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"The adaptability of our products is the key"
Interview with Jordi Gallés, Managing Director of Europastry
AVUI, 11th November 2007, by Mariona Gómez

The Profile: Jordi Gallés, (Barcelona, 1972) graduated from ESADE and the LEE Cems Masters School of Management (Paris). He began working in Europastry, the company founded by his father, 12 years ago and has occupied various responsibilities in the areas of finance, operations, marketing and sales. In 2004, he was named Managing Director, and since then he has contributed to the reinforcement of the expansion process of the company.

Europastry introduced pre-baked bread technology into Spain in the mid-eighties. The company is currently leader in the Spanish market of frozen dough with a market share of 30%.

Although the consumption of bread and pastries has stagnated, the frozen dough market is growing at a rate of 12% a year. Europastry is an example of the positive evolution of this market, a family company founded in 1987 by Pere Gallés and pioneer in our country in the manufacture of pre-baked bread and deep frozen pastries. But the origins go back even further, when a chain of bakeries was created that would later become known as El Moli Vell.

The enterprising character and strategic vision of Pere Gallés, the president of the company, led him to impel the technology of pre-baked bread in the middle of the eighties, technology which at that time was incipient in Europe. Europastry began as the supplier of the El Moli Vell stores, but today they are managed as two separate lines of business within the group (Europastry for professionals and El Moli Vell for retail). This year Europastry celebrates its 20th anniversary with new investments and the launching of the DOTS brand, frozen doughnuts ideal to consume at any time of the day.

What is the balance after 20 years?

The balance is very positive, but we still have a lot to achieve. During this time Europastry has changed considerably and we have experienced constant growth. The sales turnover of the company has gone from 70 million Euros in 1998 to 272 million in 2006. In only two decades Europastry has become the leader of the Spanish market of frozen dough with a 30% market share.

Which brands are you currently commercialising?

At the moment, Europastry’s three brand names are Fripan, Frida and Yaya MariaYaya Maria which together include more than 700 references of pre-baked bread, frozen pastries and doughnuts. The company is able to commercialize this wide product range thanks to its extensive frozen distribution network on a national level and our portfolio of clients with more than 40,000 sale points all over Spain.

¿Which is the company’s latest launch?

Just before the summer, Europastry launched the DOTS brand in the Spanish market. This is a strategic launching with huge growth expectations as it is a unique product in the market. It consists of a frozen doughnut which does not require any preparation before being eaten, it only needs to be defrosted. It is a top quality product which can be eaten at any time, any place, is always fresh and there is no need to worry about the best before date. This is a strategic launching for the company, because we are European leaders in this product category and already sell Dots in more than ten different countries.

Where is this product manufactured?

DOTS are made in the factory that the company has in Rubí. This centre was opened in 1999, has 55.000m2 and very advanced technology, which makes it one of the most modern in Europe.

Speaking of other countries, what percentage of your sales are export?

10% of Europastry’s sales turnover comes from outside Spain. Our products can be found in countries such as Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, the USA, Mexico and Japan. The key to our success is the good adaptability of our products.

How do you become leaders in this sector?

With a lot of effort and heavy investment in research and development. Europastry has its own R+D department, made up of a team of 20 multidisciplinary people. In addition, our manufacturing plants are equipped with our own technology which allows us to respect the traditional bakery processes with the greater guarantees of food safety. In fact, our plants are certified with a grade A by the BRC (British Retail Consortium), one of the strictest European norms in food safety.

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