The vision of making authentic wood-fired paella available for home preparation anywhere in the world led to the creation of El Paeller, which launched in June 2020. A year later, the company established the world’s largest wood-fired paella workshop: a 500 square meter facility where paellas and broths are prepared, requiring only final touches at home. To finance this project, El Paeller relied on the advisory services of Kaizen Consulting. Today, the company is a success, with its products available throughout Spain and in a growing number of countries. Co-founder and Managing Director Guillermo Navarro shares more in this interview.
How did the idea of wood-fired paellas come about?
The idea originated 25 years ago when the father of our paella master Rafa Margós registered a project to package paella with the now-defunct CSIC, though it never came to fruition. My partner José Maza and I connected with Rafa through our Wikipaella project, which we also founded. Among the many ideas we encountered via Wikipaella, Rafa’s concept of packaging high-quality wood-fired paella excited us due to its innovative nature. We decided to collaborate to bring this idea to life, starting with the attractive challenge of creating the best possible wood-fired paella and making it easily accessible worldwide. We had to execute it perfectly because, as Wikipaella, we couldn’t settle for just anything.
The idea seems to have taken off quickly…
In 2017, we began R&D and, after three years, launched amid the pandemic from Rafa Margós’ restaurant, Las Bairetas, in Dénia. We entered the market in June 2020 and saw that our product was well-received because it is exceptional. People love our wood-fired paella. Together with our two other partners, we confirmed its viability and proceeded with our plan, necessitating the construction of a larger workshop. Operating on a small scale resulted in significant waste and limited production capacity. We needed to scale up.
How was this investment managed?
When we decided to build the world’s largest wood-fired paella workshop in Chiva, we contacted Kaizen Consulting. We had heard great things about José Roca and his team, so we sought their advice. From the moment we explained our project, they were fully committed to securing the financing we needed and supported us throughout the process. Kaizen Consulting connected us with various banks that believed in our project and got involved. We are very satisfied because we found the right people to finance us, fully met our needs, and felt supported, even gaining loyal customers!
Was it challenging to explain the project?
It was easier than we anticipated because everyone involved was enthusiastic. Our financial team worked seamlessly with Kaizen Consulting and the banks; people understood and visualized it completely. José Roca and his team were just as motivated as we were, making it the best way to ensure success. The ability to spread enthusiasm and excitement was crucial. We’ve received excellent responses, are meeting our plan, and the numbers and opportunities are materializing.
Has the workshop been a turning point?
Absolutely. It has been operational since summer 2021. The building, which also houses our offices, was delivered in phases to expedite the process. The 500 square meter workshop has two giant paellas for preparing our two products: wood-fired paellas and broths. We prepare 3,000 daily servings of paella, consuming 600 kilos of wood. This setup allows us to offer four types of rice dishes: Valencian paella, vegan paella, senyoret rice, and duck and mushroom paella, along with three broths: meat, seafood, and vegan.
Where is El Paeller now?
With our increased production capacity, we are expanding our market. From the start, we have been in El Corte Inglés’ Club del Gourmet and stores across Spain, selling online through our website and other marketplaces. Our export efforts are just beginning; we recently entered the United States and are already in Germany, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, and Dubai.
Where do you aspire to be?
Our mission remains the same: to bring wood-fired paella to the world. We aim for someone in Hong Kong to open a can and enjoy a paella that rivals the best they’ve ever had within 18 minutes. We see significant potential in the United States, aim to enter Latin America and China, and seek more European markets. Regardless of how it’s prepared at home, our product captures the aromas and flavor nuances unique to wood-fired cooking, as it’s already in the broth. Only the rice needs cooking.
What is the plan now?
Our “we are wood-fired” philosophy means being passionate, honest, and sustainable. We strive to remain disruptive; we are paella lovers before entrepreneurs and want to innovate with like-minded individuals. We are working on new recipes and will present other innovative projects at the Alimentaria fair.
