El Pan de la Chola makes the right slice every time

Quality and simplicity are key. El Pan de la Chola’s concept is connecting people to simple moments with good bread and Peruvian coffee. Since the first store the menu has expanded but kept the core aim of sustainable growth using the best possible quality bread remains the same. Day believes this quality extends to cutting, “Not everyone has a good bread knife at home, therefore turning the bread slicing into a real mess. But when the bread is cut nicely, it makes good bread taste better.” While, in the beginning El Pan de la Chola was offering to cut loaves by hand, it took time and as the business grew, Day saw a need to improve this part of the process.

Slice thickness can be adjusted with the turn of a dial, to ensure easy-to-use versatility. When first talking to JBT Marel, Day mentioned how important the slice sizes were to the bread and his customers, JBT Marel were able to modify the standard settings on the tabletop slicers, programming them to meet El Pan de la Chola’s needs. Day is so happy with the TRIEF SIRIUS+ that while we were writing this article, he placed an order for three more.

Needing to cut 300 loaves per day in the big shop they installed the TREIF PRIMUS 500 which provides premium, universal bread cutting at high speeds. Two cut speeds give greater versatility and energy saving options. In eco setting cut 130 loaves pre minute, or, during busier times, switch to the high-speed setting to cut 220 loaves per minute. The TREIF PRIMUS 500 meets El Pan de la Chola’s needs today while ensuring they have the capacity for any future demands.

Another factor which attracted Day was the oil-free technology used in TREIF bread cutters. Each bread cutter uses high-quality NanoBlades, manufactured in-house to perfectly match each machine. The circular blade cuts all bread types without blade oiling. “It’s an important factor,” Day said on choosing slicers that were going to support the quality of Chola’s core product, “That technology makes it so much easier and more hygienic."

Prepared for the future

Consistent, continuous production is crucial to the continued success and reputation of El Pan de la Chola. “It was an important topic to discuss,” said Kriegbaum. “Service and spare parts are a key part of successful slicing. We worked with Jonathan Day to put together a spare parts package that arrived with the machines, and telephone support with our Oberlahr office in Germany, so El Pan could react quickly in case of any malfunction.”  

Quality connections

The bread cutters were installed early 2025, “One of the key reasons we chose TREIF equipment is the German quality. And they’ve been running smoothly since we installed them, five months ago now.” Day. The global bakery community is connected, just as Day sought advice from fellow artisanal bakeries around the world on which bread slicer to invest in, now Day finds he is fielding the same questions from other bakeries. “People from all over the world ask about the machine. They’re so impressed.”

From one man’s love for European style bread, El Pan de la Chola has grown into a successful business where the vision of the company reflects the team’s approach to life; simple, delicious and sustainable. “The bread cutters are part of the DNA now, just like good flour and our specialty coffee machine. I don’t think our customers will accept not having good slices. When bread is cut nice, it just makes good bread taste better,” said Day. As bread lovers ourselves, we couldn’t agree more.
 

About El Pan de la Chola

A contemporary artisan bakery that preserves and respects the natural fermentation process of dough. El Pan de la Chola is passionate about bread, using simple ingredients including local flour and grains, to offer customers the best quality products they can. Founded in 2011, El Pan de la Chola has grown organically. Today there are six locations around Peru, with offerings that have expanded from bread and coffee to include pizza, brunch and in-house milled flours. All while seeking to capture simple moments in life.