Entre la innovación y lo clásico
In 1956, Amada Corredor, a woman from Albacete who had settled in Alicante, decided to open a bakery to support her children. She could hardly imagine that this small venture would grow unstoppable, propelled by four generations of women who have won over the most discerning palates. The bakery, known simply as Amada, sits on Aureliano Ibarra street, a lively hive where customers chase the finest sweets and pastries, with a few savory temptations sprinkled in. Most people recognize that these delights come from a tradition that stretches back 68 years, and those who don’t quickly learn it as the walls in the shop chronicle the story through texts and photographs of a family business shaped by four generations of women.
Amada Corredor, now deceased, was the driving force behind the bakery that began in the Los Ángeles district and earned the name La Albaceteña in homage to its founder. One of her daughters, Amada Collado, who would later take up the mantle, recalls that her mother started the business at a time when her husband was gravely ill, aiming to keep the family afloat. She was a bold entrepreneur who began with soaked sponge cakes, a success, and added other specialties from Albacete to Alicante’s own flavors. The mix clicked, especially in an era when the children pitched in wherever needed, learning the trade along the way.
It was a period of intense work. Among the clients, the bakery supplied the Rabasa barracks with its pastries for as many as 3,000 soldiers. Over the years, the business evolved. In 1978, Amada Collado took full charge after apprenticing at her mother’s side. A decade later, she expanded the venture by opening a confectionery adjacent to the current location, serving as a cafe and adding not only traditional pastries but also a range of new sweets and savory items like croissants filled with sausage, ham, or cheese.
That era was a golden one. Amada Collado even won the first tuna cake contest organized by the Provincial Association of Confectioners and Pastry Makers, a competition sponsored by Alicante’s city council. She often mused that her dream would have been to study pastry arts in Barcelona, a dream that didn’t come true but did not stop the family from pushing forward. Her drive to innovate kept the business growing, and she would later celebrate the blend of tradition with modern techniques.
In this timeline, their son José Antonio Álvarez and his wife Mari Carmen Valero joined the enterprise, actively sharing in its entrepreneurial spirit. They learned to balance time-honored techniques with contemporary demand, using airbrushed designs on cakes, edible photos, and fondant decorations. This approach earned them the Alicante City Council’s Business Trajectory Award in 2018.
Amada Collado retired a year later, and her son and daughter-in-law took charge. Today, they continue to lead with the same energy, keeping the shop’s momentum alive for its loyal clientele. Mari Carmen Valero notes that their daughter, Amada Álvarez, who works in the bakery, represents the fourth generation and is likely to run the business in the future. She has always loved getting her hands into the dough, a passion that fills the family with pride.
Innovation remains a hallmark of the bakery, yet there is a steady affection for the classics. The team explains that the pastry world is swinging back to traditional favorites like meringues, chocolates, and toasted yolk, a trend that has gained intensity in recent years. Both Amada Collado and Mari Carmen Valero emphasize that being women has not posed obstacles to growth. Yet Collado acknowledges that the support available today was not as accessible in her earlier years. When she had her three children, she was expected to work almost immediately, regardless of how she felt, a barrier that has since diminished. The sentiment is echoed by Mari Carmen, who notes that modern times have improved the working conditions for mothers and business owners.
Nevertheless, the craft remains demanding. The current challenges mirror those of the past: long hours and a demanding schedule that often means more work during holidays. The bakery’s leaders also point to rising costs in recent times, where electricity and many ingredients have become more expensive. They have resisted passing all of these increases on to customers, choosing instead to absorb much of the rise to keep prices fair for their community.
The Amada family’s story is one of perseverance, adaptation, and a constant dialogue between tradition and invention. It is a narrative of four generations who have stewarded a neighborhood treasure, turning simple pastries into a lasting symbol of regional craft and family devotion.