P•A•N | BBR - Brochure

Tradition EVOLUTION &

make their way into the global market

Venezuela’s hallmark dish includes a traditional ingredient since decades ago which, besides global expansion, undergoes an evolution toward different consumers’ trends

Creative

Interviewee Héctor García, Commercial Manager for the American Region at P.A.N. Global

Undoubtedly, P.A.N. cornmeal is a product that goes beyond its success at a commercial level. Its journey has turned it into a big tradition for Venezuelans both in and out of the country, besides being an essential ingredient for the famous ‘arepas’ to still be the most representative Venezuelan food even outside the country.

In Venezuela, as well as in many other countries in Latin America and worldwide, since the 1940s and 50s, migrations from the countryside and provinces toward big cities risked many family traditions rooted in the countryside. The cleaning, shelling, boiling, and grounding processes did not seem to have a place in city life, thus resulting in a decrease in the consumption of arepas.

This situation implied a big challenge as well as a huge opportunity to ease the preparation of homemade food such as arepas, buns, pies, and ‘hallacas’ in a practical and easy way. Empresas Polar understood this need

for Venezuelans and resorted to use its available technological resources and facilities where corn flakes for their breweing business were processed, with the purpose of creating precooked cornmeal, which made the cooking of arepas easy.

THE BRAND DEVELOPMENT AND LAUNCHING

As the arepa is considered the “Venezuelan bread”, the product’s brand had to be representative of this fact, so it was named Harina P.A.N. (P.A.N. flour), following the initials of Productos Alimenticios Nacionales (National Alimentary Products). December 10th, 1960 marks the launch of P.A.N. precooked cornmeal, which was a great success and accepted by Venezuelan consumers.

“This way, Empresas Polar became a pioneer in the massive production of precooked cornmeal, rescuing a tradition”, commented Héctor García, Commercial Manager for the American Region at P.A.N. Global.

Empresas Polar became a pioneer in the massive production of precooked cornmeal, rescuing a tradition

- Héctor García, Commercial Manager for the American Region at P.A.N. Global

THE RELEVANCE OF A DIVERSE PRODUCT

After 61 years of experience and tradition, P.A.N. is the leading precooked cornmeal brand worldwide, being recognized as a global brand whose food has attributes such as being appetizing and healthy because of its nutritional features.

P.A.N. precooked cornmeal is completely composed of natural corn, besides being a gluten, chemicals, and additives-free product.

Currently, P.A.N. offers a range of corn flour types for different uses, thus widening its product portfolio to be part of different gastronomical cultures.

Thanks to its elaboration quality, flavor, versatility, and easiness, the brand’s growth has become unstoppable.

A DIFFERENCE BEYOND BOUNDARIES

Paying attention to requests and new demands that arise when entering

new markets and competing at a global level, P.A.N. has evolved and kept the best quality standards.

Proof of this is the product portfolio elaborated by P.A.N. in its US plants, which holds important certifications in accordance with the consumers’ diversity as are Gluten-Free, Halal and Kosher.

“For more than 60 years, we have been proving why consumers prefer us: quality, performance, flavor, versatility”, declared the executive.

TERRITORIAL SUPERIORITY IN PRODUCTION AND MARKET-WISE

P.A.N. flour is sold in 90 countries on five continents. Besides its two flourproducing plants in Venezuela, it also has a plant in Facatativa, Colombia, supplying also for the Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru markets. These

For more than 60 years, we have been proving why consumers prefer us

- Héctor García, Commercial Manager for

the American Region at

P.A.N.

Global

facilities have a production capacity of 100,000 tons per year.

The P.A.N. Flour plant in Texas (U.S.A.) supplies the rest of the American market and worldwide. In Italy, the company works with copackers in charge of the European market. In Spain, the company owns two plants where frozen products are elaborated under the brand P.A.N.

Snack ON.

Back in America, P.A.N. organized

P.A.N. Food Business Week – Del plan al plato: creación del producto, espacio y equipo

its own commercial operations in Chile, Ecuador, and Peru, to deal with these markets directly.

COMMITMENT TO SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES

At a social level, P.A.N.’s main commitment is to its production plants’ neighboring communities in Venezuela and Colombia through

accompaniment, training, and donations. With the spreading of the brand, the company expects that all these initiatives will be copied in all the regions where the company is present.

P.A.N. also has the P.A.N. Business Solutions division, which gives totally free webinars on its YouTube channel.

This division is currently organizing several editions of the P.A.N. Food Business Week, in which a personality within the food industry shares their experience and knowledge for a week, thus providing support to new gastronomy entrepreneurs.

PROMISING FUTURE

The P.A.N. expansion process still goes on, while the company evaluates market opportunities according to consumers’ demands, considering the trends which have gained ground in the food industry regarding the inclusion or not of specific ingredients, specific diets, and even consumption habits regarding packaging types and sizes.

P.A.N. still has a lot to offer, going beyond the Venezuelan tradition to enter the global market.

FOUNDED: 1960

Food & Beverage CONTACT: www.empresaspolar.com