Toledo has stood independently since Wednesday, rooted in a long-running tradition of almond pastries and nougat that trace back to an ancestral xixonna firm dating to 1880 and the associated brands. The Sirvent family has benefited from the region’s rich cultural and industrial heritage as they carried forward nearly three centuries of sweetness-making expertise, turning a family passion into a thriving enterprise.
In support of a broader Alicante business narrative, a second exhibition space now complements the existing museum in Xixona, which has welcomed visitors for half a century. This expansion is part of a plan the firm has publicly outlined, enabling the company to open more than ten stores across Spain since 2021 — a milestone that reflects sustained growth and national reach.
Toledo’s selection as a key location is meaningful. Beyond being the home of marzipan, the Sirvent lineage runs deep here. The current leadership is descended from a great-great-grandmother born in Toledo in 1909, the twelfth in line, Tent Arroyo Martinez, a detail that anchors the family’s ties to the city and its storied confectionery tradition.
Photograph of Sagrario Arroyo (above right) with a group of company employees.
The area invites visitors to journey through three centuries of history surrounding nougat and marzipan, presented through an engaging, interactive experience. The exhibition begins with a passage and tunnel lined with almond blossoms, accompanied by sounds and aromas reminiscent of cultivated fields. Along the route, visitors encounter early containers and the raw materials used in dessert production, while traditional clothing and customs help illustrate the period’s daily life.
These elements have been preserved and curated by the Sirvent family for generations. The museums in Xixona and Toledo now house a collection of artworks, prized instruments, and artifacts from renowned Alicante artists, underscoring the region’s confectionery legacy. The company’s leadership emphasizes pride in preserving this heritage and a responsibility to share the culture publicly, a sentiment voiced by Jose Manuel Sirvent, the firm’s CEO, who notes that the province’s identity is closely linked to both Turrón de Jijona and Turrón de Alicante.
Since 1880, nougat and marzipan have celebrated the almond as their noble ingredient, a thread that links them to Mediterranean history. The museum traces this shared core, highlighting almond origins across civilizations and the seasonal spike in consumption during Christmas. While references to almond and honey pastes appear in ancient texts, the Christian era saw almond-based confections rise in Easter celebrations under the name panis martius. In homage to this enduring story, the Sirvent family opened the permanent exhibition to coincide with Holy Week, a period declared an International Tourist Interest in Toledo in 2014, reinforcing the city’s standing as a destination for culinary heritage and culture.