| 1) |
When and where was GRUMA born? |
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The origins of GRUPO MASECA go back to the
city of Cerralvo in 1949 on the state of Nuevo León. This enterprise was founded
by Don Roberto M. González Gutiérrez and his son, our current Chairman of the
Board, Don Roberto González Barrera.
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| 2) |
Where can we find GRUMA products? |
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In Mexico, the United States,
Central America, Venezuela, Europa, Asia and
Oceania. |
| 3) |
Does GRUMA only manufacture corn flour? |
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No, we also produce bread, canned food, snacks, corn and wheat
tortillas, hearts of palm, rice, oat and pasta, among other food products in
countries where we hold operations. |
| 4) |
Do you sell tortilla-making machinery? |
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Yes, we also sell beaters for preparing the dough, which are
manufactured by our technological subsidiary TECNOMAÍZ. GRUMA has developed
tortilla-making machines that can produce from 50 up to 1,200 tortillas per
minute.
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| 5) |
What are GRUMA’s strategic guidelines as an enterprise? |
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To
offer quality products and services.
To
duly understand and meet our customers needs.
To
significantly strengthen the value of our brands through efficient and effective
marketing, distribution and customer service efforts.
To strengthen our competitive advantages
through technological and market research.
To get
immersed only in those markets where long-term added values can be achieved
through economies of scale.
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| 6) |
How many GRUMA facilities have quality process certification? |
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Currently
25 plants have been certified and they are committed to continuing their
improvement.
GIMSA (Mexico) has 18 certified facilities.
GRUMA Corporation tortilla division (United States) has four plants already been
certified ISO-9002; in the corn flour division the plants of Edinburg and
Plainview (both in the US) have been certified. In the tortilla and bread
divisions in Mexico the Monterrey facility has also been
certified.
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| 7) |
Does GRUMA invest in technology? |
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Yes. Since it was created GRUMA has allocated an important share of
its earnings to researching and developing new technologies. This philosophy has
turned GRUMA into the leader of the corn flour industry with a technology 100%
of its own.
As a result
of our interest in technological development, GRUMA has the capacity to
manufacture 20 different types of whiter, better-yielding flours that outdo the
competition.
The
enterprise has developed tortilla-making machinery that elaborates a greater
amount of finished product and thus cut costs significantly. If compared with
traditional machinery, GRUMA´s can make up to 1,200 tortillas per minute,
whereas the output of normal machines in Mexico is of 40 or 50 tortillas only in
the same lapse.
Additionally
the company has developed machinery that produces higher volumes of tortillas,
with savings in operating costs considerably compared to traditional machines.
GRUMA tortilla machines can produce up to 2,400 corn tortillas and flour
tortillas 400 per minute, when the common machines produce only 30 or 50
tortillas per minute.
With such an
advanced technology, the company has trimmed down variable production costs in
corn and wheat tortillas by 36% and 25% respectively in the last 10 years. This
very same machinery has been successfully applied at GRUMA´s facilities in the
United States, Mexico and Central America, thus outrunning the strict
environmental and production regulations in
force. |
| 8) |
Does GRUMA run stock in the Mexican Stock Exchange? |
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Not only in Mexico but in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as
well.
In
Mexico its key codes at the quotation board are MASECA B and GRUMA B; in the
NYSE the keys are MSK and GMK.
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| 9) |
Does GRUMA provide for support to install tortilla stores? |
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Yes,
by means of Grupo Industrial Maseca (GIMSA), our subsidiary in Mexico, there is
a support program for those people interested in beginning their tortilla
business. Further inquiries at the telephone number 01-800-6273221 (toll-free)
or visit www.gimsa.com in the segment of
Services.
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