Interview with Mireia Torres, Director of Innovation and Knowledge, Familia Torres

15 Jan Interview with Mireia Torres, Director of Innovation and Knowledge, Familia Torres

What makes Catalonia one of Europe’s top wine regions?

The wine sector’s contribution to Catalonia’s value chain exceeds $3.3 billion annually, representing 1.6% of the region’s gross domestic product. Organic wine now accounts for 60% of wine produced at vineyards in the region, and we are working towards reaching 100%. However, we have a long way to go to become leaders in this segment. Government assistance of the agricultural sector has been crucial; our situation is now more critical than it was 20 years ago. Catalonia has immensely benefited from excellent researchers, universities and technology centers. There is a wealth of knowledge within the sector concentrated in the region.

What is Familia Torres doing to overcome key challenges in the wine industry in 2025?

We are in a time of great change, and global political stability is crucial. Climate change is also making the sector’s profitability challenging. Additionally, we are seeing a decrease in global alcohol consumption. We are undergoing a generational transition within our company. The Familia Torres’ team consists of excellent professionals; the people who work here are highly committed. We love the company and are determined to move forward. To face these challenges, we must remain active. Our robust and well-guided transition process is moving us in the right direction. Research and collaboration with other wineries are crucial.  We have joined forces with other winemakers under the Plataforma Tecnológica del Vino platform to conduct research and help us adapt to climate change. An important focus for the company is the development of alcohol-free wine. While the idea initially seemed crazy, the product is now well established. A key differentiator is that our alcohol-free wine — called natureo in Spanish — has aromas from the natural fermentation of the wine; we do not add any external aromas. We want it to remain a wine, just without alcohol. We are utilizing the latest technologies to make these processes more efficient.

Looking forward, we believe one of Catalonia’s main challenges is the lack of an Anglo-Saxon mindset regarding open collaboration. The sector requires increased unity. While progress is being made, there is still work to do. Increasing the presence of women in the sector is also beneficial. Technology is also crucial. Any support that facilitates innovation is highly valuable. However, there remains a significant need for investment in digitalization. Maintaining a holistic vision is essential; we must understand what consumers want and consider the entire value chain. Collaborating with different companies and startups and fostering innovation transfer is also vital. Many knowledge transfer sessions are being organized in Catalonia, and there is a growing effort to align and coordinate these initiatives across different entities to maximize impact. Today, the company allocates more of its budget to internal education and training.  With over a thousand employees, it is essential we ensure alignment, empower teams to make the right decisions and foster greater initiative.

What is the company doing to innovate and diversify its products?

Developing new products is a key area of focus for the Catalonian wine sector. We are developing new wines and spirits to meet consumers’ needs. Our spirit division is particularly active in launching new and innovative products. We recently entered the Scotch whisky category with Liathmor and are working on new products that will be available soon. One significant aspect is the spirits sector, where important progress is being made. Work is underway on a Scotch whisky and other innovative products that will be launched soon. We place a heavy emphasis on innovation, particularly in the production of de-alcoholized wines and sparkling de-alcoholized wines. This segment has been growing steadily since 2018, and we are planning larger investments in this area.

Another important initiative is the recovery of ancestral grape varieties. This project was initiated by my father in the 1980s to restore lost varieties in Spain. When vineyards were replanted, many grape varieties were neglected and lost. For more than 40 years, we have traveled across more than 130 localities in Catalonia, visiting vineyards and responding to calls from vine growers who reached out after we placed announcements in newspapers. We have recovered 60 grape varieties, 15 of which are now officially registered — a process that takes more than 15 years in Spain and Catalonia. This project is particularly relevant as some of these varieties are better adapted to climate change. Some have higher acidity and later maturation, making them ideal for producing more balanced wines even in hot summers. We have launched several wines featuring these varieties. Our goal is to contribute to the industry and preserve cultural and viticultural heritage.

How central is sustainability and combating climate change to the company’s overall mission?

We are working at the corporate level within the framework of Torres & Earth, an initiative my father launched in 2008 in response to climate change. Its goal is to make our company more sustainable. We established a carbon reduction roadmap and sought to reduce our emissions by 30% between 2008 and 2020. We surpassed this goal and reached a 34% reduction in emissions. Our next targets are to have a 60% reduction in emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. Our initiative involves all company departments. For example, operations focus on reducing bottle weight and optimizing logistics routes. We implemented a reusable bottle program and other varied sustainability initiatives. In terms of energy efficiency, our main winery generates 55% of its energy from solar panels and a biomass boiler. We also continuously work to improve water conservation. We maintain a 40% water reuse rate at the winery. Other wineries have implemented irrigation projects to collect and utilize rainwater more sustainably.

We leverage predictive algorithms to optimize irrigation and have invested in regenerative agriculture to enhance vineyard resilience and counter climate change. By improving soil biodiversity and increasing water retention, we aim to create more climate-resistant vineyards. Some of our research projects are already yielding positive results. However, soil-related changes typically take around ten years to produce full results. Additionally, we are working on reducing and optimizing phytosanitary treatments using new technologies such as variable application and artificial vision. These innovations allow for more precise tractor applications and minimize environmental impact. Another innovative project is the development of agrivoltaics; we have installed solar panels five meters above the vineyard. We are currently conducting experiments with fixed panels and testing different levels of transparency to assess their impact on grape maturation, quality and cost.

How important is local and international collaboration in building up Catalonia’s wine industry?

As president of INNOVI — Catalonia’s wine cluster — I aim to promote collaboration between universities, companies and wineries. By gathering concerns from each stakeholder and bringing them to researchers, we facilitate projects, foster support, generate knowledge and ultimately apply these findings in the sector. INNOVI is doing great work. We held over 50 training sessions in 2024. The cluster consists of wineries and research centers in Catalonia and represents an ideal and practical approach to the sector’s largest issues. We take industry-defined priorities and concerns, pass them on to researchers and find ways to collaborate. At the cluster level, we have been steadily growing and everyone is satisfied. There is still much work to do, but we are moving in the right direction through the daily involvement of many dynamic individuals.

Another important initiative in Catalonia is ACCIÓ, Catalonia’s industrial promotion agency. They work on innovation, launch funding calls and significantly support projects. We collaborate with startups, particularly in technology-related areas. These short-term pilot projects help secure funding and last less than a year. If they succeed, both Familia Torres and the startups benefit. It is a dynamic and cost-effective way to innovate.

Another key initiative is the Familia Torres Wine Course, a program started by my father that has now reached its 34th edition. More than 340 people have participated, mostly sommeliers from around the world. The course allows us to share our philosophy and passion for wine while allowing participants to experience our wines, gastronomy and way of life. We also collaborate with the OIV MSc in Wine Management and welcome students to our winery each year. This year we also worked with schools in Barcelona and Madrid and awarded the best students in each class. We strongly believe in the value of hard work and dedication in achieving success. While recognition is important, effort is essential. We reward top students in sommelier schools. Furthermore, we organize tastings and provide lessons to specialized wine schools to foster education in the industry.

We actively participate in platforms such as the Spanish Wine Technology Platform and collaborate closely with INNOVI to promote the use of new technologies. Platforms that promote innovation across the wine sector are crucial for its continued growth. We also support training programs at universities and associations. For example, we collaborate with an association that works with people with disabilities in our region. We hire these individuals annually for logistics operations, help them integrate into the workforce and feel part of the Torres family. We have an external team working in operations. Over the years, we have incorporated many of these people into our workforce.

How significant is the USA to Familia Torres’ operations?

Our US distribution strategy underwent a significant change in 2020. We decided to collaborate with different distributors based on brand and product type — one for essential wines, another for prestige wines and so on. This change has been positive. Each Torres wine, Jean Leon wine and spirit now works with a supporting distributor. We are also currently focusing on the distribution of non-alcoholic wines to strengthen our position. The USA is among our top 10 wine export markets and ranks in our top five for spirits, especially brandy.

The International Wineries for Climate Action was founded in 2019 by my father and Katie Jackson from Jackson Family Wines in California. My cousin did an internship with them and connected us as we were both committed to fighting climate change. There are many certifications nowadays, but this one stands out due to its clear goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. It requires wineries to reduce their carbon footprint year by year while implementing sustainability measures, particularly in water management. Today, more than 175 wineries from more than 13 countries are part of the initiative. It continues to grow, which makes us very happy. There are more than five participating wineries in Spain. We believe one must commit to what one says and follow through with action. We must contribute our grain of sand to the greater cause.

What long-term goals do you have for Familia Torres?

The company is undergoing a transformation, including an intergenerational transition. We must consider a long-term vision when talking about corporate governance. Our goal is to remain a family-owned business while continuously adapting to changes, offering products that meet consumer needs and addressing both controllable and uncontrollable factors. Our mid-term vision focuses on executive governance. We are currently working on a strategic plan for the company. The non-alcoholic beverage sector is a key strategic area for us. We are making significant investments both in this field and sustainability. My vision comes from a lifetime in a family deeply rooted in the wine sector. For me, wine is more than just a beverage; it is a culture. We can gain a deeper understanding of the local philosophy and way of life through wine. I encourage everyone to visit Spain and Catalonia to experience our culture firsthand. Wine is not just a drink; it is an integral part of our traditions and way of life.