Iván Etcheverry is one of the many rural producers in our concession area who with his work guarantee food on the table of thousands of Argentine families during the quarantine. Los Almendros, the family pyme that he runs, is located halfway between Domselaar and Guernica (San Vicente), about 75 kilometers south of the Federal Capital.
Every day, 365 days a year, Iván and his brothers -the fourth generation- produce cheese that serves as raw material for bakeries, pasta factories, confectioneries and shops in the area that work with Aitona Jakue products, their brand.
The pyme that Iván runs produces 130 kg of hard cheese, 180 kg of white cheese and 120 kg of dough for mozzarella.
The entire agro-industrial complex has an installed power of 60 KVA and an electrical consumption of about 1,400 kWh per month, which is used to milk cows, activate washing machines, vacuum packaging, process food, maintain cold rooms and extract water from the wells.
A 123-year history
This family of producers has been present in the area since 1897, when Iván's great-grandparents bought these lands and began to produce them. In 1918 the dairy was in charge of his grandfather who, together with his parents, did the daily manual milking of the animals. It was not until 1966 that Iván's father, whom everyone in the area calls "pigeon", took control of the dairy.
At the end of 1990, this family business underwent one of its most important changes: the owners decided to incorporate industrial technology into the basic production processes. Then, the form of production went from artisanal or mechanical to automated.
Automation simplified all work and was a new way of operating, which expanded electrical needs.
Every day, the Los Almendros dairy farm operates from 4 in the morning to 10 at night.
18 hours every day
Los Almendros carries out two great jobs every day: the milking of the cows and the processing of the milk to make mozzarella, fresh cheese, hard cheese and ricotta (with processed whey). All merchandise is destined for hundreds of shops in the area that boost the local economy.
The dairy produces 1.300 liters of milk a day, in two milkings, one in the morning and the other in the evening: they operate from 4 in the morning until 10 at night.
The first job of the day is milking the animals to extract the raw material.
With this milk, 130 kg of hard cheese are produced, 180 kg of creamy or white cheese, and 120 kg for the production of dough for mozzarella. “One day we make one type of cheese, another day we make another. This is how we are organized", said Iván, owner and dairy worker.
In a chamber they store the production of dairy products, which are then marketed by one of Iván's sisters, who is dedicated to the sale and delivery of cheeses. Most of what is produced supplies San Vicente and to a lesser extent other towns in the southern part of Greater Buenos Aires.
The energy of work
The whole family works at Los Almendros: the 3 brothers, their parents and even cousins. In total, six families live in this small dairy, where the adults already teach the new generations how to produce food.
The dairy's power supply needs have changed over time. According to Ivan, since 2017 the relationship with the company has grown stronger in every way. “The quality of service has undoubtedly improved and over time we also created very cordial ties with the Edesur staff in the area. They are relationships that are worth taking care of so that they are maintained over time. We are very happy", he reflects.
Our concession area has more than 2.5 million clients that we supply with electricity from the Federal Capital to the most distant points in the south of GBA and rural areas to Coronel Brandsen and Gobernador Udaondo.
The teams that work in the different localities of the concession area contribute their effort to build relationships with the local community.Los Almendros is on Route 5, on the road between Doomselar and Guernica (San Vicente).