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The Coca-Cola Formula, KFC Chicken Recipe, and Big Mac Sauce Mix

they are considered the greatest mysteries of gastronomy.

But, in the southeast of Spain, the ingredients of a soft drink matter little ... What Murcians really want to know is the recipe for Licor 43.

The most famous drink in Cartagena

, which -since 1946- refuses to reveal its composition. What's more, only three "living" people know the secret, and their boss jokes that if they do tell, they might cease to exist. And it is that the liquor formula is also the formula for the success of Zamora Company. The Spanish company that exports the most alcohol and that, despite the economic crisis, had a turnover of nearly 150 million last 2020.

According to Emilio Restoy (52), the CEO of the company, if his family knows anything about it, it is tenacity, effort and survival. After the civil war, his grandfather Emilio Restoy, along with his wife Josefina and his brothers-in-law Diego and Ángel Zamora, decided to associate and raise the economy with a curious business:

the reinvention of liqvor mirabilis,

a drink that used to be drunk in the area and that It is inspired by a Roman recipe.

The problem is that none of them had the money and, since they were not in a position to borrow, they were forced to depend on the savings of Restoy, who then had a grocery store.

During his early years, his gamble seemed risky. Despite this, in the 1960s, the project took on stability and, in less than two decades, they went from being a local company to being one of the first companies to dare to export.

"It can be said that Zamora Company fully follows in the footsteps of Spanish society and economy,

because we began to export on the same date that tourism opened in Spain. Even the first countries to which we exported were Scandinavia. , Germany and the Netherlands, which were also the first countries to come for tourism ", Restoy mentioned to LOC.

At first, exports of the drink were nothing more than anecdotal. However, in the 70s, Zamora Company opted for international expansion and today they market their elixir in 87 countries. In fact, according to official figures,

90% of Licor 43 is consumed outside of Spain.

That is, 9 out of 10 bottles travel the world. A phenomenon that, as Restoy points out, has to do with the versatility of the liquor. "It is because it works alone and mixed, and in each country it can be taken differently. For example, in Germany it is taken with milk and in Mexico with coffee," says the CEO, who came to the company in the 1990s.

Before landing in his executive position, Emilio Restoy studied chemical engineering, completed a master's degree in business management and went through various jobs.

Although he always had in mind that he wanted to enter the company and turn it into a renowned multinational.

Something he achieved in the 2000s, when he opted for wines and managed to diversify the Zamora Company portfolio.

"If you look at what we were a few years ago, a small exporting company

, and see what we are now, I would dare to say that the path we have traveled has been positive",

says Restoy, who, together with his family, accumulates the ninth largest fortune in Murcia.

However, not all Restoys work for the company. Because, according to their internal policy, the descendants of Emilio, Josefina, Diego and Ángel should only participate in the administrative council, not in the management

.

For that they have 500 employees whom they blindly trust.

Especially in times of chaos. "The pandemic was like driving a car at 150 and hitting a wall. Even so, we made the decision to keep our workers. Some ERTEs were produced and we compensated them 100%, because we believe in our people," says Restoy, with visible emotion. The same one with which he talks about hope in the crisis ...

"In 2020, in Spain, the hospitality industry, which represented 75% of our sales, closed and a large part of our market disappeared. But we had a resilience mentality. We were so convinced that we were going to get out of the situation, that in the end

we have closed with a 20% drop, when the industry, in general, has dropped by 30% ",

says Emilio proudly, to later reveal that-contrary to all expectations- the sale of Licor 43 did not decline in countries like the US, but increase. "It is because there is a consumer culture in the home," he reveals.

But despite the support they have received abroad, the Zamora Company does not plan to move.

Furthermore, on the 75th anniversary of Licor 43, Restoy

reaffirms its commitment to the Spain Brand and ensures that it will continue to manufacture in Murcia,

rain, shine or lightning.

"It is essential to continue manufacturing in Cartagena. First, because the global logistics networks can no longer be trusted and, second, because Licor 43 is a brand that is very clear about its origin. If it is made outside, it loses its essence. It would be like manufacturing Jabugo ham in Germany does not work, "explains the CEO, who has been serving as CEO for a decade.

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