Blankets, sandwiches, chess, coffee, bonfires to fight the cold and a show of solidarity marked the opening hours of the seven-day protest. Workers at the Bimbo plant in El Verger began a strike at midnight, responding to plans to close the historic facility that began under the previous leadership as Madalenas Ortiz. José González, head of the works council, described the mood as absolute unity: from the manager to the newest recruit, everyone was grounded in the same resolve.
Close to a hundred employees gathered at the gate, bringing folding chairs and blankets to ease the long night. A small bonfire crackled at the entrance, and the workers passed the hours with music and games of chess, soaking up warmth and camaraderie in a difficult moment.
The works council is scheduled to meet again this Wednesday with executives from the multinational to discuss the future of the plant. The company has confirmed its plan to shutter the El Verger facilities on March 31, a loss that would mark a half-century of local industry. The discussion will take place at the Oliva Nova Hotel.
“A historical factory and a cornerstone of Marina Alta,” recalled José González. The region faces a noticeable decline in industrial activity as a consequence of this closure, which threatens to erase an important segment of local manufacturing from the economy. (LEVANTE-EMV)
The works council chair noted that Saturday’s large demonstration exceeded all expectations, with nearly a thousand people showing solidarity. Marina Alta has stood behind the workers, sending many messages of encouragement and hanging banners near the factory gates. Some participants wore T-shirts bearing the slogan “Bimbo takes our bread.”
Many residents have personal ties to the plant; some neighbors used to work there, while others have relatives who did. The plant is part of the region’s story. The town of Dénia traces its entrepreneurial roots to José Ortiz Savall, a local businessman who moved to Algeria before returning in the 1960s. He built the Palladium, a restaurant and nightclub on Les Rotes beach, but the venture did not endure. He then turned his attention to baked goods, a passion passed down through his family. In North Africa and Tangier, Ortiz’s sweets gained fame, and one of the company’s early mottos emphasized happiness: “If you want to be happy, eat Ortiz cookies.”
Over time, the factory stayed true to the founder’s family ethos even as ownership shifted to larger multinationals, and it ultimately became part of the Bimbo group. The closure would symbolize a broader shift away from a once-diverse industrial base toward a heavy reliance on tourism. The news of the shutdown has been described as a substantial blow to Marina Alta’s economy.
As the debate continues, the region remains attentive to the voices of workers and their supporters. The strike and the community response highlight the tension between preserving local manufacturing heritage and adapting to a globalized economy. The coming days will reveal whether talks at Oliva Nova Hotel can salvage a meaningful role for the plant in the local economy or if the closure will proceed as planned.
In the eyes of many observers, the plant’s history reflects a broader pattern: a family-founded enterprise expanding into a multinational framework, maintaining a human-centered approach while navigating the pressures of market forces. The story of Madalenas Ortiz, later part of the Bimbo portfolio, underscores how regional identity can be tied to particular workplaces even as ownership landscapes evolve. The community’s response demonstrates a collective attachment to industrial roots and a shared hope that some form of sustainable manufacturing can endure in Marina Alta.