The Generalitat (Catalan government) has declared void the auction of the cannelloni factory it inherited from a single businesswoman.

The Catalan government has declared void the auction of the cannelloni factory it inherited from a deceased businesswoman with no children or close relatives. The case is unprecedented: it is the first time the Catalan government has inherited a business that is operating through what is known as intestate inheritance—when a person dies without leaving a valid will.

Now, after suspending the process, it must decide what steps to take to find a buyer to take over the company Fadaic, located in Ripollet (Vallès Occidental) and dedicated to the artisanal production of cannelloni and lasagna pasta.

Unprecedented situation

The first attempt was unsuccessful. The Generalitat (Catalan Government) had opened a period for submitting bids to purchase 100% of the shares in the plant that had belonged to businesswoman Manuela Marimon, who died in 2019 at the age of 98. The deadline closed at midnight on May 7th, and the starting price was €296,155. That same day, the Directorate General for Heritage received an offer from the Lleida-based company Good Bio Foods, dedicated to the production of organically certified juices and beverages. However, the company failed to provide proof of having provided the necessary pre-guarantee (a monetary amount to confirm its participation in the auction), as recorded in the proposal appraisal report.

This is why the process has been halted. The Generalitat (Catalan government), the current owner of Fadaic, currently has two options: either restart the auction process or pursue a direct sale of the company.

The rest of the inheritance

Meanwhile, the pasta manufacturer continues its normal operations. The company employs ten people, producing a high-quality product sold to restaurants and gourmet shops. Since its owner passed away and the company was taken over by the Generalitat (Catalan government), it has been run by a manager. In 2023—the latest data available in the commercial register—it had a turnover of €390,498, 9% more than the previous year, and a profit of €13,201, compared to the loss of €39,800 recorded in 2022.

In addition to Fadaic, the Catalan government inherited from Manuela Marimon a commercial premises and a garage, a large house (on the ground floor of which the pasta factory is located and where the owner lived), another garage in the same municipality of Ripollet, and a disused flour mill in Huesca.