Decades pressing forward together – A path to the future through innovation

From left to right: Rafael Ayuso, Filipe Mestre and Nelson Fialho walk through Herdade de Cordeiros da Charneca in Portugal.

It all began when the cooperative acquired a traditional olive mill in 1982. At the time, oil extraction was labor-intensive, relying on a manual press system and a classic stone mill to crush the olives.

In 1989, recognizing the need for modernization, Caminhos do Futuro entered a new era with the installation of its first continuous extraction line from Alfa Laval. The transformation was profound. What once required 30 workers could suddenly be managed by just a handful of operators.

For a decade, this system served them well, but growing demand for their high-quality oil pushed the cooperative to expand again. In 1998, they installed at the core of the line the then-revolutionary NX decanter, supported by two resilient high-speed separators. Unbeknownst to the cooperative at the time, these machines were laying the foundation for a legacy of efficiency and quality. Season after season, the technology operated flawlessly for 25 years—without a single breakdown and consistently producing exceptional extra virgin olive oil. And even today, its heartbeat still echoes through the mill.

Caminhos do Futuro embraced the next chapter with the acquisition of the Foodec Sigma decanter in 2024, increasing processing capacity from 1,500 to 6,000 kilograms of olives per hour.

What once required 21 days of nonstop labor can now be done in a fraction of the time with even better results” says José, retired Mill Operator at Caminhos do Futuro.

Sigma technology brought not just precision and speed, but also automated intelligence to Montemor-o-Novo. Its digital interface enables greater process stability, instantly pinpoints issues and optimizes flow in real time, making operations smoother and more intuitive. Yet the new decanter did not replace the NX centrifuge for olive oil—it complemented it. The older machine has been repurposed as a second extraction line, working in tandem with the Foodec Sigma centrifuge to help the cooperative of growers in the area reduce losses in the pomace and maximize oil recovery.

After several discussions on what to do with the original line, we suggested a dual-line setup, as the NX decanter remains mechanically sound despite its age. This way, they can both expand capacity and extract additional oil, increasing the profitability of the process,” explains Rafael Ayuso, Global Sales Manager at Alfa Laval.

The need to increase daily processing capacity had become critical for the cooperative, especially as harvest campaigns have grown shorter and more intense, while the demand to feed a growing population continues to rise. Although they had operated with strong performance for many years, they eventually reached a point where meeting production demands became increasingly difficult. The mill was determined to avoid the risk of valuable olives spoiling and the installation of a new processing line marked a significant turning point.

With same-day processing now possible, the cooperative could meet client expectations while preserving the freshness and delicate flavors that define their oil.

For over two decades, the NX decanter has faithfully served the cooperative. That kind of reliability, along with the enduring relationship of trust we’ve built with Alfa Laval, made it an easy choice to stick with them when it was time to scale up again and meet the growing demands of our producers,” says Nélson Fialho, Mill Manager at Caminhos do Futuro.

Through every upgrade and innovation, Caminhos do Futuro has remained committed to excellence. By honoring the past, the cooperative ensures that the roots of the ancient art of olive oil making stay deeply planted in the soil of Montemor-o-Novo.