Three generations of innovation in bread

My grandfather was young at heart, with an inexhaustible imagination. He left the mines of Mazarrón for Barcelona and kept going until he made his way. He founded businesses in linseed oils, silk finishing agents, locust bean gum, milking machines and animal feed, before eventually turning to bakery products.

That is how Mali Fibras Granados began in 1939. The world of bread fascinated him: he wrote books including Hacer pan y bollería es fácil, El pan y el ajo and Adelgazar comiendo pan artesano. He also took part in the early days of the Barcelona Bakers’ Guild and received its Gold Insignia in 1996.

During his final years at Mali Fibras Granados, he developed Pan Fibroso, a bread designed to support intestinal transit, before handing the reins to his son David.

My father is an agricultural engineer and joined the family business in 1978. He ushered in a new period of growth and specialisation. It was then that Fibra Verde was developed: the bakery mix that would become one of Mali Fibras Granados’ best-known products.

Fibra Verde combines soluble and insoluble fibres from flours, seeds and dehydrated vegetables to produce a high-fibre bread focused on intestinal transit. At the time, very few bakery products had this positioning.

Since then, it has been made in artisan bakeries, industrial bakeries and supermarket chains across Spain. David is still very much involved; he can be a bit of a nag sometimes, but few fathers have made it so easy for their children to join the family business.

Now it is my turn. I started by studying 3D Animation, then Advertising, and specialised in Digital Marketing, working at Aguas Danone with brands such as Font Vella and Lanjarón. In 2019, I took the step of joining the family business.

In 2020, we developed Fibracol, a mix for breads with plant sterols and a specific cholesterol-related positioning. Since then, we have expanded the range with mixes high in protein, fibre and calcium, as well as new applications for snacks, cakes and pastries.

The first generation builds the business. The second grows it. The third ruins it.

So the saying goes. We intend to prove it wrong: to preserve all Mali Fibras Granados’ baking knowledge and apply it to the products of the future.