The Malaga baker who doubles his production in summer

In summer, when La Cala del Moral (Rincón de la Victoria) on the eastern Costa del Sol is full of life and visitors, the bakery Panadería Guijarro increases its production. Most of the restaurants and beach bars in the area choose Guijarro bread to serve at their tables, attracted both by both its quality and the fact that it is homemade.

Bakers work almost 24 hours a day to serve everyone in the middle of the summer season. In José Daniel Guijarro's shop the queues are never-ending and the delivery vans are busier than ever.

Panadería Guijarro is located in the centre of La Cala del Moral and it's a place where bread is no longer just a basic food item, but an expression of identity, tradition and craftsmanship. The piquitos (breadsticks) are made one by one in an artisan way, the half loaves are among the best sellers, together with their famous pitufos (small rolls).

Every day, the master bakers uses a sourdough recipe passed down from generation to generation, renews it and uses it to shape breads without additives, with all the complexity of aromas and flavours that a slow and natural fermentation provides.

The history of Guijarro began in 1852, when José Daniel Guijarro's great-grandfather decided to open that first bakery where local residents could bake their dough in the wood-fired oven at a time when it was not common to have ovens or large kitchens at home. This was the beginning of more than a century and a half of the family's oven and bakery.

"My grandfather and my father won the lottery," says Daniel, recalling the family history. That stroke of luck allowed them to carry out a major renovation both in the bakery and in the shop, updating the image but without leaving behind the spirit of the place where it all began. Since then, they have always kept up with the latest trends in decoration and lighting in their premises.

In 2004, Dani Guijarro took over the bakery with a more modern vision but always respecting the family history. This step allowed Guijarro to expand the business in Rincón de la Victoria, with the opening of a bakery-cafeteria where the traditional bread is accompanied by quality coffee in a larger but equally warm place.

From that small neighbourhood bakery, Guijarro went from having five workers to employing more than 30, but without ever leaving behind the value of craftsmanship and making new breads adapted to new trends, such as buckwheat, spelt and rye bread.

Twelve years ago they expanded the bakery and started producing a line of products including croissants, napolitanas, cocas de San Juan, buñuelos (doughnuts), torrijas (traditional Easter bread) and piononos (small traditional cakes). The Guijarro bakery is undoubtedly synonymous with quality, hard work and knowing how to adapt without leaving its roots behind.