The limits to pastelaria semi-industrial confectionery in Alcobaça
In the municipality of Alcobaça there are two Fabrico Próprio establishments that have been developing significantly different approaches to semi-industrial confectionery in terms of production, presentation, consumption and value creation.
Alcôa, founded in the 1980s in the center of Alcobaça, reproduces recipes associated with the tradition of Portuguese conventual confectionery, using tools, ingredients and processes that are as close as possible to artisanal manufacture. Atelier do Doce, founded in 2006 in Alfeizerão, has stood out by applying advanced technology, including robotics, in order to optimize and expand the production of cakes and other pastry products in various scales and for various clients.
By exploring the common origins and different destinations of these two Fabrico Próprio houses, this section aims to reflect on the appreciation of the artisanal as an aspirational quality of contemporary gastronomic consumption but also on the role of innovation in this sector of the economy.
