Digital music distribution company The Orchard has announced deals with a number of Spanish and Portuguese record labels, expanding the number of independent record companies the content aggregator is now representing in the digital content domain. Among the labels added to The Orchard's catalogue are 18 Chulos, Ediciones Resistencia, Propaganda Pel Fet!, Picap, Elkar, Kasba Music, Musica Global, Sonifolk, K Industria, Ovaçao, Zona Musica, Difference Music and Enchufada.
Confirming the new deals at the 2006 World Music Expo Conference in Seville, The Orchard's CEO, Greg Scholl, told reporters: "Spain and Portugal have produced some of the world's most appealing and ground-breaking music, from flamenco to fado to breathtaking fusions of traditional folk music with cutting-edge sounds. Through our relationships with many of the most important and influential labels in the Iberian Peninsula, The Orchard is committed to marketing the rich musical heritage of this region to music fans throughout the globe".
Confirming his deal, Javier Jimenez, owner of Madrid-based Ediciones Resistencia, added: "We believe that digital distribution will become more and more ingrained in the coming years, and therefore it's important for us to align ourselves with the company that is the clear leader in this area. For independent companies such as ours, The Orchard gives us a presence in the top digital retail sites in the world and also serves as a key partner in helping place and market our tracks in the digital space. We look forward to continuing to work with The Orchard to make our mark in the growing world of digital distribution."