El Globo

We began our week with two days at Corporate, going to meetings, learning about distribution models, the compendium (which basically is a project to connect all parts of our business), and our plan to be "Ganando Todos los Dias en al Mercado" (winning everyday in the market).  Meetings all day are never fun but the time seemed to pass by pretty quickly on both days.

On Wednesday we started our two day rotation at El Globo.  El Globo is a pastry shop owned by Grupo Bimbo.  It was founded in 1885 by Italians in Mexico City.  Bimbo purchased Globo 7 years ago from Grupo Carso and has been operating it ever since.  There are 281 stores with 3 different formats; islands, cafeterias, and regular store fronts.  They offer several different types of products including cakes, gelatin, cookies, sweet breads, pastries, sandwiches, and ice cream.  These products are sold under 3 different brands; Globo, which is your standard quality items, La Balance, which are your high end pastries and cakes, and El Molino, which are your less expensive items.  They are pretty cool stores, kind of Panera esque.

Each morning, fresh product is delivered to the store but they also make product at the store.  The concept is a little foreign to me so it was interesting to see the operation.  The manager took me around and showed me her daily activities.  I also spent a little time with each of the workers learning what they do.  All the people at my store were super nice.  I really enjoyed the two days I spent there.
   

 EL GLOBO!

 Looking good in my hairnet!

 El Globo familia!

 La gerente y yo!!

Friday we got to take a tour of the El Globo factory.  Now I have been on several bakery tours but this one is something different.  I was expecting it to be similar to the other factories; lots of automated lines pumping out product on a mass scale.  This was not the case at all.  All of the 980 SKUs for El Globo are hand made!!  It was super impressive to see.  There are different sections of the plant, all that have their own function.  I saw where they make the cakes, chocolate, gelatins, pastries, sandwiches, and ice cream.  A lot of the processes work like an assemble line until the product is finished.  Some items have to pass through about 30 people before it is complete.  We even produce products for Burger King, McDonald's, and Starbucks.  Bimbo really does have their hand in a little bit of everything.  I wish I could have taken some pictures but they wouldn't let us.  At one point we went to the R&D department to see what new projects there are working on.  It was all TOP SECRET.  I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you....  At the end of the tour, we got to eat one of the danishes straight off the line.  WOW was it delicious!!  It is a good thing I don't work at the bakery because it would be detrimental to my health haha.  

We had to wear this outfit when we took the plant tour.  I look like I am about to work with hazardous materials.

This week we will be at corporate again for two days and then attend a sales course for the Divisionals.  We have to move hotels, which is a pain, but the location for the course isn't too far away so we can drive there.  I'll keep you posted.... 

Adios Guadalajara, Hola Corporativo

So it's been a while since my last entry.  My apologies for the long absence.  The last couple weeks in Guadalajara were pretty much the same and kind of uneventful.  We spent about 3 weeks in total with the Supervisors, shadowing them, learning their daily activities.  Typically, they spend 5 days on the market and 1 day in the office.  Currently in the autoservicio channel, we are running a promotion for cookies.  Customers buying cookies can enter for an opportunity to win a bike or a flat screen TV.  What prize they can win is determined by how many cookie pallets the store is willing to put up.  This was a big focus for the supervisors so we spent a decent amount of time trying to sell in cookie pallets.  Since my job in the US entails selling in displays, it was interesting to see this process.  Some stores are all about the promotion and will put up 4 pallets with no problems.  In other stores the sell-in was not so easy.  They face similar challenges that we face in the US when trying to sell-in a display.  Some times the manager doesn't want the display, or they don't have enough room, or they agree to a display but then change their mind .  It was good to see the successes as well as the failures.  My daily activities entail just that; some days, every store I hit will be a win, other days, not so much.  It's the nature of the business.  From what I learned (very quickly), you have to try not to get frustrated and just continue to work with the stores so you both benefit.      

Each week, the supervisors hold a meeting with their group of vendors/merchandisers to go over results and upcoming priorities.  In these meetings they play a neat "money grab" game.  They put fake money in a jar and the vendors/merchandisers that hit their sales/return goals get chances to grab money out.  The better your results were, the more chances you get to grab.  However much fake money you grab out goes into your next paycheck.  It provides a good incentive to hit your goals.  I thought it was a cool way to do so.

I really enjoyed being in Guadalajara.  It was a nice change of pace and scenery from being in Mexico City.  Let me tell you though, it is hot as hell!!  It easily reached 100 degrees everyday and when you are getting in and out of a car all day, it is not pleasant.  All the people that we met were awesome.  Very kind and fun to be around.  That is one problem with this program.  We go from place to place and meet all these great people.  We are with them everyday for a couple weeks, build relationships, and then, BOOM, off to another place.  I have exchanged information with many of the people down here and I hope to keep in touch with as many as possible.  Oh, on a side note: the women in Guadalajara are B-E-A-UTIFUL!!  I don't know, maybe it is something in the water (no joke intended).  Many of the vendors/merchandisers were women, unlike in the US where it is pretty much a man's world.  If I could only speak Spanish just a little better...... but that is neither here nor there.

Speaking of Spanish, in the last month my Spanish has improved significantly.  I had a new teacher in Guadalajara and she was awesome.  Her name is Paola, she is 26 and is a certified teacher at UNIVA (a university in Guadalajara).  In my first class we put together a list of things I wanted (and needed) to learn.  She came up with a great curriculum for me.  We covered several important subjects and she always kept class interested.  We played games to help me learn and sometimes just chatted about life.  I really enjoyed her classes.  So much so that I requested to continue classes with her via skype while I finish out my time in Mexico City.  Classes start back up tonight.  By the end of my program here I will definitely be speaking much better Spanish.  But I still have a long way to go.  I will not stop until I am completely fluent!!!  Believe that!!  JAJAJA (that's me laughing in Spanish).

Some of my peeps from Guadalajara. 


Now we are back in Mexico City for our final rotation in Corporate.   We are going to be learning about all the behind the scenes activities that allow Bimbo to operate.  There is time scheduled to learn about Trade Marketing, Key Accounts, Analysis, and pretty much everything in between.  We have a project to do as well but have no idea what it is on yet.  To complete the program, we will be presenting to upper management as well as our bosses and VPs from the states.  I have a feeling we are going to be plenty busy for the last month and a half.  I will do my best to keep you guys updated.  Until then...... Adios mis amigos!!