COMPANIES · LAYING HEN FARMING · FREE-RANGE EGGS
Huevos Guillén’s 320,000 free-range hen farm in Extremadura adds a new partner and raises investment to 18 million euros
CEX Capital joins as a strategic partner in the Ribera del Fresno (Badajoz) project, a poultry complex that will produce close to 100 million free-range eggs per year and generate more than 60 direct jobs
Huevos Guillén strengthens its biggest free-range bet in Extremadura
The Huevos Guillén Group has taken a decisive step in its most ambitious poultry project in Extremadura. The new fully free-range laying complex that the Valencian group is building in Ribera del Fresno (Badajoz) has added a financial partner and raised its overall investment to 18 million euros, up from the 14.5 million announced in April 2026. The addition of CEX Capital as a strategic partner will accelerate the development and financing of a complex that will be built progressively and is set to become one of the largest free-range egg facilities in the country.
Close to 100 million free-range eggs per year
The heart of the project is its scale. The Ribera del Fresno complex will have capacity for 320,000 free-range hens distributed across eight laying houses and five production units, with an estimated output close to 100 million free-range eggs per year. The entire facility is designed as a fully free-range system, guaranteeing the hens access to outdoor areas set up in accordance with current industry standards. Once completed, it will be the group’s second-largest free-range farm, behind only the one in Teruel.
Huevos Guillén is building a complex in Ribera del Fresno capable of producing close to 100 million free-range eggs per year: its biggest commitment to the cage-free system in Extremadura.
More than 60 direct jobs and synergies with Almendralejo
Beyond its industrial scale, the initiative will have a significant impact on employment in the region, with the expected creation of more than 60 direct jobs, in addition to the indirect activity linked to auxiliary services, supplies, and work associated with the complex’s operation.
The project also strengthens Huevos Guillén’s presence in Extremadura, where the Valencian group has a major plant in Almendralejo through Cantos Blancos Sur, a supplier to major chains such as Mercadona. The proximity between both facilities (25 km apart) will enable logistical and industrial synergies, particularly in the sorting, packaging, and distribution processes.
A partnership dating back to 1995
CEX Capital’s entry was formalized before a notary, with the participation of the Corporation’s Director of Investments, Eduardo Rodríguez Quirós, and the CEO of Huevos Guillén, Joaquín Guillén. Both have emphasized that the deal consolidates a collaborative relationship dating back to 1995. The financial partner is entering through a capital contribution aimed at supporting the project’s growth and facilitating its establishment in the region.
At Huevos Guillén, Joaquín Guillén has positively assessed the incorporation of the new partner, considering that “it represents important backing to face this new growth stage with maximum guarantee and stability,” and has highlighted that CEX Capital brings “not only financial resources, but also a strategic vision and a deep knowledge of the Extremaduran business fabric.”
The incorporation of CEX Capital represents important backing to face this new growth stage with maximum guarantee and stability. — Joaquín Guillén, CEO of Huevos Guillén
Administrative approval was already on the table
The project reaches this stage with the main procedures already completed. Last spring, the facility obtained a favorable environmental impact statement from the Regional Government of Extremadura, as well as urban planning approval from the Ribera del Fresno City Council. With the administrative framework settled, the bottleneck became financing: precisely the piece now being provided by CEX Capital’s investment.
Another piece in the Valencian group’s free-range strategy
The deal fits into the roadmap of Huevos Guillén, a leading supplier to major retail chains, which has committed to reaching 100% of its production in alternative systems. The group frames its investments in Extremadura within a broader plan aimed at strengthening its laying hen census in the coming years. Ribera del Fresno thus becomes a symbol of where Spanish eggs destined for large retailers are headed: large-scale facilities, expanded animal welfare, and full traceability.
CEX Capital: a partner with a regional focus
Rodríguez Quirós of CEX (Corporación Empresarial de Extremadura) has described the agreement as “an example of the accompaniment model that characterizes the venture capital corporation, based on establishing long-term alliances with companies that have solid projects, growth capacity, and a clear commitment to Extremadura”. The deal is part of CEX Capital’s investment roadmap for 2026, a year in which it plans to mobilize eight million euros in projects across strategic sectors for the region, including agri-food. Established in 1992, the company has participated in nearly 70 operations, with a turnover of more than 1.2 billion euros and over 5,500 direct jobs generated.
Its shareholders include national business groups, financial institutions, the regional Administration, and the Extremadura business sector. Thus, CEX’s members include: Iberdrola, Junta de Extremadura, Unicaja, Ibercaja, Participaciones Trust, Cajalmendralejo, Banco Santander, Grupo Industrial CL, Caja Rural de Extremadura, Foresta Capital, Senpa, El Corte Inglés, Diego Hidalgo Schnur, CaixaBank, Telefónica, Campofrío, Endesa, Corporación Financiera Alba, Joca Ingeniería y Construcciones, Placonsa, Aon, among others.
The NeXus Deal Sheet
| Promoting company | Grupo Huevos Guillén (through its subsidiary Dehesa de Monfragüe, S.L.U.) |
| Financial partner | CEX Capital (regional development investment company of Extremadura) |
| Location | Ribera del Fresno (Badajoz, Extremadura) |
| Overall investment | 18 million euros (compared to the €14.5M announced in April) |
| Capacity | 320,000 free-range hens in 8 laying houses and 5 production units |
| Production | Close to 100 million free-range eggs per year |
| Employment | More than 60 direct jobs, plus associated indirect employment |
| Production system | 100% free-range, with hens having access to designated outdoor areas |
| Permits | Favorable Environmental Impact Statement and municipal urban planning approval |
| Development | Progressive, in phases |
To learn more:
-. News about poultry companies on NeXusAvicultura.com
-. DOE Junta de Extremadura April 23, 2026: MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
RESOLUTION of April 16, 2026, from the General Directorate of Sustainability, issuing the environmental impact statement regarding the free-range hen poultry complex project, in the municipality of Ribera del Fresno, whose promoter is Dehesa de Monfragüe, SLU. File: IA25/1193. (2026060868)
-. News about HUEVOS GUILLÉN
Want to stay one step ahead in poultry farming?
Subscribe for free to our eNewsletter and receive a weekly selection
of the best information to anticipate trends, stay up to date, and improve as a poultry professional.
NeXusAvicultura: Vision, Insight, Quality and Context.