El Grupo Edelbio SL Miguelitos Ruiz de La Roda It is a family business that was born in 1951, first as a bakery, although little by little it became more professional in the production of sweets and other typical products of the area, such as the cakes for the Manchego gazpachos or its star product, the miguelitos.
José Ruiz is its general manager and we have spoken with him to get to know a little better the activity of this company from Roda.
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QUESTION: How far is that 1951 now…
ANSWER: “1951 is the year the company was created, and 1958 is precisely the year the original Miguelito was created, the one we have as the launch date for our family. Now we hope that successive generations will really know how to appreciate what it has meant to get to the moment we are in and, hopefully, that they will overcome it".
Q.: Some little Miguels that have varied over time.
R .: “When we get into the world of puff pastry, we see that not only the typical cream miguelito has the greatest influence, but there are other flavors that attract attention, such as chocolate. We took out the chocolate miguelito, although the manufacturers did not believe in this format, they thought that the miguelito was lost. But what has really been done has been to give more power and strength to the word miguelito, due to the number of children who eat miguelitos, miniguelitos, miniguelitos bonbon… a range that has been opened to all palates”.
Q.: Are you still doing research to improve the products or looking for new ingredients?
R .: “We are always trying to improve what we do and, if we can, come up with something new. The proof is that we already have several well-studied products. When we launched chocolate, for example, we had only been researching for four years what type of chocolate was the best to launch on the market. In food it normally does not take that long. We really like that research has a consequence, and that consequence is that what is there improves. And if it is possible that it gives one more incentive so that the client can feel more satisfied when choosing between several options. We are already working with new products, we are not going to stop there”.
Q.: At the Albacete Fair, miguelitos are traditional. Does the repercussion of the Fair help the projection of the miguelitos?
R .: “I don't know if the Fair has helped us, or we have helped the Fair. I think that we have all achieved, as a team, that the Albacete Fair has the name it has, since we all work to improve our province ".
Q.: Today it is difficult not to associate the word Miguelito with La Roda.
R .: “Really yes, it is not understood to go through La Roda and not stop to buy miguelitos. It is not understood to go down to the beach and not take miguelitos to the friends from the apartment next door as a way to establish a much stronger friendship. And all simply for a sweet that accompanies a chat in the fresh air or a moment of rest after lunch”.
Q.: At an international level, what level is Miguelitos Ruiz at?
R .: “We are present in other countries, but I think not enough, because we still do not export 50% of our production. If we reached that 50%, I would already say that we are on the right track. While we get there, we're going to do our best to put out the best product. Also for serving customers from abroad, who demand different products and we do research to give them the product with the flavor and quality that they want. We believe that this is the path, but it is arduous and you have to have a lot of strength and courage”.
Q.: What are those countries in which they are already?
R .: "We are in France, in the United Kingdom, in Portugal and in Italy, with different products, not only with miguelitos".
Q.: What kind of miguelito sells the most abroad?
R .: "The chocolate. The cream Miguelito has a very short expiration and we do not have the possibility of extending the product in maximum conditions. So the chocolate one is the one that sells the most, it doesn't have any problem and the puff pastry holds up very well over time”.
Q.: What are the next fairs or events where we will see Miguelitos Ruiz?
R .: "We will be at the Albacete Fair, at the Anuga Fair in Germany and surely at SIAL and Alimentaria, which are the greatest exponents in food and help us to contact new customers".
Q.: Finally, let's talk about the Association of Importers and Exporters of Albacete, ADIEX, of which you are part of its Board of Directors. How do you see the work that has been carried out from ADIEX?
R .: “ADIEX was born out of a need and it was to unite to strengthen the power to go to the foreign market. The doors of the foreign market are difficult to open, but once they are opened it is much easier to reach all the places, and together, from the association, it is a good way to enter, train and inform ourselves".
Q.: You are also the President and founder of the Albacete Association of Food and Agriculture Companies. How is the work coordinated within FEDA and with ADIEX?
R .: “FEDA's support has been fundamental since our foundation. ADIEX has united very different sectors and with the main objective of internationalization. The forum of the Association of Agri-food Companies also has the foreign market as a priority, but its training, regulations and work together with the Administrations is much more specific".
