La Almendrehesa is active in the commercialisation of organic almonds and other artisanal products from the Altiplano Estepario, a region in Southern Spain. In cooperation with AlVelAl, La Almendrehesa propagates the use of regenerative methods for agriculture in local farming practices, thereby fulfilling an essential role within the Altiplano.

Through applying regenerative farming practices, degraded land suffering from desertification and erosion can be restored to a blooming and diverse ecosystem. In sharing this knowledge with local farmers, the ‘4 Returns’ principle is key: investments in land regeneration should result in holistic value for the region as a whole. This value is fourfold and consists of return of inspiration, return of social capital, return of nature, but also return on investment. More information on the background of La Almendrehesa, AlVelAl and the ‘4 Returns’ framework can be found in this article on the website of Commonland.

La Almendrehesa is led by Frank Ohlenschlaeger, a driven and dedicated entrepreneur with a large amount of experience in the region. After having known Frank for several years, ifund has provided a loan in October 2020 as prefinancing for the procurement of organic almonds by La Almendrehesa. The loan is being put to use alongside existing loans by Commonland and ImpactAvio.

One of the largest producers for La Almendrehesa is La Junquera, the family farm of Alfonso Chico de Guzmán – a beautiful account of his story can be viewed below: