It was a time when bottled soft drinks were unknown in Spain. Coca-Cola, Fanta, and Mirinda did not exist on shelves. Sodas were crafted at home or in bars by mixing water with fizzing powders containing tartaric and citric acids and bicarbonate. It was in this era that El Tigre, a Valencian company rooted in its origins, began to roar not to quench thirst but to fill the bakery. Its core market gradually shifted toward home baking and pastry making.
Alejandro Martínez, the third generation to lead El Tigre, remembers Cheste in 1915, when his grandfather, who ran a family grocery, started selling soda powder in handmade sachets. The powder was packed with acids, with blue bicarbonate and sugar to create a fizzy drink.
Like an oil stain, the El Tigre registered trademark spread through the town and beyond. Over the years it became a reference in neighboring provinces such as Cuenca and Albacete. There was intense competition because many households still preferred making soda at home. Martínez notes that his grandfather had a strong business outlook. In 1929, Miss Spain gifted Pepita Samper permission to use her own name for an envelope containing a no-sugar soda mix drawn from a siphon. The effort was successful and helped sustain the brand as Valencia’s reputation grew, though it eventually faced the test of time.
The Civil War paused production and forced the family to turn to farming to make a living. The Martínezes balanced the shop, El Tigre, and field work. From April to October, favorable weather made soft drinks appealing; the rest of the year relied on traditional household chores.
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By the 1940s, Alejandro Martínez’s father and sister joined the business, broadening commercial reach. Martínez recalls long months traveling all over Spain, from town to town and from shop to shop. In the 1950s, sales began to rise more steadily.
Industrialization followed in the next decade. Labor costs were high, and automation reduced the workforce from about sixty to ten with mechanical help. Distribution also changed as wholesalers expanded, enabling greater regional penetration and consumption growth.
Yet the arrival of sugary sodas like Pepsi challenged El Tigre. The brand saw a dip in sales in the 1970s, but peaks returned during festive periods such as Easter, Las Fallas, and El Pilar. Some of the product began to be repurposed as a leavening aid for pastries, a practical twist that kept the line alive in different markets.
El Tigre’s path paralleled the rise of social media. With limited advertising budgets, the company leaned into this new channel to reach customers, and, as Martínez notes, broadened its footprint into northern autonomous regions where its presence was previously limited.
Today, the business remains faithful to its roots while adapting to modern demand. The product line has stayed true in essence, with a refreshed image that resonates with contemporary consumers. The firm employs twelve people and generates roughly one million euros in turnover, producing around 16 million sachets each year.
Sales surged in 2020 during covid-related lockdowns. People staying home turned to baking, and El Tigre quintupled production while adding staff. After the pandemic’s peak, volumes settled back to more typical levels, accompanied by a growing customer base.
El Tigre continues to serve the sector without rushing into overseas markets. Its strategy centers on strengthening its domestic presence. Last year, the brand found a place in the product catalogs of Carrefour, Covalco, and Coviran, with distribution expanding to Dia and Consum and reaching all autonomous communities. The secret, according to Martínez, lies in offering a distinctive product with a natural additive that sets El Tigre apart.
In summary, El Tigre has endured more than a century by blending tradition with adaptation. Its story reflects how a small family business can evolve while preserving the essence that started it all: simple ingredients, clever positioning, and a willingness to innovate when the moment calls for it.