It is a common sight at the Mercadona on Administrador Gutiérrez Anaya Street in Seville. At noon, a multitude of workers from nearby offices and industrial estates fill all the tables of the supermarket, attracted by an offer that ranges from paella to poke or lasagna at affordable prices. The scene is repeated in many other supermarkets of the chain in Spain and Portugal. Mercadona has become a leading player in the Ready to Eat section, which generates 700 million euros in our country and competes for the same space as menu bars and fast food chains. The sum of this section and the prepared food business—which also includes creams, packaged chicken, or refrigerated pizza, among others—amounts to 3,000 million in Spain and Portugal, around 7% of its revenue in 2025. To put Mercadona's figures in perspective, McDonald's Spain is around 2,000 million euros annually, while Burger King Spain is around 1,500 million. The brand of Juan Roig, by the way, channels 10.2% of the occasions ...