“You know I have many clients in your environment? Even the directors know me.” federico aparisiThe founders of Naranjas Lola do not miss the opportunity to take pride in their fruits grown naturally in Culera (Valencia), without the intervention of artificial or chemical elements in their maturation and preservation, which gives them an incomparable taste. which can be at the customer’s choice only after 24 hours of placing the order, straight after being cut from the tree,

“It is known that there are many idiots in Spain and I betray them all,” jokes Aparici when told of the dedication that some of the country’s most prestigious chefs have made to their dishes. “A product like Lola Oranges helps bring the kitchen to the fore”, he said. ferran adria, “They are a luxury until destruction, a golden and juicy fruit”, maintains marten berasateguiWhereas abraham garka One poetic proclamation: “Too bad they had to spend 40 years to find out that natural oranges were harvested at the right time and served immediately.

On the other hand, the beginning was not so promising: four years after starting production, he barely sold 1% of his crop. ,Few people had cell phones when we started in 1998, And the people there reminded me of the Red Cross briefcase. and owned a computer in Spain that was owned by: very few people”, Aparici recalls. But still, it was launched for sale online, although “Google Spain didn’t start until 2002”. Day was done from the Telefnica portal, where he had “a little sheet, it didn’t reach a page”, which “not even a virus” entered. But since he had to live in the United States he barely needed 7,000 a year The pesetas had to be spent, so they decided to protest.

To make myself known, without WhatsApp or Telegram—the medium through which orders can now be placed—I decided to advertise “by hand”. his wife, lola colomar, which gives the company its name, and l wrote 15,000 letters by hand to the hotels and restaurants he found in Gua Repsol. Only 40 replied, of which only four became regular customers. But slowly, his citrusy began to “squeak and chuckle for success.”

currently, Its products are “completely natural”, without any chemical additives for its colour, maturation or preservation. His jumps from the garden to the table are produced in boxes of 5, 10, 15 kg, whole or mixed. They work only in their crop and season. From November to May they sell their star product, oranges. Diversification came with lemons, limes, grapefruits, tangerines and blood to include tomatoes, watermelons, watermelons, avocados and the smaller ones in the family, kumquats and limequats.

What are the boxes from which the shipment is made? Ingredients Organico 100% Natural, with timber from responsibly managed forests. Thanks to an innovative assembly system, they require no metal elements, and are made only of wood. The lumber used also carries a series of custody certificates from the highest certified institutions of respect for forests. With the idea that the family business continues to operate during the summer months, they set up a workshop with Make one of Valencia, Cocas’ most distinctive sweets, They prepare them according to homemade recipes from almonds, walnuts, raisins and dates. Similarly, they also make orange, clementine and blood orange jam.

“Everything helps, but the orange is queen. Wherever you put one orange, remove the rest. We all love orange juice, and at least, if it’s small, have three or four oranges in it.” are”, says the founder of the company. They started with 16 hectares from Kulera’s farms and now have over 220, who have come to supply 200 establishments and 5,000 individuals with a turnover of 500,000 euros a year,

Federico Aparici shares the credit with his entire family, who work with him, as he considers himself “a hick”. “The biggest redneck in Spain”, to be exact. But, as with everything, he believes he did “something that no one in the world has done.” “Even the most millionaire, when he goes to buy a toothbrush on the Internet, he has to pay. If he doesn’t, he doesn’t get it, buys some shoes, a pen or a broom ,” he says. “Well, in 1998, when the Internet was unknown to anyone and some were paid by card, I asked myself: ‘How can I trust people in Culera, a poor farmer from Valencia, who claims That he quickly send oranges to Madrid or Zaragoza?’ The solution was to make future customers aware that they can buy from me without any problems and risks, so I decided not to install a payment gateway. With this measure , each customer who places an order will be freed from paying 3,000 5,000 pesetas, which is the price of oranges as long as they haven’t had them in their possession and have tried them. You’re in no rush to pay. Is. If they’re good, I will, and if you don’t like them, don’t pay me”I told them. And the silly idea worked.

“It was invented by Naranjas Lola to be able to sell online and give security to customers in Seville or Gerona,” he says. He left it “at his discretion”. was successful, but One or the other enjoyed the product without going through the box. “They were less than you think, but more than I’d likeHe replies sarcastically. Nevertheless, although he was tempted to take his donkey and cart and go to their homes in person, he returned. But he doesn’t forget. the gates of heaven. ,