Written by: America Barcelo Feldman
Produced by: Taybele Piven, Director of LATAM Operations at WDM Group
Interviewee: Alejandro Cappello, Country Manager for IMC of Mexico
Food Differentiators
In the processed food field and in the restaurant industry, corporate values such as a passion for food excellency have distinguished IMC from their competitors.
"Passion is what reflects the larger engine that integrates this company, from our founder and president, Javier Gavilan, to new partners. We have a spirit of excellence, we work with heart, which is reflected in our mission. We strive not only for the goals of our position, but to exceed expectations," says Cappello.
IMC integrates a centralized business platform that incorporates new units to their portfolio and logistics. "It facilitates a rapid expansion which has led us to positive growth," he adds.
With an accelerated growth, IMC went from 12 restaurants and 500 employees in 2006 to a business group with 400 restaurants and 13,000 employees in 2014.
Entrepreneurial Development
IMC of Mexico has a distribution and production center that caters to all units, centralizing purchases and allowing for better development of brands.
In 2014, IMC will continue to strengthen their brands, purchasing power and organic growth. Margaritaville (IMC’s most recent acquisition) will open its first unit in Mexico; the company will then expand this brand presence in beach destinations.
In 2015 they will open 12 restaurants, which will place them with a total of 55 owned food sites and franchises.
New Markets
The recent commercial negotiation for 'Margaritaville' (an American brand) will intensify IMC’s expansion throughout the Americas; the United States being the first step for an exploration headed to Europe and Asia. "Our mission is to be the best operator of food abroad, outside America," says Cappello.
The goals of IMC are to reach more distant markets in the next three to five years. They will focus on North America, although they are already studying European markets.
Human Resources Development
Ongoing training is reflected in IMC’s employees, due to major investments in their intensive programs for personnel at all levels.
IMC’S human resources are transferred to the Integrated Training Center located in Mexico City, where they teach the best practices in their job position as well as the vision and values of the company.
The company also has workshops, leadership development programs, business administration and management courses for working executives and managers.
Technological Advances
In their production area, they have incorporated the latest technological devices in order to standardize processes. "We ensure the supply and reduce costs," says Cappello.
Thanks to these advances, they have achieved major energy savings and increased efficiency. In a short time, IMC of Mexico will implement a system for the finance area that will streamline and centralize administration.
They are currently working with a digital platform to track sales at various restaurants and control their operations through online software; the back office automatically generates an inventory of ingredients used in recipes and controls the supply chain from the manufacturing plant to the consumer's table.
Supply Chain
"The success of our brands wouldn’t be possible without the cooperation of our business partners," Cappello mentioned after speaking about their suppliers and how they have developed synergies to optimize costs.
With the support of these strategic partners, International Meal Company has managed to expand into new markets. One example is the presence of meat cuts “La Mansion” in supermarkets thanks to a meat producer. "By sharing our success, we promote both brands," he adds.
IMC Future
The Latin American company International Meal Company of Mexico intends to expand their brands all over the world, based on their passion for high quality standards. In the next five years, they expect to gain significant international growth.
"We want to be the best food company in the next few years, and the first step to achieve this goal is to enter the complex United States market," says Cappello.
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