Introduction
Galletas Gullón is one of the leading biscuit manufacturers in Europe. Founded in 1892, it is the only family biscuit business over one hundred years old to survive in the sector. Its constant efforts in innovation have made it the top business in the sector in Spain, being the industry leader in the health-biscuit segment. Its commitment towards quality and food security, as well as innovation, have been the driving force behind an average sales growth of over 10% in the last 15 years. Its modern factories, Gullón II and VIDA, amongst the biggest and most automated in Europe, produce biscuits that are exported to more than 120 countries all over the world. Gullón’s turnover for 2017 reached 341 million Euros and the company employs more than 1.400 people.
Our origins
The company was founded by Manuel Gullón in 1892. This restless, imaginative man, with his entrepreneurial approach, worked with a handful of local businessmen to introduce a product in Spain that was unknown at the time in Spanish society: the biscuit, which had been created in England at the beginning of the 19th century.
Galletas Gullón successfully maintained its position and grew over the years, surviving periods of great poverty, such as the Spanish Civil War, in which it maintained its levels of production and guaranteed an uninterrupted supply of flour, largely thanks to its strategic position in an area with the greatest wheat production in the country.
From the 1950s onwards, Gullón saw the beginning of a process for the diversification of its traditional products with the launch onto the market of its María and Tostada Dorada biscuits, which took their name from the fact that they were dipped in oil to give them their appearance. That period also marks the manufacture of chocolate-covered rolled wafers and ring-shaped pastries, together with the manufacture of teatime biscuits.
After continuous investment and technological renewal, Gullón changed its commercial policy and, in1979, created the first wholemeal biscuit on the Spanish market and, in 1986, the first biscuit to be made with vegetable oils. This gave rise to the creation of a new biscuit segment in Spain: ‘health biscuits’, a segment Gullón currently leads in Spain. This milestone has brought the company various recognitions and prizes.
Since then, Galletas Gullón S.A. has stood out thanks to its commitment to continuous renewal, which has led it to make a wide range of products to hold its position at the fore of the sector, closely collaborating with universities and various research centres.
Between 1997 and 1999 …
In 1997 and 1999, Gullón became the first Spanish biscuit manufacturer to obtain quality assurance and environmental certificates from AENOR in compliance with the ISO 9002 and 14001 standards, respectively.
Its exporter nature led to the creation of its first subsidiary in Portugal (Bolachas Gullón) at the beginning of 2000. Said year also saw the launch onto the market of the first low-calorie biscuit: the ‘Salt- and sugar-free diet biscuit’.
The following years stood out thanks to the wide variety of products created by the company through its R&D and New Products departments and important investments in research and development projects that focused on the manufacturing process and the development of new products.
In 2002 …
We launched the ‘Sugar-free Diet Nature Line’, products suitable for diabetics and free from lactose, fructose and sucrose.
In 2003, the Gullón II factory was opened in Aguilar de Campoo. It is the largest and most automated factory in Europe, covers 100,000 m² and has a warehouse of 18,000 m² with a capacity for 27,000 pallets.
Its extensive record in research and development took Gullón to lead the national CENIT-Higearesearch project in 2007. The project focused on the prevention of non-transmissible chronic diseases (diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease), collaborating with companies in the agro-alimentary sector and various national and international research bodies of reference.
In March 2012, Gullón opened its new Italian subsidiary, ‘Biscotti Gullón’ and launched its third factory: VIDA, Vértice de Innovación y Desarrollo de Alimentos, S.A.U., also in Aguilar de Campoo. This third factory manufactures cereal-based products mainly for foreign markets.
In 2015 …
At the present time, it has an annual turnover of more than €200 million and exports to more than 100 countries on all five continents. It has a selection of products that range from traditional breakfast biscuits, such as its María and Tostada, to a full range of health biscuits: wholemeal, fibre, low-calorie, organic and cholesterol-free, as well as chocolate biscuits, wafers, sandwich biscuits and cookies, etc.
As a result, Gullón has laid down the bases for maintaining its position as leader of the sector. Its investments in human and technical capital make it a modern company in keeping with the 21st century. Furthermore, its commitment to the area of Aguilar de Campoo has remained unchanged, as shown by the new facilities and projects in which it is involved.
Awards
2017
International Award for Companies Responsible for Children of CIPI. November 2017
Award for Innovation in the Vending channel granted by ANEDA (Spanish National Association of Automatic Distributors), October 20172016
Galletas Gullón, Best Gluten-free food company 2016 by FACE (Spanish Celiac Associations Federation). November 2016.
Retablillo Award to María Teresa Rodríguez, on the Professional Career in recognisement of “Effort, Work and Constance”. November 2016
Award to Innovation and Fostering of Sustainable Development, by Smart Forest Foundation. November 2016.
Surcos Award to the business trajectory of Galletas Gullón, given by Radio Televisión Castilla y León. May 2016.
Gold Medal to Merit to Work to María Teresa Rodríguez. May 2016.
Benito Menni Extra Prize to María Teresa Rodríguez, for social integration of handicapped people. April 2016.2015
CPOE Award to a Career path to María Teresa Rodríguez. December 2015.
Gullón Crédito y Caución award to Internationalisation. July 2015.
Award from the Club of Directors from Aral Magazine to the Executive of the Year in the Food Industry. July 28, 2015.
2014
Enterprising Woman Award: Maria Teresa Rodriguez. First Awards from North of Castile “Del Campo”. November 17, 2014.
Award from the newspaper Qcom.es and from the international website Wikispanishfood.com for the Best Private Company. September 2014.
Aqualogy Sustainable Company Award in the Best Social Initiative category. July 2014.
Award to the best Executive of Castile and Leon to Juan Miguel Martinez Gabaldon, General Director of Gullon Cookies, in the first edition of the Castile and Leon Economic Awards to the Best Executive. June 12, 2014.
Castile and Leon Economic Present Time Award to the “Creation of Employment”. May 22, 2014.
Entrepreneur Award to Maria Teresa Rodriguez, “Lifetime Achievement” by the Board of Castile and Leon and The North of Castile. Within the impulse program. March 27, 2014.
Tribute to Maria Teresa Rodriguez as a businesswoman in Aguilar de Campoo. March 9, 2014.
2013
Special mention from the Palencia Chamber of Commerce. October 2013.
Finalist and plaque winner of ASEPEYO’s awards for best OHS practices – February 2013.
SARA research project wins “Quality of Life” Innovators Award bestowed by El Mundo Castilla y León newspaper – 14 February 2013.
2012
Once Castilla y León’s award for most socially-responsible company – November 2012.
Herrera de Pisuerga Golden Crab award for Galletas Gullón – August 2012.
Most socially-responsible company award from Fundación Mundo Ciudad – June 2012.
Ejecutivos award for Mª Teresa Rodríguez. Revista Ejecutivos. April 2012.
Ranked third for Best Online Reputation in Castille and León according to Mercados 21 and Everis – 2012.
2011
Castilla y León Económica magazine and Fundación Foro Burgos award for ‘Most innovative product’ – 2011.
2010
Carrefour’s award for most innovative food and agriculture SME of 2010.
2009
Alimentos de España’s award for the food industry – 2009.
2008
Actualidad Económica’s award to Mª Teresa Rodríguez for best career – 2008.
2007
Óptima Castilla y León equal opportunities award 2007 from the Castille and León regional Ministry for Family Affairs.
Ecocultura’s 2007 award for ‘Best company in Castille and León’ for organic biscuits. Awarded by ITACYL and the Head of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Norte de Castilla’s 2007 award for ‘Best business track record in the province of Palencia’.
2006
EXECYL’s “Most innovative company” award – 2006.
Top impulse brands in the “Biscuits” category 2006. Feria Alimentaria de Barcelona 2006.
2005
Runner-up in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food’s award for the ‘Best Spanish food company for technological innovation of 2005’ – 2006.
Gold medal from the Palencia Chamber of Commerce – 2005.
1988
Gold medal from the Palencia Chamber of Commerce – 1988.