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“The first times were difficult,” says Manuela Schiedlbauer, with a clear German accent, from Molino Mayal in Matthew, Escobar district. “People were interested in our bags of flour, but we did not sell a single kilogram. However, we are still completely convinced of our project and here we are growing a little more every day.” He runs a company with his family that produces organic wheat, rye and spelled flour. Which has already conquered the city’s prominent bakers, great chefs and restaurants such as Don Julio, Anchueta, Julia and others. “Today I look at everything we built and it excites me,” he adds as he begins to recount the beginnings of his exciting story. “We were still the same, but with more experience and more commitment.”
Manuela was born and raised in Mannheim, near Frankfurt, Germany. She arrived in Argentina in December 1985. She came on vacation with the idea of enjoying a few days in the big city, but she was struck by its energy by Buenos Aires and captivated by the country’s interior. “It was an unexpected crush. Since then, this land has become my home.” He says.
That trip was the beginning of new beginnings. At that time I was a makeup, advertising and fashion artist. Every day he showed his creative talent. “I loved being able to change a face, beautify or bring life to a character. It was like drawing emotions. I was lucky to work with people from so many places, travel the world and learn something new with every project. It always gave me a mixture of pride and nerves when I would open a magazine and see images I had worked on or walk into a cinema and recognize my mark on film. “It was a tough job, long hours and setbacks, but it taught me to be persistent, not to give up, to be patient and determined,” admits makeup artists from Shakira, Qian and Ricky Martin, to Nina Hagen and Michael Kitchen, including Emma Watson and Franca Potente.
Years later, anton kraus, The Bavarian, a lover of cooking and homemade bread, also came to Buenos Aires to work. It took some time to meet Manuela, but when their paths crossed, nothing was ever the same again. They met at a closed dinner organized by Anton at his home. It was fun nights with lots of food, wine and interesting cultural conversations about their land they long for. Little by little, the spark began to ignite, even though no one dared to take the big step. until One of those nights, before he said goodbye, he kissed her. “I have to admit, my legs were shaking,” she recalls with a laugh. Shortly after, he invited her to dinner alone. To her surprise, he prepared a simple dish, but with unparalleled flavour: spaghetti with bolognese sauce. “It turned out to be my favorite dish,” he adds. “I don’t know if it was a coincidence or a strategy, but it worked.” From that day, a new chapter of love began to be written.
Together they started dreaming up projects. For years, Anton had an idea, or a “desire,” she says: to have a mill. He longed for his homeland’s bread with its unique flavor and texture. At that time it was difficult to find in Buenos Aires. He added: “The flour was not of the quality and flavor that I liked. This was not a criticism from a technical standpoint, but from a palate, from his personal experience. So, it occurred to him to have his own mill to grind flour. Not to compete with bakers, but to provide a raw material that he himself dreamed of obtaining.”
So he decided to import Stone mill from Austria. I had no experience in this field, but I was eager to learn the trade. It took years to qualify, but with trials, errors and perseverance they achieved it. “We did a lot of tests and prototypes of flour,” he says. “We wanted to offer something really good. But when we finally started, no one bought us. It was a slow start, but full of conviction.”
The name Mayal was another great idea of Anton. While searching for an important tool, he discovered on the Internet that a paddle is an old master tool for this process. He says: “Many think it is our family name, but it is a stick with leather straps that was used to separate the ear from the pimples. Few people know this, but he never tires of explaining it.”
To learn the trade, they traveled through Austria and Germany, visiting historic mills where knowledge was passed down from generation to generation. They took courses, had European teachers, listened and experimented. “It was a very subjective learning process, full of curiosity and passion,” he admits. “We did not come from this world, but were trained step by step, with a lot of respect for the craft and those who have practiced it for centuries.”
Today, they work using an ancient method of slow stone grinding where the beans are cared for at every stage of the process. All of their flours are organic, with no additives or preservatives. “Unlike hammer or rotary mills, which operate at high speed, here we have a foot grinder,” explains Manuela. It is slow and precise, and the molecular structure of the grain is not destroyed. This preserves flavor and nutrients and results in a lively flour that absorbs more water and provides a unique texture and aroma. He emphasizes that it is accurate in spirit.
They started with wheat and then added rye. The last big addition was Written, and the pills they call today define their identity. “It was another dream of Anton. He wanted to plant it, grow it and mill it. Today it is our favorite flour, for its flavour, its history and the nobility with which it is turned into paste. It is an ancient grain, the ancestor of modern wheat and retains exceptional nutritional qualities. For us, working with Spell is not only a productive choice, but a commitment to the health and well-being of those who trust our products. “It is a matter of pride to see how a family dream turns into food for so many tables,” he says. The grains they mill come from a family in Bordenave, which has been growing organically for over 45 years. “We have built a deep bond. We know their history and industry. We trust them because we share the same values. We feel very proud that our flour starts in their hands.
The path to success was not easy and they had to face many tests. They learned by unloading trucks by hand, facing floods, debt and long, sleepless nights. But they never lowered their arms. “It was every obstacle “An opportunity to learn, grow and enhance this project that we have undertaken with love, with our own hands and with a tremendous will to move forward.” Manuela confesses, excited.
With time and great effort, their flour began to reach bakeries and restaurants across the country. At first, no one knew them, thanks to their daughter Desiree’s insistence on opening an Instagram account. “We began to tell in simple words what we had done with so much love. Little by little we were discovered by enthusiastic bakers who we did not know who they were. They talked about our flour, and so, almost without realizing it, “Our bags arrived in the kitchens of famous chefs and also on the tables of many families.”He remembers. Then the Mastekar Gallery arrived with a huge window that connected them to many people. Through word of mouth, they conquered chefs and bakers such as Donato De Santis, Damián Petular, Narda Lipes, Gonzalo Aramburu, Diego Veras, Julio Páez and German Torres, among others.
Ben, one of the sons, is in charge of milling and production. It has a special relationship with machines and grains. Meanwhile, Desiree handles customer service, packaging, labels, and social media outreach. Anton is still the technical soul: he works in the field, sowing, cleaning the wheat and maintaining the machinery. He loves designing new gadgets. Manuela does a little bit of everything: paperwork, packing, and delivery. “They say I’m a demanding coach (laughs), but we are a very united team.”
Manuela admits that what makes her happiest in her work is when a customer says to her: What good flour you make! “They are simple, honest words, but they say it all,” he concludes. “It is also gratifying to be able to harvest, to see how a whole year’s work takes shape in the field, in the mill, and finally at someone’s table.” There are many bags of flour ready for delivery. In each one, a small piece of family history travels that will later be transformed into breads, pastas, pastries, cakes and other delicacies made with great love.