Prospering during the pandemic: businesses that succeed despite the crisis

Examples of economic devastation over the past year abound. The pandemic has caused a wave of unemployment and temporary redundancies, leaving countless businesses struggling while Catalonia's GDP contracted by a historic 11.4% in 2020.

And yet, some companies have been thriving against all odds, especially those in tech and medical solutions as well as those that are delivery-focused.

Surviving in the food industry

According to the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, 95% of bar and restaurant sector businesses in Catalonia have been negatively affected by the pandemic—far more than any other industry.

One of those that falls within the 5% that has not suffered losses this year is Freshperts, a Barcelona-based company that owns Sushifresh, Boko, Fish&Greens, Takotako and Rainbowls and that both makes and delivers meals.

"Despite being part of the restaurant industry, we were prepared," explains managing director Sara Serentes. "This has been in our DNA since we launched the company: 'delivery' and 'technology'."

As most bars and restaurants struggled to stay afloat, Freshperts' profits increased precisely because Covid-19 restrictions made online orders soar. The company hit €5M turnover, 11% more than the year prior.

Medical technology and Covid-19

Businesses specializing in digitization or information and communication technologies have been amongst the most successful during the pandemic, as is the case of Protofy, a research and product development company in the Catalan capital.

At the height of the health crisis last March, Protofy developed the OxyGEN, an emergency ventilator to assist medical centers overwhelmed by an onslaught of patients in respiratory distress. Approved by the Spanish Medicine Agency, larger companies such as Seat then began producing the OxyGEN on a large scale.

"When we started the project, my grandmother told me 'during the war there are those who cry and those who make handkerchiefs'," says co-founder Ignasi Plaza. "Many companies have done the same. It’s the time to grow and innovate."

A year later, turnover and staff have doubled, with Plaza expecting similar figures for 2021.