In the context of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, CASES (Cooperativa António Sérgio para a Economia Social) published its annual report “As 100 Maiores Cooperativas 2023”, providing an overview of the country’s most influential cooperatives. This ranking highlights the diversity and resilience of the Portuguese cooperative model, with major players across various economic sectors.
Here is a selection of the five largest Portuguese cooperatives, representing different sectors:
1. Unilabs Portugal – Health Sector
- Ranking: 1st place in the overall ranking of the largest cooperatives
- Description: Unilabs Portugal is a leading provider of medical analyses and diagnostic services. It offers a wide range of services to patients and healthcare professionals, contributing to the improvement of healthcare quality.
2. Unicol – União das Cooperativas de Lacticínios Terceirense, UCRL – Agri-food Sector
- Ranking: 2nd place in the overall ranking of the largest cooperatives
- Description: Unicol is the largest agricultural cooperative in the Azores, bringing together milk producers from the islands of Terceira and Graciosa. It is one of the region’s largest economic groups, playing a key role in the production and distribution of dairy products.
3. Caixa Agrícola de Torres Vedras – Financial Services Sector (Co-Host of GICS)
- Ranking: Among the top 20 credit cooperatives
- Description: This cooperative bank provides financial solutions tailored to the needs of its members, supporting local economic development and financial inclusion. As a co-host of the Global Innovation Coop Summit (GICS) 2025, Caixa Agrícola de Torres Vedras plays a central role in promoting cooperative innovation.
4. Seguros Coop – Cooperativa de Seguros – Insurance Sector
- Ranking: Not specified in the overall ranking but recognized in the Portuguese cooperative insurance sector
- Description: Offers mutual insurance solutions to its members, committed to social protection and risk coverage.
5. Caves Santa Marta – Wine Sector
- Position: One of the largest wine cooperatives in Portugal
- Description: Located in Santa Marta de Penaguião, in the Douro region, Caves Santa Marta brings together over 2,000 members and produces approximately 13 million liters of wine per year, including Port wine and Douro wines. It plays a central role in preserving winemaking traditions and supporting local economic development.
These cooperatives illustrate the diversity and impact of the Portuguese cooperative model, actively contributing to the country’s economic, social, and sustainable development. For a detailed analysis of these actors and their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, consult the full CASES report: (cases.pt).
