Food wholesaler diversifies to deliver taste of Spain to Portsmouth homes

La Espanola, in Quatremaine Road, was forced to adapt when coronavirus restrictions stripped away most of its customers overnight.

The family-run business, which started in 1997, normally supplies more than 500 restaurants across the south coast.

However, when these restaurants were made to close, La Espanola had to look at other ways to stay in business - and it launched an updated website full of recipes and ideas, a click and collect service for its Copnor base, and a free home delivery service for its thousands of products.

General manager Jason Gould, who has worked at the firm for 12 years, said: ‘It was a challenge but we are lucky to have so many amazing customers.'

Owner Sue Aguado, who runs the business with her husband Raul, said: ‘It was scary but we will live to fight another day. Now we are not so worried about the future as we have moved our business forward and gone online.'

La Espanola started out selling Spanish goods but now stocks food from all over the world, including tapas, olive oil, olives, cured meats and much more. It stocks a range of Spanish meats such as Serrano ham, Ibérico ham and Chorizo, as well as cheeses such as manchego, smoked San Simon and Spanish Blue.

As well as large catering size products, they have adapted to sell smaller products suitable for home use.

Jason, from Copnor, said: ‘People could not go holiday this year. They were not able to go abroad and visit their favourite tapas bar but we have all the products they need - and we could deliver it to their door as well as giving them advice on how to cook it.

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‘We have been trading for 23 years and there is a huge amount of people who love our food.

‘Every product we sell represents our company. We are choosy with the products that we use. Everything is excellent quality.

‘We are a small family-run company but we are here for the long term. Our core business is looking after our restaurants but we have been super impressed by how our customers have adapted.

‘We have had to adapt too, and change the way we do deliveries, the times we open, and more, the industry as a whole has had to make lots of changes.

‘Yes we have been affected but if anything it has given us chance to reflect and change what we are doing.'

For more go to laespanola.co.uk or facebook.com/EspanolaLtdUk or call (023) 9247 0733.

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