TRENDS  (EL ECONOMISTA p.7)GRUMA.Gruma’s net profit up 30% between April and June 2016, to stand at MXN 1.501 billion.

CLAUDIA RUIZ MASSIEU/AUSTRALIA: 50 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP (EXCÉLSIOR 15) This year, Mexico and Australia celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations… Australia is the Asia-Pacific region’s fourth largest investor in Mexico, with accumulated investment of USD 1.1 billion in the construction, manufacturing, and real estate sectors. By contrast, the largest Mexican investment in Australia has been in the sectors of agribusiness, and food and drink, with renowned companies like Gruma.

CONSUMER INDUSTRY EARNS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS IN REVENUES (EL ECONOMISTA 5) Alsea, Bimbo, Gruma, and Lala reported combined revenues of MXN 98.943 billion during Q2 this year, 13.52% up over the same quarter in 2015... Between them, the consumer-sector issuers listed on the IPC achieved double-digit growth in their EBITDA and the net profits of their holding companies. Alsea, Bimbo, Gruma and Lala saw their EBITDA increase 18.88% to stand at MXN 12.535 billion.

CONSUMER COMPANIES: ABOVE MARKET AVERAGES (EL UNIVERSAL 7) Consumer companies such as Bimbo, Coca-Cola FEMSA, Liverpool and Walmart posted better results than the stock market as a whole during Q116... during the first quarter, Arca Continental, Alsea, Bimbo, Elektra, Gruma, Kimberly-Clark, Coca-Cola FEMSA, Genomma Lab, Lala, Liverpool and Walmex posted net profits of MXN 45.157 billion, for 27.1% growth over the MXN 35.519 billion reported during the same period last year.

MEXICO: GRUMA, LED BY JUAN GONZÁLEZ MORENO, CHARTS TRADE ROUTE WITH AUSTRALIA (ENTORNO INTELIGENTE 0) This year, Mexico and Australia celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations with a clear commitment to attracting foreign direct investment and strengthening trade relations between both nations. This was the message sent out by Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Governor General of Australia, Sir Peter Cosgrove, at a meeting held at the Mexican National Palace on August 1 this year… few companies have consolidated bilateral trade between the two countries as a key part of their global strategy; however, Gruma, led by Juan González Moreno, is one of such.

MAURICIO CONDE OLIVARES/“HORA 14” (DIARIO IMAGEN 12) In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mexican Secretary of Tourism, Enrique de la Madrid, discussed the implementation of mechanisms that would step up bilateral trade with Mexico with members of the city’s Chamber of Commerce... There are currently 113,000 employees in Pennsylvania who are directly dependent on the state’s trade relations with Mexico. The state is home to subsidiaries of leading Mexican companies such as Arca Continental, Bimbo, Cemex, De Acero, Gruma, Grupo IUSA, and Qualfon.

TRENDS  (EL ECONOMISTA p.7) GRUMA. Gruma shares on the Mexican IPC, closed the week ending August 5 at MXN 269 each. The company’s trading price was up 0.11% to stand at MXN 269.98 at the end of trading week.

DARÍO CÉLIS/TIEMPO DE NEGOCIOS (TIME FOR BUSINESS) (EXCÉLSIOR 3) With one third of its population under age 30, Mexico is currently at its demographic peak, with more than 40 million people in their prime of life. By 2020, the country’s population growth should translate to a 3% increase in terms of economic growth. During the same period, more than three billion people across the globe are expected to join the middle class… In 2014 alone, production in the Mexican processed food industry reached USD 135 billion, which is equal to 3.9% of the country’s GDP. The industry is headed by companies such as Alfa-Sigma, led by Mario Páez; Grupo Bimbo, led by Daniel Servitje; Grupo Bafar, led by Eugenio Baeza Fares; Gruma, led by Juan González Moreno; SuKarne, led by Jesús Vizcarra; and Bachoco, led by Enrique Bours, among others…

TRENDS  (EL ECONOMISTA p.7) GRUMA. The company’s average share price closed at MXN 261.59 for an 8.21% increase so far this year.

Gruma, led by Juan González Moreno, is among Mexico’s most sustainable companies (EJE CENTRAL) Gruma has developed its own technology to reduce contaminants released into the atmosphere and contribute to a cleaner environment. Gruma, led by Juan González Moreno, is one of the companies that has incorporated sustainability and social commitment into its business strategy from the onset, positioned itself as one of the most sustainable companies both in Mexico and in all countries…

YEAR OF STOCK MARKET HIGHS. (EL ECONOMISTA 1-8-9) The share prices of 20 of the 37 of the issuers comprising the Mexican Stock Exchange’s Price & Quotations Index (IPC, acronym in Spanish) have reached their highest ever levels this year. Yesterday, Grupo México’s stock reached a record high, as the 20^th issuer to achieve this feat in 2016. Issuers hitting record-high share prices this year are Alpek, Alsea, Arca Continental, Asur, Banorte, Bimbo, Femsa, GAP, Grupo Carso, Gentera, Gfregio, Gruma, Grupo México, Kimberly Clark México, Lala, Nemak, OMA, Pinfra, Volaris and Walmart Mexico and Central America (Walmex).

JOSÉ YUSTE/ACTIVO EMPRESARIAL (BUSINESS ASSETS) (EXCÉLSIOR 2) Bolsa A is the name of the new IPC that will be in effect at least in September this year. As was largely expected, ICA, LaComer UBC, and Sites B1 will be delisted from the IPC. Therefore, the 35 issuers comprising the IPC will be AC, Alfa A, Alpek A, Alsea, AMX L, Asur B, Bimbo A, Bolsa A, Cemex CPO, Elektra, Femsa, GAP B, GCarso A1, Genera, GFInbur O, GFBanorte O, GFregio O, GMexico B, Gruma B, Ienova, Kimber A, KOF L, LAB B, Lala B, Livepol C-1, Mexchem, Nemak A, OHLMex, OMA B, Peñoles, Pinfra, SanMex B, Televisa CPO, Volar A, and Walmex.

Grupo Maseca, led by Juan González Moreno, aids hurricane victims with its tortilla trucks (EL INFORMADOR) Grupo Maseca, led by Juan González Moreno, provided federal and state authorities with three tortilla trucks (tortimóviles) to support the hundreds Hurricane Earl victims in the state of Puebla. The trucks were offered to meet the demand for hot tortillas in state shelters, free of charge.

ARMANDO RODRÍGUEZ / JORGE LOYOLA / PERSPECTIVAS (OUTLOOK) WITH SIGNUM RESEARCH (EL ECONOMISTA 6) Founded in 1949, Gruma SAB de CV (trading symbol: GRUMA) is one of the largest producers of corn flour and tortillas in the world, with leading brands in most of its markets. The company operates primarily in the United States, Mexico, Central America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, and has approximately 19,500 employees and 75 production plants. In 2015, GRUMA reported net sales of approximately USD 3.4 billion, 73% of which were generated from its sales outside of Mexico…

ALBERTO BARRANCO/EMPRESA (ENTERPRISE) (EL UNIVERSAL 4) More family businesses. Contrary to popular belief, family businesses are far from extinct in Mexico. According to a study carried out by the University of the Americas and published in the book La Sucesión e Institucionalización de la Empresa Familiar en México (Succession and Institutionalization of the Family Business in Mexico), this type of businesses account for 55% of the total figure, providing 72% of jobs, which would imply a 50% contribution to Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product. The tradition started to erode with the need for partnerships to foreign companies and their direct sale to such. Leading examples of surviving family businesses include Bimbo, owned by the Servitje family; Vitro, owned by the Sada González family; Maseca, owned by the González Moreno family; México, owned by the Larrea family; Cementos Mexicanos, owned by the Zambrano family; and Comercial Mexicana, owned by the González Nova family…

ALICIA SALGADO/CUENTA CORRIENTE (CURRENT ACCOUNT) (EXCÉLSIOR 5) #MéxicoFuerte… In times of trouble, it is business leaders –not the troublemakers– who seek out the best opportunities to expand their businesses. Thus, Grupo Financiero Banorte, presided by Carlos Hank González and directed by Marcos Ramírez, organized the Banorte Strategy Forum 2016 to held August 23-24 this year with the theme of “A Strong Mexico full of Opportunities,” as a great opportunity to understand how these leaders see the Mexican economy emerging from the downturn of Q216. Not to be missed are the lectures by Bimbo President Daniel Servitje, Femsa President José Antonio Fernández, and Cemex President Rogelio Zambrano, all of whom have a clear strategic vision for Mexico and the world. These personalities head the top three Mexican multinationals, besides Maseca, the group led by Juan González, which is the Mexican company with the largest global reach with a presence in more than 100 countries spanning five continents.

CITY HALL AND MASECA EMPLOYEES REFOREST BOULEVARD (EXPRESS DE NAYARIT ONLINE 0) A stretch of “Juan Espinosa Bávara” Boulevard was reforested last Saturday morning when the 40^th legislature of Acaponeta City Hall, through the Directorate of Agricultural Development led by Marcial Leonardo Lizárraga Mora, joined workers from Maseca in reforesting part of the city’s trunk road with 100 pink trumpet trees and tabebuias. The corn flour company’s employees were directed by their trade union’s general secretary José Oscar Delfín Acevedo, who explained that the activity had been promoted for several years by the company’s founder, Roberto M. González, who suggested the initiative to his employees from the company’s head office in Monterrey, leading employees to form a reforestation subcommittee within the trade union.

2016 RANKING (EL FINANCIERO 2-3) El Financiero publishes its 2016 ranking of “The Top 100 Companies” and “The 100 Leaders 2016,” ranking companies and leaders, respectively. The ranking of companies ranks Gruma 54, and the leader's list ranks Juan González Moreno 77.

FOOD PRODUCTION COMPANIES EARN MORE IN MEXICO THAN ABROAD. (EL FINANCIERO 16) The weak peso caused numerous companies in the food and drink sector to increase their cost of sales in Q216 to meet the rising costs of dollar-stated inputs, which in turn squeezed profitability in Mexico. However, firms in this market such as Grupo Bimbo, Gruma, Minsa, Coca-Cola Femsa and Arca Continental recorded greater profit margins for their Mexican operations than in other locations where they operate... “The margin (in Mexico) shrank from 19.3% to 17.3%, primarily due to higher corn prices, which were absorbed by our currency rate hedging and operational efficiencies,” said Gruma CFO Raúl Cavazos Morales, when speaking at a conference with consumer sector analysts.