In the heart of Tordesillas, a town in Valladolid, a Galician pastry legacy began with Álvaro Galicia’s great-grandfather. The small family business grew into a renowned polvorón producer, and over the years their signature treats became a symbol of regional craft. While the traditional El Toro polvorón enjoys global distribution, it has also become a point of contention for anti-bullfighting groups who view the festival as a controversial tradition rather than a simple local custom.
Today, Álvaro Galicia guides a bustling operation at a factory in Tordesillas that produces roughly 100,000 polvorones each day, translating to about 4,500 kilograms of product daily. The year’s peak runs from mid-September through Christmas, when demand surges and the factory prioritizes large and time-sensitive orders. This seasonal rhythm shapes not only production schedules but also the surrounding logistics, supplier coordination, and workforce planning for the year ahead.
Historically tied to the town’s cultural debates, the polvorones once carried the name El Toro de la Vega in homage to a long-standing festival. Activists have long structured campaigns around the product, leveraging networks to advocate boycotts and raise awareness about the events that court controversy. A notable online dialogue featured strong opinions about the origin of the recipe and the imagery associated with the brand, reflecting broader conversations about regional traditions, ethics, and consumer choices.
In response to public pressure and in alignment with community dialogue, the family decided to adjust branding years ago. The change, implemented in 2015, aimed to reduce tension while preserving the craftsman quality of the sweets. Local authorities and residents supported the move, emphasizing a desire to avoid harassment while continuing a decades-old pastry-making tradition that employs several local workers and sustains a family business in the area.
Municipal leadership in Valladolid has also weighed in on the matter, underscoring the importance of balancing cultural heritage with modern sensitivities. Public statements from city officials reflected a commitment to protecting local livelihoods without compromising respect for diverse viewpoints around celebratory events. The discussions have highlighted how a family business can navigate public discourse while maintaining its role in the regional economy and culinary landscape.
Despite the debates, the factory stands as a focal point of local employment and cultural pride. The company currently supports about 25 local positions in Tordesillas, with the workforce contributing to continuous product development and steady output for European markets. The company’s ambitions extend beyond borders, with distribution reaching several European countries and regions, including Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, France, and across Spain in Castilla y León and neighboring communities such as Galicia, Madrid, Navarra, the Basque Country, and La Rioja, as well as the United Kingdom and Italy. The reach demonstrates how traditional pastries can traverse cultural and geographic boundaries while fostering regional identity and cross-border commerce.
The recipe secret lies in the core stages of production. Flour and sugar are precisely processed and blended with butter and cinnamon to create a dough with characteristic aroma and texture. The dough is then portioned by a machine that forms polvorones with careful attention to weight and consistency. After shaping, the treats go through baking, cooling, and packaging processes designed to preserve freshness and ensure uniform quality across batches. The finished polvorones are ready for distribution, retail display, and ship-to-store fulfillment, ultimately letting consumers enjoy a festive treat that carries a long family-proven method and tradition.