Since 1898:
History of Monte Nevado: more than
125 years of ham-making tradition
Origins
Since 1898, Monte Nevado has represented a way of understanding ham rooted in respect for time, the product and the craft. This is the story of a family of master ham makers and of knowledge passed down from generation to generation for more than a century, evolving without losing its essence.
1898: the origins of a family of master ham makers
When I speak of Monte Nevado, I am not speaking only of a ham company. I am speaking of my family and of a way of feeling the craft that began long before I was born.
Our story begins in 1898, with my great-grandfathers Juan Olmos and Víctor Llorente, the first master ham makers in the family line. At that time there were no brands or narratives. There was knowledge passed on in silence, from generation to generation. They learned to listen to time, to the climate and to the pieces. To understand that a good ham cannot be forced: it must be accompanied throughout its slow curing process.
The craft of ham: tradition and shared knowledge
That know-how was later passed on to my grandfathers, Ireneo Llorente and Vicente Olmos. With them, the craft of ham became firmly established as a way of life based on constant work, absolute respect for the raw material and a very close relationship with our surroundings.
They laid the foundations for everything that would come afterwards with a clear idea that remains valid today: doing things well, even if it takes more time.
The birth of Monte Nevado as a family project
The Monte Nevado brand was born later, with my father, Miguel Olmos. With him, that family legacy took shape as a business project.
Monte Nevado was not a starting point, but a natural step within a story that had already been written for decades. It brought vision, structure and a way of growing that never broke with its origins or with respect for the traditional process of curing ham.
Growth, natural curing cellars and international projection
Throughout the 20th century, Monte Nevado evolved with calm and coherence. Facilities were expanded, new natural curing cellars were opened and the project began to travel beyond our borders.
Exporting came as a logical consequence of work well done and brought with it a clear responsibility: to keep intact our way of understanding ham — Ibérico and Serrano — regardless of where in the world it is enjoyed.
The commitment to the Mangalica breed and long curing
In the 1990s, we experienced one of the most decisive moments in our history. In our search for animals especially well suited to producing long-cured hams, we found in the Mangalica breed many of the virtues we had always valued in the Iberian pig.
Its fat infiltration, the quality of its meat and its performance in the curing cellar led us to commit to this unique breed, while also assuming a firm commitment to its rescue and conservation. For this recovery work, I received the Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary, and the breed was declared a National Gastronomic Heritage by the Hungarian Parliament.
Awards, innovation and international recognition
Over the years, our hams began to be present in some of the most demanding establishments in the world. We have always understood that being part of these places is a natural consequence of perseverance, respect for the product and a clear identity.
This international prestige is linked to our approach to continuous improvement. In recent years, we have developed more than 30 innovation projects, applied to knowledge of the curing process, the behaviour of the pieces in the curing cellar and the final quality of the product.
The combination of tradition, experience and innovation, together with the passion of our entire team, has made Monte Nevado the ham brand most highly awarded by the Ministry of Agriculture in the Alimentos de España Awards, with first prizes for Best Acorn-Fed Ibérico Ham in 2018 and 2025, and for Best Serrano Ham in 2022 and 2025.
The Ham Campus: tradition, innovation and future
In 2022, we inaugurated the Ham Campus, a space created to share what we have learned over more than a century, to transmit the knowledge of the craft and to continue building culture.
In addition, we have captured our knowledge in three books and numerous technical articles that address, with rigour and depth, different aspects of the world of ham.
The Campus is also the place where tradition and innovation meet. It brings together the learning generated by our R&D&I projects with a clear purpose: to deepen knowledge of the ham-making craft, preserve its essence and contribute to its evolution with a forward-looking perspective.
A family business with its eyes on time
Today, as CEO, my responsibility is to safeguard this legacy and prepare it for future generations. Monte Nevado has grown and adapted to new times, but in essence it remains a family business.
A story made of people, considered decisions and trust in the value of time. Because everything we are today began in 1898. And it continues to grow with the same conviction.
Juan Vicente Olmos
CEO de Monte Nevado
BEST IBERIAN ACORN-FED HAM 2025 and 2018
Winner of the Alimentos de España Award for Best Iberian Acorn-Fed Ham 2025 and 2018: Monte Nevado 100% Iberian Acorn-Fed Ham
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Winner of the Alimentos de España Award for Best Serrano Ham 2025 and 2022: Monte Nevado 24-month Serrano Ham
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