From the top floor of the Bromera headquarters in Alzira, the vista of barren fields mirrors the gray skies overhead. Here, Bernat Bataller and Sandra Capsir, Bromera's general director and deputy director, reflect on the company's journey. Since its acquisition by Grupo Planeta in 2023, Bromera has remained a vanguard in Valencian publishing, producing approximately 5,000 titles over four decades. Despite the overall buoyancy of the book market, with sales soaring by nearly 35% in 2024 compared to 2019, the Valencian segment faces a starkly different reality.

Bataller, a native of Alzira, highlights how Spanish literature is increasingly encroaching on the space traditionally occupied by Valencian youth literature. Sandra Capsir concurs, pointing out the declining reading indices for Valencian books. Founded in 1986 by schoolteacher Josep Gregori, Bromera receives significant backing from Grupo Planeta, which holds a 60% stake. While innovations like the Algar imprint cater to Spanish-speaking markets across Spain and Latin America, over 70% of Bromera's revenue is still derived from Valencian titles.

The political climate presents further hurdles. Since 2023, Bromera has not received Generalitat support for promoting Valencian, as Vox's former Culture Counselor Vicente Barrera revised subsidy criteria to exclude entities deemed Catalanist. Though Vox has since exited the government, the financial aid remains elusive. Capsir stresses the importance of these subsidies, mandated by the 2002 regional book law, and remains cautiously optimistic about their potential return amidst ongoing political uncertainty.

The rise of Vox also sees proposed budget amendments targeting institutions supporting Valencian, like the AVL. Although Bromera has not yet felt direct repercussions, Bataller acknowledges the industry's vulnerability to external political forces.

Bromera also confronts challenges from educational reforms. The publisher supplies a substantial portion of Valencian textbooks used in regional schools, contributing over 60% of its revenue. A controversial policy shift allows families to choose the language of instruction, resulting in a split between Valencian and Spanish. This has led to logistical dilemmas, such as schools having to reconcile existing Valencian materials with new Spanish language requirements.

The aftermath of the October 29 floods added to Bromera's woes, as torrential rains inundated the industrial area housing their distributor's stock, leading to the loss of 350,000 books. Yet, Bataller notes Bromera's resilience, highlighting their swift recovery efforts and ongoing management of insurance claims.

Looking back on 40 years of publishing, Bataller, who took the helm in 2024, maintains that Bromera's editorial direction remains steadfast. Decisions regarding authors and collections are made locally, with technological advancements from Planeta enhancing, not redefining, their operations. Capsir takes pride in Bromera's roster of Valencian authors and highlights recent successes, such as international sales to South Korea and China, and a standout performance at Barcelona's Sant Jordi festival.

Ultimately, Bromera's sustained success hinges on its deep connection with the educational community and its dedication to nurturing Valencian literary talent, even as it navigates an increasingly complex socio-political landscape.