La Rosa Troupe
Over a decade ago, Nacho Velasco showed us that vermouth in Mallorca was not just a Sunday drink but rather a daily ritual. Today, the driving force behind the La Rosa Troupe group isn’t putting the brakes on but instead stepping on the accelerator. With 11 years of success behind him thanks to La Rosa Troupe, a new establishment in Santa María del Camino and a partnership with Grupo de Castro under the Floreig brand, this tireless innovator continues to prove that his appetite for revolutionising the culinary scene knows no bounds.
Last years we spoke about your dreams of expansion and it seems that we are now witnessing La Rosa at its peak. Let’s start with the main event: Floreig. How did this synergy with Maca de Castro come about?
It came about because we knew each other from the sector. Through Dani, Macarena’s brother, we realised that we could create some amazing collaborations. Together with Jardín Events, they have the large-scale events and weddings part covered. At La Rosa, we’ve got the pre-drinks, post-drinks, beverages and that more laid-back vibe down to a tee. We understood that together we could complement one another perfectly and create a unique concept. We were looking for a name with a certain ring to it and a touch of humour: we already had ‘garden’ and ‘rose’, so Floreig (‘to blossom’ in Mallorcan) it was.
What gap does this partnership between La Rosa’s more edgy style and Jardín Events’ high-end clientele fill?
There was an obvious gap in the market between high-end events (aimed at clients with higher spending power, such as the foreigners who come to the island to get married) and what we do, which is a bit more informal. Floreig was created to also cater towards locals and bridge that gap, offering a fun, impeccable service and lots of good vibes. We’ll be doing it all: corporate events, weddings and our own events. We did a trial run in January, and we have another event coming up soon. Although this is our first year and we’re still building our team, next year we’ll be going all out.
There is more to the group than just weddings and events, however. The La Rosa family of restaurants has welcomed a new member. What will we find at the new Rosa María in Santa María del Camino?
We had the chance to take on some premises in a really good location, on the square through which the town’s main thoroughfare runs. It’s got a great south-facing outdoor seating area, and because of the location we’ll get business throughout the whole year from locals, holidaymakers and lots of cyclists. The concept is the pure essence of La Rosa, with a menu that is 90 per cent the same, but we’re going to give it a bit of a Mallorcan twist, by adapting it to the setting. The new feature is that we will be open from the morning with a really tasty breakfast menu.
The best way to keep talented staff motivated is by giving them the opportunity to develop within the company, and to do that you need to have active projects
How is the rest of the Troupe getting on whilst you prepare for this grand opening?
La Rosa Vermutería is still the flagship; it’s a rock-solid project, and it’s what enables us to work our magic. La Rosa Catalina, in the Santa Catalina neighbourhood, has been going now for a year and a half. We’ve taken stock of it and we’re really happy. While it’s true that the area has undergone a big transformation, with a lot of establishments opening and closing, which can sometimes be a bit disorientating, things are settling down once again and we’re doing fantastically.
Your catering service and El Vagón de La Rosa are running really smoothly. And as if that weren’t enough, you have also brought the legendary Garito back to life for the music at your events…
It never stops! In a logistical sense we have really grown. We now have two food trucks—fully equipped kitchens on wheels—on the go, one of which is new, green and beautiful. We also have La Carpintería, which is our main kitchen and the heart of it all, where we make everything ourselves (nothing pre-cooked). And in terms of Garito... it closed in 2023 after being a true musical institution for 24 years. At first, I didn’t want to do anything; it was a hard time what with COVID, but we realised the brand had enormous emotional potential. So we brought it back to life as Garito Glup Yeah. It’s the soundtrack of our lives: it provides all the musical direction, DJs and artists for La Rosa and Floreig events. I’m still even DJing myself.
With 11 years in this business venture behind you and the same fast pace as ever… Do you plan to stop for a breather or will La Rosa keep blossoming with new concepts?
I do all of this because I feel like doing it, because it’s fun and, above all, because I have an amazing team. Without them it would not be possible. I really believe that the best way to keep talented staff motivated is by giving them the opportunity to develop within the company, and to do that you need to have active projects. The hospitality sector these days has changed; either you have a strong structure and you grow, or you’re doomed to disappear. You have to adapt to trends and really take stock of investments and risks. But yeah, new opportunities will undoubtedly come about. That’s just the way it is.
