Agustin Labrador is the Lab Manager at the GB Foods Research Center in Barcelona, Spain. While visiting the lab to implement iCheck Fluoro, I got the chance to learn more about his work and what inspires him. GB Foods (formerly Gallina Blanca) has been producing food for almost 100 years. They stand out from other companies in that their brands, such as Jumbo, are based on local flavors, tastes and traditions, becoming a name and taste that everyone identifies with home.
How did you first get started at GB Foods?
I have been working at GB Foods for seventeen years now. I first started in the laboratory, developing the methods for analysis. Now, I work in the quality department as an auditor of factories. This transition was fantastic because now I can help my colleagues in the sister companies in improving laboratory processes.
Who develops the recipes for GB Foods products?
We have a team in the R&D department for Africa, in Ivory Coast. The team was first in Spain, but then we decided it needed to be local, because they know the people, the traditions and the local flavors.
GB foods produces bouillon cubes fortified with vitamin A for the West African market. How did you decide to start the Vitamin A project and how did you find the right formulation?
The project started around 10 years ago. We knew that vitamin A deficiency was a real problem in West Africa and we wanted to make our products healthier. It was challenging, since we had never made any products with added vitamins before.
There were two requirements for the final product: First, the product had to contain vitamin A, which is not very stable. Due to the special conditions in African market – the high temperature and humidity – where the product will be sold, assuring the stability is never easy. Second, vitamin A needs to remain stable in the solubilized form of the product, in the broth with
boiling water. The project was in collaboration with BASF, who developed a special, especially stable formulation of vitamin A. Only once we were sure of its stability, did we market the product.
What do you enjoy most about working here?
At heart, I am still a chemist. I really enjoy working in the lab; experimenting and developing new methods. Meeting and working with other people inspires me most. GB Foods has factories in Italy, Russia, as well as in Africa. In Senegal, I worked with the sanitary authority. I taught them the method for analyzing vitamin A, so they are able to control our products. In the laboratory in Bamako, my job was to teach the colleagues to run the lab analyses. I enjoy the relations with people.
What are you doing when you are not at work?
After work, I like to spend time with my family. I have three children, they play sports, handball, and I enjoy watching their matches. I enjoy running and music – classic and modern. I enjoy reading. Most of all, I enjoy cooking. In my house, I am the official cook.
Do you use GB Foods products for cooking?
For starters, I use them sometimes as ingredients. Mostly, I like to invent my own recipes and experiment!
Thank you, Agustin!
