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Josep Ferrer Sala, honorary co-chairman of Freixenet and a key figure in the company’s international expansion, has died at the age of 99. Born on 19 October 1925 in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, Ferrer devoted more than seven decades to Freixenet, positioning the brand as a world leader in cava with iconic products such as Carta Nevada.
Part of the second generation of the founding family, Ferrer, along with his sisters, maintained their bond with the company. Ferrer leaves an indelible mark on the history of Freixenet, the brand that his parents, Pedro Ferrer Bosch and Dolors Sala Vivé, created in 1914 in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia’, the company points out. His career was distinguished by an exceptional dedication and passion for cava and wine, values that marked every stage of his career.
Josep Ferrer took over the leadership after the Civil War, a period in which his mother and his sisters, Pilar, Carmen and Dolores, managed to relaunch Freixenet after the loss of their father and elder brother. His incorporation in 1947 began a new era for the company, which he managed from 1959 and presided over from 1978. Under his leadership, he modernised the facilities, expanded the cellars and, above all, promoted internationalisation, which led Freixenet cava to become the best-selling cava in the world, setting a milestone in the sector.
One of his greatest achievements was to turn Freixenet’s advertising into a benchmark for communication in Spain, with the mythical Freixenet Bubbles adverts featuring national and international personalities. Ferrer also stood out as a patron of the arts, supporting institutions such as the Liceu, the Palau de la Música, the MACBA, the MNAC, the Freixenet Symphony Orchestra of the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía and the CE Noia Freixenet hockey club.
Despite retiring from day-to-day management in 1999, Ferrer, named honorary president of Freixenet, remained active in the company as part of the board of sages alongside his sisters. It is also worth noting that in 2018 Josep became a key figure in the alliance between Freixenet and Henkell, who share 50/50 ownership of the company.
