Chocolates Marcos Tonda, a century-old company with artisanal roots, combines tradition and modernity with CHOK UP, its new multifunctional line of creative artisanal chocolates supported by CDTI Innovación and the European ERDF funds. This project not only industrializes processes but also introduces innovation and strengthens the company’s competitiveness in an increasingly demanding market.
Chocolates Marcos Tonda is one of those exceptional cases in which two centuries of artisanal tradition coexist with a future-oriented vision based on innovation. Founded in 1793 by master chocolatier Juan Tonda Lloret, the company has managed to preserve the artisanal essence that distinguishes it while incorporating modern processes and a professionalized structure that enables orderly growth. “We preserve our essence, but with a renewed ambition, structured growth, and a strong commitment to innovation,” explains María Llorca, the company’s CEO.
With a team of 25 professionals, the company, located in Villajoyosa (Alicante), is supported by a diverse shareholder base and its activity is organized along two strategic lines: Retail, aimed at end consumers through supermarkets, gourmet shops and specialized outlets, and Horeca, focused on hotels, restaurants and professional distributors. Among the standout products in the Retail channel are high-impact collaborations such as Chocolates Marcos Tonda x Agatha Ruiz de la Prada and La Virgen 1793, which reinforce the brand’s identity and recognition.
The domestic market remains the company’s main focus, accounting for approximately 98.37% of total sales in 2024, while exports continue to show steady growth, with presence in Finland, the Netherlands, the United States, Morocco and Andorra. Llorca highlights that “the internationalization process is consolidating year after year and allows us to open new opportunities in strategic markets, even though the volume is still small.”
Innovation that renews tradition
In recent years, Chocolates Marcos Tonda has undertaken a comprehensive modernization process that has transformed its way of operating. The digitalization of processes, the implementation of ERP systems and internal management platforms have made it possible to control production, traceability, inventory and administration with precision, optimizing resources and reducing errors. The automation of different production and logistics stages has improved efficiency, shortened response times and ensured consistency in the final product. Additionally, the update of the online store and the development of new digital tools have expanded commercial opportunities and improved customer experience.
This technological boost has been possible, in part, thanks to the support of CDTI innovación programs and European ERDF funds. According to María Llorca, “this support has had a decisive impact on the development of the project and on the company’s overall transformation. These grants have not only accelerated the execution of strategic investments but have also been the driving force behind genuine technological and production-related modernization.” In particular, she highlights that “the support received has been essential to give viability and solidity to the project of creating the new factory, a key infrastructure to increase production capacity, optimize processes and respond to the growth expected in the coming years.”
Furthermore, these grants have generated a broader effect on the Spanish innovation ecosystem, strengthening industrial competitiveness, fostering applied innovation, creating qualified employment and energizing non-metropolitan regions. As Llorca puts it: “Overall, the support from CDTI and ERDF funds has not only enabled us to drive a strategic project for the company but has also contributed to a wider impact: industrializing tradition, generating sustainable innovation and strengthening the country’s economic and social ecosystem.”
Creativity and production capacity
Within this context, the company has launched the CHOK UP project, a new multifunctional line for producing creative artisanal chocolates that symbolizes the integration of tradition and technology. The line arises as a response to a transforming market in which consumers seek differentiated, premium, customizable products with added value that do not compromise artisanal quality. “Consumers are looking for new experiences without losing the essence of artisanal chocolate, and CHOK UP delivers exactly that,” explains Llorca.
The new line makes it possible to produce chocolates in new formats, textures and finishes while maintaining the consistency and precision required in a high-quality process. One of the greatest challenges was adapting artisanal essence to modern machinery without compromising the defining attributes of the product: flavor, texture and personality. The company overcame this challenge through meticulous calibration work and product testing to balance tradition and innovation.
CHOK UP offers significant competitive advantages, enabling product differentiation through unique designs, rapid adaptation to market trends, and the development of seasonal or personalized products, while optimizing operational efficiency and increasing production capacity without sacrificing artisanal character. According to Llorca, this combination of tradition and innovation elevates the perceived value of the product and strengthens internationalization efforts, facilitating entry into new gourmet markets and consolidating the brand in premium segments.
Socioeconomic ecosystem and future outlook
The impact of CHOK UP goes beyond the business sphere. The new line generates direct and indirect employment and boosts the local economic fabric, especially in a traditional sector in the region, contributing to the company’s stability and growth in the territory. Moreover, process modernization and the incorporation of more efficient machinery reduce waste, optimize the use of raw materials and open the door to more sustainable developments, such as ECO chocolates and lower-impact packaging.
In the medium term, the company envisions CHOK UP as a pillar of its new industrial phase. It will allow the expansion of the product portfolio with more innovative offerings, strengthen the domestic market presence, increase export share and consolidate Chocolates Marcos Tonda as a benchmark in contemporary artisanal chocolate. “This project positions us in a privileged place to combine creativity, tradition and technology, and to project our history toward a sustainable and internationalized future,” Llorca concludes.
Overall, the story of Chocolates Marcos Tonda demonstrates how the harmony between tradition and modernity can transform a centuries-old company into an innovative, competitive and sustainable benchmark capable of generating economic, social and technological impact while keeping its artisanal and cultural identity alive.
The Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology and Innovation (CDTI E.P.E.) is the innovation agency of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, whose objective is to promote technological innovation in the business sector. CDTI’s mission is to ensure that Spanish companies generate and transform scientific-technical knowledge into globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive growth. In 2024, within the framework of a new strategic plan, CDTI provided more than 2.3 billion euros in support for Spanish companies and startups.
More information:
Web: www.cdti.es
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/29815
X: https://twitter.com/CDTI_innovacion
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CDTIoficial
cloud technology axon
The launch follows the success of Dunas Aviation I, which completed fu...
