120 Years of Juanola: Tradition and Taste
Juanola is marking 120 years since the creation of its iconic liquorice lozenges, which were first developed in 1906 by pharmacist Manuel Juanola Reixach in a Gràcia neighbourhood pharmacy. Today, production continues at a plant in Sant Quirze del Vallès operated by Italian pharmaceutical group Angelini Pharma, which has owned the brand since 1996. A media event held on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, celebrated both the anniversary and the ongoing legacy of the product, which generates around €15 million in annual revenue. Around three million boxes are produced each year, with approximately 30 lozenges per box, totaling about 90 million lozenges annually.
“No es únicamente regaliz. Es un producto que te cura la garganta,”
Isidoro Martínez, supply chain director, Angelini Pharma Spain
Production Process and Workforce
The manufacturing process remains largely unchanged over the past century. According to Isidoro Martínez, director of the supply chain at Angelini Pharma Spain, each batch takes nearly three days, from mixing raw liquorice root extract to forming the final lozenge. The plant functions similarly to a bakery or "forn", where the liquorice mass is rolled into sheets and cut into strips. A key step known as the "magic of the rhombus" involves a 45-degree angled roller that cuts the strips into the distinctive diamond-shaped lozenges. Machinery used in the process includes equipment from ABB Flexible Automation S.A., located nearby in Sant Quirze del Vallès. The core production team consists of seven workers out of 160 employees Angelini Pharma has across Spain. Despite its small size, this team maintains high standards, using pharmaceutical-grade equipment for quality assurance.
Formula and Market Reach
Marta Sala, head of communications at Angelini, confirmed the formula includes not only liquorice extract but also corn starch flavoured with menthol and eucalyptol. This blend contributes to the product’s reputation for soothing sore throats, not just delivering flavour. Beyond the classic lozenges, the Juanola brand now includes cough syrups, nasal sprays, propolis, royal jelly, and sweets. These products are available in more than 20,000 pharmacies across Spain. Elisabeth Oliveras, mayor of Sant Quirze del Vallès, noted the deep cultural resonance of the brand, saying it has touched “virtually all” of the town’s 20,000 residents. Daniel Gheorghe, general manager of Angelini Pharma Spain, added that nearly everyone in Spain has a personal memory tied to the lozenges.
The original factory site moved to Sant Quirze del Vallès in 2005, enabling growth under the international structure of Angelini Pharma. The company says it remains committed to innovation in throat care while preserving the heritage of a product rooted in Catalan tradition.
Primary sources: empresa.gencat.cat. Reported by viaempresa.cat.
