The historic Es Llombards (Santanyí), Quesos Grimalt, cheesemaker absorbs nearly 90% of Mallorca’s cow milk production following the closure of Agama. +Mallorca

With new partners and strengthened day-to-day management, the company is doubling its volume while appealing directly to local consumers to absorb the surplus and secure the future of the Mallorcan countryside.

Mallorca’s dairy sector is going through one of its most critical yet hopeful moments. Of the more than one hundred dairy farms that once operated on the island, barely nine active farms survive today.

Following the exit of AGAMA on March 3, 2026, and the subsequent plant closure by Grupo Damm, previously the main buyer of local milk, the solution has emerged from the heart of the primary sector itself:

Quesos Grimalt has stepped up to manage around 5.2 million liters of milk annually from seven of the livestock farms still operating in Mallorca.

To tackle this challenge, the iconic Es Llombards (Santanyí) cheese factory, founded in 1947, is entering a new chapter with a clear goal: to give the sector a definitive boost and prevent its extinction.

As the company’s director, Pedro Monroig, explains:

“We remain a family business and we want to preserve that essence. What has changed is that we are now facing a much greater challenge.”

Expansion, industrial capacity, and the Valencia challenge

Until the change of ownership, Quesos Grimalt processed milk from six dairy farms, with a daily output of around 6,200 liters.

With the addition of the farms that used to sell to Agama (such as Son Carbó and Son Bernat), the cheesemaking operation has seen its volume double, reaching an average of 14,600 liters per day.

However, this dramatic increase presents an operational paradox. Although Quesos Grimalt has the technical capacity to turn all the milk it receives into cheese, the local market cannot yet absorb such volume.

“Quesos Grimalt has the capacity to turn all the milk it manages into cheese, but current demand for our product does not allow us to increase production. For this reason, part of the milk is currently being shipped to Valencia,” explains Pedro Monroig.

To address this imbalance, the company faces a dual challenge in the short and medium term: to upgrade and expand its facilities to diversify its product range through the processing of dairy derivatives, such as fresh milk aimed at the hospitality, catering, and retail channels.

To boost responsible local consumption, consolidating the marketing of traditional artisan cheese, brossat (fresh curd cheese), and grated cheese with no additives or preservatives.

The survival of cattle farming in Mallorca now depends, more than ever, on public support and a commitment to zero-kilometer, locally sourced produce.

“We face the challenge of encouraging the people of Mallorca to choose local dairy products. Without the support of the island’s community, there is no future for the sector,” concludes Monroig.

With this strategic move, Quesos Grimalt appeals to consumers as a key element in preserving the rural landscape, livestock welfare, and the Balearic countryside’s food sovereignty.

About Quesos Grimalt / Formatges Grimalt

Quesos Grimalt is a family-run business with over seven decades of experience in crafting traditional cheeses and dairy products in Mallorca. Founded in Es Llombards (Santanyí) by Xisco Grimalt, the company has established itself as a benchmark in the artisan dairy sector.

Its philosophy combines respect for tradition, deep roots in the land, and the production of top-quality products, such as its aged, semi-cured, and fresh varieties, alongside its acclaimed brossat (fresh curd cheese), using exclusively milk from the island’s livestock farms.