‘Willy Wonka Of Weed’ Opens The Doors To The RAW Factory: Here’s What We Saw
Benimarfull. Hard to pronounce, fewer than 450 inhabitants and nearly invisible on the map of the Valencian Community. Yet here, in this quiet corner of Spain, a factory fuses centuries-old paper machinery with cutting-edge technology to produce some of the world’s most famous rolling papers. The real-life Willy Wonka behind it, Josh Kesselman, likes to say he didn’t choose this spot: “The location chose us.” His passion for preserving an ancient craft has transformed what could have remained a sleepy backwater into a global phenomenon.
We arrived buzzing with curiosity, having signed confidentiality agreements after whispers of “indescribable things.” Stepping inside, we felt as if we were entering a clandestine lab.
We weren’t far off. Behind the secrecy lies the heartbeat of an industry older than many nations—an industry that refuses to fade. Ironically, from this tiny hamlet in rural Valencia, the world finds its perfect rolling sheet. And no one who crosses these gates leaves unmoved by the magic.
A Legacy Spanning Centuries
To understand why this rolling paper hub landed in Benimarfull, you have to look at the deep history of rolling paper in the Valencian Community. While Alcoi was often hailed as Spain’s cradle of papermaking—home to 40 mills and booklet factories in the early 19th century—several surrounding towns also played pivotal roles:
- Alcoi: The birthplace of iconic brands like Pay-Pay and Bambú, starting with the Albors family mill in the mid-1700s. By the late 1800s, it was a global hub of rolling-paper innovation.
- Banyeres de Mariola: Involved in papermaking since the late 1700s, with firms like José Laporta Valor S.A. pushing boundaries.
- Xàtiva: Home to Europe’s first paper mill, dating back to the 10th century, supplying official documents before Alcoi’s rise to prominence.
- Muro de Alcoy, Alqueria de Aznar and Cocentaina: Though less documented, these neighboring areas are believed to have played supporting roles in the region’s papermaking surge.
Today, Iberpapel S.L. in Benimarfull …