50 MOST POWERFUL ENTREPRENEURS (MUNDO EJECUTIVO)

We present 50 entrepreneurs from a new generation of CEOs whose organizations now generate up to 16% of national GDP. In this sample, 96% of them have university studies. They graduated from different institutions, primarily Tecnológico de Monterrey, Universidad Iberoamericana, Universidad Anáhuac and ITAM. They obtained their Master's degrees at Harvard and the IPADE… Juan A. González Moreno, Chairman of the Board of Directors. Work history. He holds serves as Chairman of the GRUMA and GIMSA Board of Directors and CEO of GRUMA and GIMSA, after serving as Director of Special Projects at GRUMA Corporation, CEO of Azteca Milling, Deputy Director of the Central and Eastern Regions forMission Foods; Director and Deputy Director of Sales for Azteca Milling; and CEO of GIMSA and GRUMA Asia & Oceania.... The company achieved a remarkable performance in terms of its shares between 2012 and 2013 ... 

GRUMA, IENOVA AND PINFRA, THE MOST DEFENSIVE SHARES (EL FINANCIERO 37)

After five months, the Mexican Stock Exchange IPC fell 3.19%. This drop is explained in part by the bad year experienced by the two major leaders in the market: América Móvil has fallen 18.33% so far in 2014, while FEMSA shares reported a 6.33% negative adjustment... GRUMA is a pleasant surprise in itself, because its market is closely linked to the performance of even global economic growth.GRUMA is currently the most defensive share in the domestic market with its 36.99% price hike... 

COUNTRY ENTERPRISES, LEADERS IN INVESTMENT  (EXCÉLSIOR 10)  

Mexican companies have invested US $105.322 billion dollars abroad between 2001 and 2013, ranking them as the first in Latin America to take their foreign direct investment (FDI) to other countries, according to figures from the 2013 Annual Foreign Direct Investment report published by ECLAC. The previous cumulative amount is US $10.966 billion higher than the amount the Chilean companies have invested abroad, a country filling the number two position in this ranking in Latin America. The ECLAC report notes that several major Mexican companies already have more than 50% of their operations, sales and jobs outside of Mexico, notably including América Móvil, FEMSA, Cemex, Bimbo, GMéxico and GRUMA... 

THE MEXICAN STOCK EXCHANGE (BMV) STARTS THE MONTH WITH PROMISING FIGURES  (EL UNIVERSAL 4)  

The BMV began June with a 1.39% yield in its main stock index, resulting in an advance of 574.19 units, which allows it to get close to the ceiling of 42,000 units ... On Monday, the Series B GRUMA shares reached record levels, trading at 135.95 pesos per share. Thus, its accumulated yield for the year stands at 37.6% with a market capitalization standing at 58.832 billion pesos.

THE REGIO INDEX IS MORE PROFITABLE THAN THE IPC: MONEX  (EL ECONOMISTA 2-10)  (THE HORIZON ONLINE 0)  

So far this year, the Regio Index has dropped 5.2%, compared with a 2.1% loss on the BMV's IPC, says a report from Monex. The companies listed on the Regio Index reporting the highest yields during the same period are Autlán mining, corn flour processing company GRUMA, and chemical specialist CYDSA with growth reported at 42.5%, 29.2% and 28.8% respectively ... 

GRUMA, “STRONGER THAN EVER” AT 65  (EL FINANCIERO 27)  

After losing its founder, Roberto González Barrera in August 2012, GRUMA, the leader in tortilla production worldwide, far from facing an impairment in its operation, significantly improved its financial structure, thereby reaching its 65th anniversary 'stronger than ever.' After a succession full of uncertainty, Juan González Moreno, the son of Roberto González Barrera, was appointed CEO on December 12th, 2012 and put the brakes on the group's acquisition growth strategy, adopted a policy of austerity and cost reduction, and improved the balance sheet ...

THE ASERCA REGIONAL DIRECTOR DEFENDS BIG BUSINESS. (LA JORNADA 28)  

The presence of players like Cargill, Minsa or Maseca helps regulate the corn market because of the large quantities they buy, said the new regional director of the Marketing and Agricultural Market Development Agency Services (ASERCA) West, Manuel Esteban Tarriba Urtuzuástegui. We would have to ask the Secretary of Agriculture of the State of Sinaloa (Juan Guerra Ochoa) what would happen if there were no players to buy 1.5 and up to two million tons in one single purchase, if that agency produced the five million tons it did in the past... 

PEÑA ARRIVES IN LISBON IN SEARCH OF INVESTMENTS  (EL FINANCIERO 18)  

With the need to accelerate the growth of their economies, Mexico and Portugal will relaunch their relationship with the goal of increasing mutual investment and the establishment of business partnerships between companies in both countries. President Enrique Peña Nieto arrived in Lisbon on the stroke of 5:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m. Mexico City time). In this context, the Mexican president arrives accompanied by a large delegation of Mexican businessmen who will meet with their Portuguese counterparts, seeking to engage in economic and trade exchanges and investment. The entrepreneurs include José Antonio Pérez Antón of Grupo ADO; Roberto Alcántara of Herradura Occidente; Juan Antonio González Moreno of GRUMA; Alejandro Burillo Azcárraga of Pegasus; Benjamin Grayeb of the National Agricultural Council, and Rodrigo Alpizar of the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry (CANACINTRA)...

THE DROP IN CORN FLOUR PRICES HAS NOT REACHED TORTILLA CONSUMERS (LA JORNADA 27-29)  

The price of cornmeal, the input used to make one third of the tortillas consumed in Mexico, fell to 30% in recent months, despite the fact that this drop in costs has not been transferred to final consumers, said GRUMA President and CEO Juan González Moreno last Thursday. The executive manager announced that the Mexican transnational will expand its European operations with the purchase of a plant in Madrid, Spain; and the expansion of its capacity in Russia. In Mexico, the price of corn had not dropped in eight years. Today, the price has dropped about 25-30% and it is customary for cornmeal to drop by the same percentage as the grain. What is very important is that the price of tortillas must also be adjusted, but that does not depend on us, said González Moreno, who assumed leadership of the company two years ago, on the death of his father and founder of the same, Roberto González Barrera,The price of cornmeal, he said, has been falling since corn prices began to fall, said González Moreno, in a press conference on the occasion of the celebration of the 65th anniversary of theGRUMA foundation.

GRUMA ACQUIRES SPANISH TORTILLA MAKER (EL ECONOMISTA pp-21)  

Grupo Maseca announced the acquisition of the Spanish company that makes tortillas, corn products and Mexifoods sauces. The deal was closed on May 24th this year. “Tomorrow we travel to Madrid accompanying President Enrique Peña Nieto and the Secretary of Economy Ildefonso Guajardo, along with other Mexican industrials. There we will announce the acquisition and give you more details about it,” said GRUMA President and CEO Juan González Morenoin a brief press conference in the framework of the opening of the “Earth House” exhibition sponsored by the group.González Moreno said that the Group expects to increase its investments from US $150 million to US $170 million, approximately, which will serve to expand four of its plants, including two in Mexico. “The Russian market is growing very fast. This is why we decided to expand the plant to triple its production capacity. We believe it will be ready by the end of 2015,” he explained, besides not ruling out the possible construction of a second plant by 2017. “The Russians are very fond of chips and especially if they are made with Maseca flour.” Other plants the company expects to expand include Malaysia, from where it exports to places like Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia. 

GRUMA REINFORCES ITS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT. (REFORMA 3)  (EL NORTE 0)  (EL SOL DE MÉXICO 4)

As part of World Environment Day and celebrating GRUMA's 65^th anniversary, Juan González Moreno, the company's President and CEO, inaugurated the new home of The Earth House Planet Observatory at the Horno 3 facilities within the Fundidora Park in Monterrey, a flagship industry symbol in this city in northern Mexico, as an example confirming that technological development and sustainability can coexist. The CEO spoke before the governor of the State of Nuevo Leon, Rodrigo Medina, and local environmental authorities, and said that throughout GRUMA's history, the company has been faithful to a tradition of social responsibility. “We decided to celebrate the anniversary on World Environment Day. All companies in our group, all of our plants operate with GRUMA's environmentally friendly systems and technologies that ensure lower water, gas and electricity costs and less waste discharge with lower greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

LOW RESERVE (EL UNIVERSAL 2)

At the start of the state visit to Portugal, President Enrique Peña Nieto always stressed the attention received by the Mexican delegation and the group of business men and women traveling with him, and last night he attended a dinner hosted by President Aníbal Cavaco Silva to honor of the chief of the Mexican Government. Some of the entrepreneurs traveling with the president include Valentín Diez Morodo, of the Mexican Trade Development Council (COMCE); Enrique Solana of the National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (CONCANACO-SERVYTUR); Rodrigo Alpízar Vallejo of National Chamber of the Transformation Industry (CANACINTRA);Juan Antonio González Moreno of GRUMA; Luis Zárate Rocha; Pablo Azcárraga Andrade of Grupo Posadas; Alejandro Burillo Azcárraga of Pegaso; Guillermo Ortiz Martínez of IXE; Olegario Vázquez Aldir of Grupo Ángeles, and José Antonio Pérez Antón, of ADO. All heavyweights, that is to say.

MEXICO AND SPAIN PRIORITIZE TECHNOLOGIES (Reforma 10) 

The Government of Mexico will receive technical advice from its Spanish counterpart in building the Toluca and Querétaro fast trains. This will be one of the eight agreements to be signed on Tuesday by officials from both administrations during President Enrique Peña Nieto's state visit to that nation ... Peña Nieto is accompanied on this tour by 40 Mexican businessmen. One of them, GRUMA CEO Juan González, will announce a US $35 million investment in the expansion of a plant in Madrid. Spain currently imports many of the products from the Netherlands, but in light of the Spanish demand for wheat and corn tortilla and sauces, the company, which has nine plants in Europe will increase its investment... 

IMPORTS AND CORN PRICES ON THE RISE. (LA JORNADA 26) 

The price for a ton of corn rose 8.29% or 325 pesos at the beginning of June, up from the price recorded on the last day of March, according to figures from the Marketing and Agricultural Market Development Agency Services (ASERCA). During the last year, the country's main staple grain in his milled presentation, packaged and delivered to the mill in Mexico City, maintained a stable price. Even after reaching a maximum of 4,490 pesos in October, that month marked the beginning of a downward trend that fell to its lowest price at 3,920 per ton on March 31st this year. The national average price of that food product (tortillas) stood at 9.89 pesos in supermarkets and 12.40 pesos in tortilla shops, although the latter sell a kilogram of tortillas at prices in excess of 17 pesos in Mexicali, 16 pesos in Chetumal and over 15 in Cancún, Poza Rica and different cities in Sonora. However, in recent months the price ofMasecaand Minsa cornmeal rose between 5% and 6%, which is equivalent to 50 or 60 cents more per kilogram. In April, a kilogram of tortillas sold for 11.40 and 11.77 pesos, but average prices are now 12.80 and 12.32 pesos, although there are places where they sell for 16 pesos ... 

GRUMA shares continue to soar to new highs in the BMV. Its trend is consolidating the expectations that the company will be the best performer in the BMV during the first half of the year. On Friday's trading session, the company's values ​​led the gains, with a rise of 5.23 pesos, equivalent to a percentage variation of 3.77 points trading at 143.79 pesos...

MEXIFOODS, GRUMA PURCHASES STRATEGIC ACQUISITION IN EUROPE (EL FINANCIERO 32) 

GRUMA's purchase of Spanish company Mexifoods will be beneficial for the Mexican company, as it will allow it to generate savings on distribution in Europe, agreed analysts in the food sector. “Having a plant in Spain will allow GRUMA to reconfigure its distribution and save costs, as some of its exports to Portugal, France, Italy and Malta will now be sent from Spain,” said analysts at BTG Pactual in an analysis cited by Bloomberg. On June 5^th, GRUMA President and CEO Juan González Moreno, spoke to the media on May 24^th about the completion of an agreement reached to buy Mexifoods, one of the leading producers of tortillas and sauces businesses in Europe, the amount still undisclosed ...

GRUMA KEEPS ITS RIVAL MEXIFOODS  (MILENIO DIARIO 22-23)

Mexican company GRUMA completed the purchase of Spanish company Mexifoods last May. This is a company specialized in tortillas, tortilla chips and Mexican salsas. This is a strategic move and is part of the expansion of the group headed by Juan González Moreno, who spoke in an interview with Milenio.What is the operation all about?Our investment in Spain is divided into two phases: the first involved US $15 million, with the acquisition of Mexifoods. The second phase, this year, is the expansion of this factory located in Madrid. In fact, I am staying in town this week to see an industrial park. We are expanding the plant with a US $35 million investment. We will triple the production capacity. We have great confidence in the Spanish market. Also from here we will supply the entire Iberian Peninsula, Italy, southern France, Portugal and Malta. We used to bring products from our mill in Italy or from our nearest plant in Holland, to Spain. However, with the factory in Spain we are going to save 1.5 million euros in freight.What is Mexifoods?It is a company with US $18 million in sales. Its products can be found in all stores and supermarkets in Spain, and it also supplies hotels and restaurants. It exports to 20 countries and has 25% of the Spanish market share. This acquisition will become our tenth GRUMA plant in Europe.Do you have plans for other European countries?Consumption of tortillas and Mexican food is growing. France, Germany, Poland and Switzerland are moving very fast, and we plan to attack those markets. Costs are a very important topic in this category of products, so we are bringing all of the technology we use in GRUMA in Monterrey to Europe, to lower labor costs. With all that, we employ around 300 people per plant... 

THEY SOLD MOLINERA DE MÉXICO (EXCÉLSIOR 10)  (REFORMA 7)  (EL NORTE 0)

GRUMA announced the sale of Molinera de México for US $200 million. The Trimex Group will keep those assets. The flour company specified in a filing sent to the Mexican Stock Exchange, that it reached “an agreement with Grupo Trimex, for the sale of its wheat flour operations in Mexico for about US $200 million.” It explained that it expects to close the deal in October and that the proceeds thereof will be used to pay debts, which will improve its financial structure.

THE MASECA GROUP EXPANDS ITS OPERATIONS IN SPAIN  (REFORMA 3)  

After acquiring Mexifoods in Spain for US $15 million,Grupo Maseca announced the expansion of the same with a US $35 million investment. Company President and CEO Juan González Moreno explained that this investment will serve to modernize and triple the plant's production capacity. On a visit to that country, the CEO said that Mexifoods -the leader in the production and marketing of wheat and corn tortillas, corn chips, tortilla chips and Mexican salsas- will allow the Group to consolidate its presence in much of Europe. “We have confidence in the future of Spain and have, therefore, designed a short-term strategy that will take us to invest US $35 million in expanding and updating our plant, tripling its production capacity to supply from Spain the Iberian peninsula, the South of France, Italy, Portugal and Malta,” he said.

GRUMA COMPLETES THE PURCHASE OF MEXIFOODS  (EL ECONOMISTA 24)  

In order to consolidate its position in the third largest tortilla market in Europe,GRUMA,the Mexican producer of corn flour and wheat announced on Wednesday, and the purchase of the Spanish Mexifoods for US $15 million. As part of his visit to Spain accompanying President Enrique Peña Nieto,GRUMA President and CEO,Juan González Moreno, said that the Group has designed a short-term strategy that will cause it to US $35 million in the next few years in the plant's expansion and modernization, tripling its production capacity to serve the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, Italy, Portugal and Malta from Spain. Mexifoods is the Spanish leader in the production and marketing of wheat and corn tortillas, chips, tortilla chips and Mexican salsas, with its 25% market share.

FITCH SEES AN IMPROVEMENT IN GRUMA'S CREDIT QUALITY  (EL HORIZONTE ONLINE 0)  

GRUMA's credit quality will benefit from the sale of Molinera de México, said Fitch Ratings Mexico in its recent forecast. According to a report by the financial agency, it said thatGRUMA's profit margins will improve upon deconsolidating an operation with lower levels of profitability...

GRUMA WILL CONTINUE GROW ITS EARNINGS. (EL ECONOMISTA 5)  

GRUMA continues to carry out actions in order to maintain sustained profitability growth, according to a study by consultancy Signum Research. For example, it mentioned the fact that the company acquired Spanish company Mexifoods on May 24th this year, which holds 25% of the market share in Spain of corn flour, tortillas and tostadas, but also exports them to other countries ... According to Signum Research, the most important strategic move was the sale of its wheat flour division, Molinera de México. Last June 10th, GRUMA agreed to sell its wheat operations for US $200 million to the Trimex Group.

THEY MEASURE CLARITY ON DERIVATIVES. (REFORMA 13)  (EL NORTE 0)  

A new index begins to reveal the transparency of issuers on the issuers' Price and Quotations Index (IPC) in relation to its derivatives contracts. This is the “G Risks & Derivatives Index,” which started to operate in Q1 this year, and could be replicated in the rest of the world markets. The goal is to be able to know who provides more or less information when disclosing their derivatives contracts and the level of risk to which they are exposed, explained Sergio García Quintana, managing Director of the García Quintana Consultants firm that developed the Index ... Arca Continental, Liverpool, Coca-Cola Femsa, Bimbo,GRUMA, Peñoles and OHL stand out because of their performance, earning between 69 and 90 points: the G index will be quarterly and published one month after filing reports.

LIST OF THE 500 LARGEST COMPANIES IN MEXICO (EXPANSIÓN 218-243)  

Expansión magazine publishes the ranking of the largest 500 companies in Mexico where GRUMA is ranked in position 45 and Grupo Industrial Maseca is ranked 133.

HALL OF HONOR (EXPANSIÓN 244)

In the BMV Performance Table, GRUMA is ranked in the number 2 position , behind only San Luis Corporation.

THEY DROP THE RHYTHM (EXPANSIÓN 264)  

The global top 25 Mexican companies on the list of 'The 500' invested US $11 billion in international markets in 2013, with a 0.7% increase over 2012 ... The table of the most global includes GRUMA,inposition number 11.

UP AND DOWN MARKET  (FORBES MÉXICO 14)

Winners. Juan Antonio González Moreno +17.08% value of the Gruma market: 57.99 billion pesos. The company has reduced its debt and this has boosted profitability. Furthermore, its CEO was named Entrepreneur 2013 by the Association of Mexican Entrepreneurs in the United States.

MEXICO'S 10 MOST MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES. (FORBES MÉXICO 152-156)  

The number six on the list of the top ten multinational companies is occupied by GRUMA, the largest manufacturer of corn flour and tortillas in the world, headquartered in Monterrey. This company has manufacturing operations in 16 countries as diverse as Ukraine, Malaysia, Italy and Ecuador with 60% of its plants and sales coming abroad, confirming its status as the sixth most multinational country.

10 MEN BEHIND THE FINANCES OF COMPANIES LISTED ON THE STOCK EXCHANGE (EL FINANCIERO pp-32)  

From the universe of the more than 130 companies listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV), 10 CFOs stand out for having been instrumental in their companies, either because they became the most profitable and attractive to investors or because they successfully managed their financial restructuring, and even saved them from bankruptcy. In 2013, these ten companies had an average growth of 18% in their operating cash flow (EBITDA) and 27% in Q1 2014. Raúl Cavazos, GRUMA CFO, who assumed the position in November 2012, he is considered one of the most effective executives, because in 2013 the tortilla producer was the issuer with the highest performance among companies listed on the Mexican and Latin American stock market, with a 152% increase in the price of its securities. So far this year, it has built up over 51%. Analysts attribute this to the strong performance of its key indicators (EBITDA, sales, profits and leverage)...

SIX MEXICAN LEADERS IN THE WORLD. (EL FINANCIERO PP-28)  

Six Mexican companies were not content with being leaders in their sectors in Mexico but went to conquer the world and succeeded. A combination of good management, international expansion strategies that involved organic growth and acquisitions and major partnerships in key markets around the world have placed Grupo Bimbo, GRUMA Mexichem, Coca-Cola Femsa, Grupo Televisa and José Cuervo as leaders in their respective sectors globally. Revenues from these six companies totaled 41.889 billion dollars in 2013, equivalent to 4.3% Mexico's Gross Domestic Product. At the international level, this amount represents 1.5 times the economy of Uruguay or 92% of GDP in Costa Rica ... Meanwhile, GRUMA has established itself as a major producer of corn flour in the world (with an annual production of 2.6 million tons) and there is no other company that generates a similar level in a pulverized and artisan market. Under the leadership of Roberto González Barrera, the company dedicated its efforts to expand as much as it could on the outside to reach 35 countries on four continents. 

MEXICAN LEADERS EDITION PRESENTS THE 300 MOST INFLUENTIAL (LA JORNADA 29)

Belonging to the public or private sectors, civil society organizations, or because they are outstanding entrepreneurs, politicians and opinion leaders, we find the 300 most influential leaders of Mexico, compiled since 14 years ago by the Líderes Mexicanos (Mexican Leaders) magazine in its 2014 issue, in strict alphabetical order, headed by businessman Salomón Achar, president of the central committee of the Jewish community. However, there are also others, such as Juan González Moreno, president of Grupo Maseca ...

MEXICAN SHARES RECOMMENDED IN THE UNITED STATES (EL NORTE 0)  

The shares of Mexican companies Grupo Maseca (GRUMA), Coca-Cola Femsa (KOF), Grupo Carso, Elektra, Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste and Grupo Televisa instruments that are well worth the investment, according to The Pardini Report. It is important to note that The Pardini Report highlighted the fact that GRUMA has been able to penetrate the European and Asian markets. “GRUMA profits are growing at a rate of 34.4% per year since 2009, and are expected to grow 43% over the next five years.”