Gruma

GRUMA S.A.B. de C.V.

Type	Public (BMV: GRUMAB NYSE: GMK)
Industry	Food
Founded	(1949)
Headquarters	Monterrey, Mexico
Key people	Javier Vélez Bautista, (Chairman)
Products	Tortillas Corn Flour
Revenue	US$ 3.8 billion (2010)[1]
Net income	US$ 41.8 million (2010)[2]
Employees	18.790
Website	www.gruma.com

Gruma (BMV: GRUMA / NYSE: GMK) is the largest manufacturer of corn flour and tortillas in the world.^[3] Its brand names include Mission (Misión in Mexico), Maseca, and Guerrero. Founded in 1949 as "Molinos Azteca, S.A.", the company is now based in Monterrey, Mexico and has subsidiaries in the United States, China,^[4] England, Central America, and Venezuela. In the United States, Gruma is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

History

The first industrial production facility of corn flour in the world was opened in 1949 under the name "Molinos Azteca, S.A. de C.V.", later shortened to "Grupo Maseca". Expansion quickly led to the government of Costa Rica inviting the company to invest in that country, in 1973. From then on, a long tradition of investments outside of Mexico was followed. In 1977, Grupo Maseca opened a subsidiary in California, pioneering in the production of tortilla in the United States. It would be in Texas, in 1982, where Maseca would open the first production facility of nixtamalized corn flour in that country.

By 1990, the company had subsidiaries in North America and Central America, including the United States, Honduras and Costa Rica. It was in this year when the company made its Initial Public Offering in the Mexican Stock Exchange as "GIMSA", or "Grupo Industrial Maseca".

Gruma consolidated itself as a holding company after acquiring 10% of Banorte in 1992. From then on, a history of expansions would open subsidiaries around the world, including one in Coventry, England in 2000, and another one in Shanghai, China in 2006, also recently in Ukraine in 2010.

Products

Mission Carb Balance tortillas

Mission Carb Balance tortillas are low-carb tortillas that are high in dietary fiber. They have as few as 4 grams of net carbohydrates per tortilla, depending upon the type and size of the tortilla. The tortillas are available in whole wheat or white flour, and in soft taco, fajita, and burrito sizes.

Subsidiaries

Apart from its 10% interest in Banorte, Gruma operates as a holding company for a number of subsidiaries that produce, market, and distribute its various products around the world.

Gruma Corporation

Produces and commercializes corn flour and tortillas in the United States, Europe, and China. In the United States, Gruma Corporation is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

Gruma Corporation in China is based in Shanghai, and made it the first tortilla producer in that country. It has a production capacity of 15,000 tons of wheat tortillas, 7,000 tons of corn tortillas and 6,000 tons of snacks. In Asia, the company also has distributors in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Philippines and Taiwan.

GIMSA

Short for "Grupo Industrial Maseca, S.A.", it is dedicated to the production, distribution, and marketing of corn flour in Mexico. GIMSA has the largest production capacity, with a market share of about 70%. GIMSA has production facilities in 15 states, including Nayarit, Sonora, Chihuahua, Veracruz, Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, Jalisco, Yucatan, Nuevo León, Baja California, Chiapas, Tamaulipas, Guanajuato, Michoacán, and the State of Mexico.

Molinera de México

It is the largest producer of wheat flour in Mexico, with a capacity of one million tons. Gruma entered this market through joint ventures with Archer-Daniels-Midland in 1996, and the further acquisition of other companies. Among its principal brands are "Selecta", "Reposada", "Sello de Oro", and "Diluvio".

Prodisa

Produces, markets, and distributes tortillas through Gruma's most recognizable brand, Misión.

Tecno Maíz

Designs, manufactures and markets machinery for the production of tortillas and other corn snacks. The machinery is sold under the brands "Tortec" and "Batitec".

Gruma Centroamerica

With operations in Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, Gruma produces over 126,000 tons of corn flour a year, marketed under the brands "Maseca", "Masarica", and "Torti Masa". Gruma also markets tortillas under the brand "Torti Rica", and other snacks with the brands "Tosty" and "Luisiana".

Gruma also produces palmito in 37,000 acres (150 km²) of fields in Costa Rica, to be exported to France, Spain, Belgium, Canada and the United States.

Molinos Nacionales (Monaca) and Derivados de Maíz Seleccionados (DEMASECA)

These two companies operate Gruma's interests in Venezuela, which make the company the second largest producer of corn and wheat flour in that country.

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ [2]
3. ^ Hoover's
4. ^ GRUMA Opens First Tortilla Plant in China Business Wire, September 2006

External links

• Gruma
• Yahoo.com Company Profile

Coordinates: 25°39′17″N 100°21′34″W / 25.65472°N 100.35944°W / 25.65472; -100.35944