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 EVOLUTION&
Tradition
Produced by Jassen Pintado Written by MateoTabladoRafael Creative Direction Omar Rodríguez Interviewee Héctor AmericanManagerCommercialGarcía,fortheRegionatP.A.N.Global
60 SeptemberP.A.N. 2022
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.
THE BRAND DEVELOPMENT AND LAUNCHING
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.
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.
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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).
ndoubtedly, 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.
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
- Héctor García, Commercial Manager for the American Region at P.A.N. a in the massive of a
Global Empresas Polar became
pioneer
production
precooked cornmeal, rescuing
tradition www.thebostonbr.com 61
Food & Beverage
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.
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THE RELEVANCE OF A DIVERSE PRODUCT
P.A.N. precooked cornmeal is completely composed of natural corn, besides being a gluten, chemicals, and additives-free 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.
Paying attention to requests and new demands that arise when entering
A DIFFERENCE BEYOND BOUNDARIES
Thanks to its elaboration quality, flavor, versatility, and easiness, the brand’s growth has become unstoppable.
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.
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64 SeptemberP.A.N. 2022
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
- Héctor García, Commercial Manager for the American Region at P.A.N. Global
For more than 60 years, we have been proving why consumers prefer us
BackON.inAmerica, P.A.N. organized
“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
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
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COMMITMENT SURROUNDINGTOCOMMUNITIES
P.A.N. also has the P.A.N. Business Solutions division, which gives totally free webinars on its YouTube channel.
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At a social level, P.A.N.’s main commitment is to its production plants’ neighboring communities in Venezuela and Colombia through
its own commercial operations in Chile, Ecuador, and Peru, to deal with these markets directly.
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. Food Business Week – Del plan al plato: creación del producto, espacio y equipo
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 andP.A.N.sizes.still has a lot to offer, going beyond the Venezuelan tradition to enter the global market.
PROMISING FUTURE
67 www.empresaspolar.comFoodFOUNDED:1960INDUSTRY:&BeverageCONTACT: Food & Beverage www.thebostonbr.com
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.
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