From Bankruptcy to 10M Water Bottles a Month

A Spanish paramedic who once needed food stamps now runs a water packaging empire producing 10 million bottles monthly.

Francisco "Curro" Rodríguez spent 20 years working emergency medical services in Malaga while launching businesses on the side. Two of those ventures failed spectacularly, leaving him bankrupt and doing odd jobs to survive.

In 2015, he started over with a few thousand euros and founded Ly Company. The company produces water in sustainable cardboard packaging instead of plastic bottles.

Eleven years later, his company operates 10 factories across Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Ly Company has become one of Europe's fastest-growing multinationals in sustainable water packaging.

The secret wasn't chasing grocery store contracts like most competitors. Instead, Rodríguez focused on personalized products for over 3,000 brands including airlines, hotel chains, and event organizers.

"There is a lot of water in sectors where no one thinks it is consumed," he explains. A single airline can consume 50 million bottles per year.

The company's sustainability credentials set it apart: factories powered by green energy, cardboard from responsibly managed forests, and bioplastic made from sugar cane. The water itself is guaranteed microplastics-free.

Why This Inspires

Rodríguez hasn't forgotten his struggles. Part of company profits now fund his "Agua y Vida" Foundation, supporting environmental and humanitarian projects worldwide.

"I've gone through some very difficult times," he says. "Now that I'm doing well, I want to give something back to society."

His approach to business comes from hard-won experience. Of the 39 companies he's founded, 23 remain active within his holding company today.

"When things are done out of emotion, and not for money, they create value," Rodríguez explains. "The money follows, but you have to look for value first."

The company is now expanding into China and targeting the massive U.S. market. From food stamps to global entrepreneur, Rodríguez turned his failures into fuel for building something that matters.