The appearance in Spain of the alholíes or pósitos seems to have occurred since the 19th century with "the primary task of facilitating the supply of the populations through one of their main foods, wheat" while the alhóndigas, "with precedents in the Muslim world, became, since the 16th century, complementary equipment to those in the tasks and functions to be performed."[7]​.

The public almudíes were establishments managed by the town councils where those who brought any type of grain to sell were obliged to take them for the same purpose. The almudí was made up of large and spacious warehouses or markets in which all types of grain were comfortably placed. It was open during the day and many bodies and individuals often came to this warehouse who wanted to purchase a certain amount of grain for their needs. Each participant or grain holder paid a price for each quantity of wheat, rye, millet, beans, corn, beans, barley and oats that he kept.

Covarrubias in his Treasure of the Castilian Language clarified: The alholí or pósitos functioned exclusively as "public granary where wheat and barley are collected" while the alhóndiga, "is the deputy house so that outsiders who come from the region to sell wheat to the city, put it there", but in addition "also means the one that is for others merchandise".[5]​On many occasions the two functions (storage and sale) coincide in the same space, thus explaining that "during the Modern Age, both institutions, different in theory, shared the same building in practice."[6]​.

The appearance in Spain of the alholíes or pósitos seems to have occurred since the 19th century with "the primary task of facilitating the supply of the populations through one of their main foods, wheat" while the alhóndigas, "with precedents in the Muslim world, became, since the 16th century, complementary equipment to those in the tasks and functions to be performed."[7]​.

The public almudíes were establishments managed by the town councils where those who brought any type of grain to sell were obliged to take them for the same purpose. The almudí was made up of large and spacious warehouses or markets in which all types of grain were comfortably placed. It was open during the day and many bodies and individuals often came to this warehouse who wanted to purchase a certain amount of grain for their needs. Each participant or grain holder paid a price for each quantity of wheat, rye, millet, beans, corn, beans, barley and oats that he kept.