In the 1950s, the candy company De la Rosa took a significant turn that would lead it to success in the Mexican market. It was decided to change the brand name after people associated its marzipan with a red rose used as the logo of Conitas, the original brand. The popularity was more due to the image than the name, which is why the Mexican businessman saw an opportunity in it.
Upon realizing that customers identified his marzipan as 'the one with the rose', he decided to name the brand De la Rosa, which made it the market leader in marzipan sales in Mexico. Since then, the company has grown to become one of the largest candy empires in the country, founded by a Mexican family.
Although marzipan is not originally from Mexico, this country has adopted this sweet as its own thanks to the influence of De la Rosa, which has been a pioneer in popularizing this delicacy. Initially, marzipan, made from peanuts and sugar, was introduced to Mexico by Don Jesús Michel González under a different name, but it was the people who gave it the current name of De la Rosa.
In a conversation held in January 2024, Enrique Michel, heir to the company, revealed how the name De la Rosa emerged. Initially, the brand was called Conitas, but a radio ad that mentioned 'Guadalajara, city of roses' impacted his father, who decided to change the logo to a rose.
However, upon receiving a request from the government to specify the brand, address, and phone number, the roses in the logo were replaced with little strawberries. This decision was questioned by the competition, who feared confusion with their brand. After an agreement with the rival company, De la Rosa was able to continue with its new logo.
The inspiration for the name ultimately came from the city of Guadalajara and a shiny aluminum foil wrapper used to package the marzipan. Thus, De la Rosa established itself as one of the most recognized and successful brands in the Mexican candy market.
