfare Quality® protocol, with meat quality. To do this, we worked with different farms within the group, which had very diverse production systems. This allowed us to evaluate whether the protocol worked effectively in different production contexts and geographical areas.”
After four years of research, they realized there was a correlation between improved animal welfare and improved meat quality. “These were aspects we already suspected: the better the treatment the animal receives throughout its life, the better the quality of the meat we obtain. And better meat quality also means a longer lifespan,” he explains. It was at that moment that animal welfare went from being a necessity for the brand to a productive investment.
The commitment to a scientific method focused on observing the animal
“We are betting on Welfair“Precisely because it’s an animal-centered method,” says Guillem. “We have farms in different areas of Catalonia, with different climates and breeds. By focusing on the animal and directly ‘asking’ it how it is feeling, we obtain real information about its well-being, which we can then compare. That was the reason we chose the Welfare Quality® protocol as a tool to measure it,” Guillem explains.
This animal-based perspective allowed Viñas to standardize the measurement and discover specific areas for improvement. “For example, in our country it’s common for many animals to share a single waterer. This made us realize that, when implementing changes, we should install two. This way we double the availability and improve the relationship between animals and waterers. That’s why, when we build or remodel a farm, we always incorporate two waterers.”
They also found that stocking density influenced animal welfare and productivity. “If we improve density and offer them more space, the animals repay us with better productivity.” Guillem points out that there is still much work to be done, many areas to improve, and a great deal of science to develop, although he prefers to see it more as opportunities than challenges.
Audits, data and continuous improvement
The audit system Welfair® has also served as a self-awareness tool for the company. Guillem explains that, when conducting audits, the reports provide scores for each farm, functioning like a snapshot of it. “You really recognize yourself in the results. It’s not just about getting the certificate. If you analyze the results carefully, they don’t surprise you; they reflect what you had already noticed.”
The group has also observed how the improvements they implement align with subsequent Welfare Quality® criteria. Guillem explains that it's not that their actions have directly influenced the criteria, but rather that common sense has led them to the same conclusions. For example, the latest revision of the protocol places great emphasis on the environment in which the animals live, including access to outdoor spaces and, more generally, air quality.
The improved ventilation has also had very visible effects: “When we installed fans inside the barns, the animals reacted very positively. During hot periods, this provides them with thermal comfort and, at the same time, improves the air quality inside the facilities. We are very pleased with these investments,” he says.
Awareness, training and efficiency
Although the sector's starting point in animal welfare is high, Guillem emphasizes that there is still a "lack of awareness." He maintains that, while they already had a good level, this is often due to habit: "It's done well because it's always been done that way. What we need is for those who raise animals to understand that animal welfare is an essential condition for meat quality."
She also emphasizes the importance of explanation: “It’s not enough to simply say that an animal needs toys. We must be able to quantify its well-being and translate it into economic terms so that people understand. Awareness, training, and the understanding that investing in animal welfare also translates into a tangible economic return are key,” she concludes.
The role of the consumer and the value of the brand
De Planell also reflects on the evolution of social perception: “If you conduct a survey, everyone will say they want meat with better animal welfare, but then they'll end up buying the cheapest. Even so, little by little, consumers are becoming more aware. Given the same price, between certified and non-certified meat, they're likely to choose the certified one,” he states.
It highlights that the Seal Welfair® adds intangible value to the product: “It gives it a value that can’t always be easily and directly translated into euros, but it does strengthen the brand. Having your brand associated with an animal welfare seal is an added value and generates trust among consumers.”
Animal welfare as an investment in the future
“Animal welfare is here to stay,” Guillem asserts. He explains that this concept has two aspects: “the image aspect—crucial for the brand and consumers—and the internal aspect, as an indicator of improvement and efficiency. Both are important: one protects us, the other makes us better.”
At Grup Viñas, this philosophy translates into concrete projects: “We have water control and treatment systems to provide the animals with the best possible quality. We've developed bedding composting to reuse materials and reduce emissions. We also use cameras that monitor animal behavior and detect incidents. It's about studying, studying, and improving. The famous continuous improvement,” he concludes.
Trust, communication, and respect
De Planell is emphatic: “The beef production here is impressive. We make a very good product, with very high animal welfare standards and a low environmental footprint, but we don't know how to explain it.” He points out that, despite this quality, many consumers are unaware of everything that goes into it and that, if they knew, they would surely value it much more.
“The brand WelfairThe ® logo is already a staple on supermarket shelves, and that helps consumers recognize a consistent animal welfare seal. They associate it with quality,” says Guillem. “But it only takes a few cracks to break that trust. That’s why we have to keep working, doing things right, and using the tools available to demonstrate it. In the long run, it always pays off.”
And he concludes with an analogy that captures the essence of the certification: “When booking a hotel online, we used to look at the stars, now we look at the rating. Welfair"That's what it means: the degree of satisfaction the animal has had in our home," he says.
In his final reflection, Guillem emphasizes the importance of respect throughout the entire process: “We know that animals are raised and slaughtered for meat, but the key word in this whole process is respect. Respect for the animal, respect for the product, and respect for the consumer. If we maintain that balance, the future will be ours.”