Bril
Completing 25 years supplying Mallorca’s gastronomical elite could be the perfect excuse to retire and live off the profits, but the Bril family has opted for the revolutionary route. The business has adopted artificial intelligence, management via WhatsApp, and a laser-sharp approach to logistics to guarantee delivery within 24 hours. However, this zeal for modernisation leaves no room for cyber chilliness. Quite the opposite: technology has arrived on the scene to provide the personal, friendly service that Joan, Laura and Jaime show to every customer. The future is digital, but the service still carries the Bril family name.
So that everything tastes of perfection, operations behind the scenes need to perform with clinical precision. Grupo Bril, which for over two decades has been commanding the unconditional respect of the catering sector under the name of Lácteos Palma, continues to update its foundations. The objective for its new era is not to replace human warmth with machines, but to achieve a level of operational efficiency that allows the company to focus on what is really important: listening to the customer. When you are a player in the top league of haute cuisine and luxury hotels, trust is the currency and there is no margin for error.
“We are still very committed to the digital development of the business, by introducing artificial intelligence which we see as essential at this time.” So explains Joan Bril, the company’s founder and cornerstone. In a move that is far from a managerial whim, the firm is updating all its operational systems in order to streamline its administration, stores and accounting. So what is the practical result for the restaurateur? Direct business-to-business links and the adoption of systems that enable highly demanding orders to be dealt with via WhatsApp with astounding ease.
Joan Bril
This injection of new technology has a non-negotiable aim: to fulfil the promise of delivering any order in under 24 hours, and always with the back-up of that friendly voice at the end of the line in the event of any hiccup. AI manages the data, while Bril focuses on the relationships.
Bril’s gastronomic radar detects trends on the island even before they happen. “We are continuing to add premium brands because Mallorca’s haute cuisine sector and luxury hotels are now receiving a very significant volume of orders”, says Joan. This elite market niche now represents between 30% and 35% of his business.
The best product alone is no longer enough to meet the current challenges of the restaurant industry. “The sector needs solutions that optimize time and make kitchen work easier without losing standards of excellence,” says Laura Bril.
In this context, Bril strengthens her commitment to fourth- and fifth-range solutions, featuring preparations from leading brands that act as true support products. These are designed to streamline service and help chefs finish each dish with excellence, always maintaining maximum quality and efficiency, without compromising the flavor of the final product.
The pursuit of exceptional quality remains a core value within the company. “We are always trying to go one step further in the search for high-quality suppliers,” Laura notes. Adapting to an increasingly cosmopolitan audience, the catalog has expanded to include Asian and Mexican influences. “Cuisines are increasingly seeking that fusion, especially through sauces and spices.
However, this season’s out-and-out best seller speaks the language of the deep. The company’s partnership with the prized Balfegó bluefin tuna has been an outstanding business success, thrown the scoreboards into meltdown and positioned Bril in the top flight of the sector. Add to this success the sweet, irresistible world of Ponthier and a breathtaking array of delicatessen, including everything from top-quality anchovies to caviar or exquisite regal oysters.
And what is happening in the bars? Jaume Bril highlights the mixology revolution: “The cocktail trend is growing and evolving apace”. The group’s strategy is clear: to offer bartenders the most natural raw materials. “What sets us apart is that we are always seeking to provide the best quality and the best service,” says Jaume.
What sets us apart is that we are always seeking to offer the best quality and the best service
Their focus on zero-kilometre produce remains intact, but Joan is realistic: “the simple truth is that it doesn’t meet every need”. For this reason, Bril’s true mission is to supply restaurateurs with the global pantry needed to maintain Mallorca’s position at the top of the gastronomic scale.
25 years, and a partner for ever
The celebration of the company’s recent 25th anniversary was a gastronomic festival where over 30 different brands put on an unprecedented display. The success of this gathering left no doubt that the company’s customers see Bril not merely as a supplier, but as part of their own team.
Now with a digital marketing department underpinning their position, Joan, Laura and Jaume have a clear direction for their future development. If a chef newly arrived on the island were to ask why he or she should trust them, their response distills the essence of this family’s philosophy: “What we want is to be a true partner in their kitchen”.
Yes to innovation. Yes to all the digital tools. But when the order pops through the service entrance, what is delivered to the kitchens is the endeavour, the smiles, and the unbreakable commitment of the Bril family.
