The Andalusian tavern Volapié cooks its famous frying with QualityFry

The Andalusian Tavern Volapié was founded in 2008 in Fuengirola, Andalusia, and in 2015 is incorporated at the Food Box platform. Volapié aims to be an ambassador for Andalusia wherever it goes, and that Andalusian flair fits “wonderfully” in Madrid, according to Pablo Plasencia, Volapié’s brand director.

“We are the leading chain in terms of Andalusian essence and our added value is a differential product“, says Plasencia, who adds that before including novelties in the menu, there is a work done in the R&D department. It is always Andalusian product from Andalusian suppliers and the touch is to give that characteristic “Volapié style“. He also comments that the price of such high quality products is competitive in the market. He also comments that the price of such high quality products is competitive in the market.

However, what Plasencia highlights most as a differential value is “the experience itself in the premises, consisting of the decoration with damajuanas, the tiles, the barrels, the high tables… what really brings the South to all the locations“.

Volapié is a franchise that stands out for its innovation both at an operational level and in digitalisation. In the latter, in digitalisation, Plasencia comments that “in addition to what the market is asking us for with delivery and take away services, we have developed our own ordering platform”.

But the most curious thing is his latest innovative contribution, his own cryptocurrency called FoodCoin. “The cryptocurrency, foodcoin, is a customer loyalty tool. When a customer eats at Volapié, a percentage is converted into foodcoins so that they can use them on their next visit to the establishment“, says Pablo Plasencia.

Gastronomy and the evolution of cuisine

As far as gastronomy is concerned, Volapié has always wanted to emphasise enjoyment and in particular the enjoyment of sharing, which is how “Comparte con arte” was born, where there are very specific products “from traditional Andalusian recipes that we want to rescue, such as the classic molletes, mojama, stews, bocatines, and of course fried food, which is one of our key ingredients, such as the fried fish drawer”.

Pablo Plasencia divides the evolution into two fronts: the operational and the R&D. On the operational side, he points to improvements in machinery and systems for the management of the taverns. Meanwhile, R&D is focused on continually reinventing itself to face a much more expert consumer compared to ten years ago, while remaining faithful to its principles.

The expert consumer of Volapié has a wide profile, from young people who are going to share that moment of enjoyment to older people who are looking for specific products that only Volapié has.

The most difficult challenge they have faced, like many others, is the Covid-19 crisis. “It has been something completely unknown, unexpected and which has made us stay on top of it, supporting our chain of franchisees to ensure their survival. It has not been easy“, recalls Plasencia.

“QualityFry makes it possible to be in locations where it would not otherwise be possible”

The QualityFry equipment has been in Volapié since its beginnings because “it has allowed us to be in locations where otherwise it would have been impossible, which has allowed for greater growth than under normal conditions“, says Plasencia, who adds that “in addition, at an operational level, it optimises the service and the staff, not in the reduction of staff, but in the peaks of work, the staff can concentrate on other tasks without having to be attentive to the fryer, the product comes out automatically, with its times, and always comes out correctly and always comes out well, and that is key for us to continue offering a user experience and a perfect product”.

The equipamiento de cocina profesional de QualityFry está en el 12% de los establecimiento de Volapié y cuenta con QualityFry para el futuro “we will continue to install the cooking machines in those establishments that do not have smoke vents and in those franchisees who find it difficult to manage high sales peaks at an operational level, because the fryer helps automation and allows the staff to focus on other tasks”.

The tavern with Andalusian essence Volapié faces new challenges: they will open the first international unit, in Budapest, Hungary, and they believe that this will be the beginning of a great challenge of growth, which will mean not only taking Andalusia to the rest of Spain but also to the whole world