Alki

Alki is a homegrown enterprise so it is only natural that its business activities focus on championing the Basque Country, the land that witnessed the birth of the co-operative and saw it grow. Indeed, Alki’s approach goes beyond simple acts of production to embrace social and environmental responsibility with a commitment to taking part in the region’s activist culture. By drawing on our roots, we have also found the energy that drives our openness to the world, an essential ingredient to Alki’s influence and reputation.

Alki emerged in 1981, at the height of an economic and social crisis set against the backdrop of a tense political context. In an effort to counter the exodus of Basque Country youth seeking opportunities elsewhere, five friends decided to join forces by using their energy and hopes to create qualified employment and thus contribute to developing economic activity in the Basque Country.

It was in Itxassou, a village untouched by industrialisation, that Alki’s first workshop found haven. Driven by the impetus of both ideological and economic support, Alki saw the light of day in the form of a cooperative flying the flag of deeply-rooted values that went well beyond any economic aspect.

“In order to shape the future that we dreamt of, we had to be capable of envisaging its contours”. So Alki embraced the culture of activism by fervently advocating regional development, sustainability, equality in the redistribution of wealth and support for local culture.

Our ambition was, and still is, to craft a cultural and commercial project that would be a veritable catalyst for our environment, enabling it to flourish by encouraging cooperation between people and enterprises in order to offer our customers the very best. With this in mind, we work alongside individuals, supporting initiatives and projects that bring added value and strive for the future of our region.