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....