Before it reaches a paella, every grain passes through a chain of decisions: cultivation, drying, processing, selection, grading and packaging. The story of J. Montoro is built around this craft.
A beginning in Massamagrell
In the early 1940s, José Montoro León and Virtudes Ferrer Pérez began processing Valencian rice at their old mill in Massamagrell. This marked the start of a family enterprise rooted in knowledge of the grain and the craft of milling.
The mill is central to this story: it is where the rice is cleaned, selected and prepared before reaching the kitchen. The experience gained through this process has shaped J. Montoro's identity from its earliest years.
Two generations later
The tradition continues today at the company's premises in Rafelbuñol, Valencia. J. Montoro combines the experience passed down by its master millers with technology used in processing, selecting and packaging rice.
J. Montoro round-grain rice retains this link between origin and craftsmanship. Its medium, rounded grains absorb flavours well and are suitable for dry, creamy and soupy rice dishes.
The arrival in Colombia
The Colombian chapter began in 2016. Lux-Spain Colombia SAS imports and distributes J. Montoro extra-grade round-grain rice, while La Trastienda Gourmet serves as a specialist sales channel for home cooks and professionals.
The product available in Colombia comes in 1 kg bags and is protected by the Arroz de Valencia Designation of Origin. The story that began in a mill in Massamagrell thus continues in Colombian kitchens.
The connection with the Albufera
The Arroz de Valencia Designation of Origin identifies a product linked to Valencia's rice-growing territory and subject to controls from production through to sale. In this landscape, rice is part of both agriculture and culinary culture.
The work in the fields and at the mill connects this family history with the kitchens that use the rice today.
The landscape behind this rice culture and the meaning of its quality designation are explored in the feature Valencia, the birthplace of paella.