Mr. Pugliese, Bimbo QSR’s remarkable business growth in Asia has been truly impressive. Could you share your insights into the key factors that have fueled this exceptional regional performance? We’d also love to hear some inspiring stories of how the company is fulfilling its long-term commitments, along with your key global priorities for the Asian market.
Nacho Pugliese: Our success lies in our ability to adapt, innovate, and work together to deliver on our ambitions. These priorities reflect our collective commitment to remaining competitive, sustainable, and true to our Beliefs.
Our focus remains on staying ahead of the curve by adopting a bold, entrepreneurial mindset and accelerating the transformation needed to achieve our Full Potential. This includes sharpening our competitive edge, embracing digital innovation, and maintaining a laser focus on customer-centricity.
We see that China is Bimbo’s latest single market in Asia. It has been 20 years since your company entered the market, and you continue to invest in China. What drives this momentum? Also, what consumer trends and future growth potential do you see given its mega market size?
Nacho Pugliese: China is a fast-moving and important market for us, and it is clear that when we stay focused on our Full Potential pillars, we put ourselves in a stronger position to keep growing.
The Chinese market is surprising because of the technological innovation and engineering you can see today, from cars to e-Commerce, robots and food. The level of internal competition and innovation is the highest I’ve ever experienced.
Beyond China, which other Asian market do you believe holds the greatest potential? Could you share your insights into any recent investment or business development plans in the region?
Nacho Pugliese: Asia also remained a key priority. We focused on the next phase of growth and the organizational foundations needed to support it. There is a great opportunity ahead in the region, and we will only capture it by building strong local capabilities, staying aligned, and working with focus and discipline. This is also part of becoming a stronger Preferred Partner: being close to our customers, understanding their needs, and growing with them for the long term.
ESG and sustainability have undoubtedly become critical priorities for global industry leaders, particularly in the manufacturing sector. Could you elaborate on Bimbo’s overarching philosophy and share your key insights into your sustainability practices?
Nacho Pugliese: The Bimbo Way is the philosophy that drives us to be a sustainable, highly productive and deeply humane company. The Bimbo Way is our celebration of diversity, creativity, and collaboration, where every associate feels they belong.
Grupo Bimbo have a plan divided into three areas: zero waste, zero net carbon emissions, and regenerative agriculture. They serve as our guide for how we deploy strategies that benefit the planet and the environment. We work so that all our packaging is sustainable and incorporated into post-consumer recycling processes and supports a circular economy. In addition, we take actions to reduce food waste throughout the value chain.
Mr. Pugliese, please tell us more about your personal journey and career milestones? Given your extensive background, particularly your previous tenure steering the Asia region and solidifying the growth trajectory for the Asian business, how has this deep expertise reshaped your philosophy for building and leading high-performing teams in Asia?
Nacho Pugliese: Life is an adventure and for me business is an integral part of that adventure.
To become the preferred partner to our customers, we must maintain a relentless focus on Operational Excellence, superior quality always, and great service every day. These fundamentals are what our customers expect from us, and they are what differentiate us in the market.
Becoming highly productive, low-waste operators while consistently delivering top-quality standard requires discipline in everything we do. This means strengthening our processes, improving efficiency across our bakeries and logistics, and ensuring we execute with focus and consistency across all markets.