Gruma is evaluating a strategic return to the Venezuelan market through its Mission Foods division, targeting new investment opportunities amid shifts in the country’s political and economic landscape. The move underscores the company’s global expansion — where international operations already account for 75% of its business — and reinforces its leadership in the corn flour and tortilla segments.
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Grupo Maseca (Gruma) is prepared to resume operations and investment in Venezuela following recent shifts in the country’s political and economic landscape, according to Chairman and CEO Juan González Moreno. Speaking at the 82nd Annual Assembly of Chamber of the Transformation Industry of Nuevo Leon (CAINTRA), González Moreno stated the company is open to re-entering the market to meet local food demand through its Mission Foods division and corn flour products used for traditional arepas.
Gruma’s history in Venezuela dates back to 1993, when founder Roberto González Barrera invested US$20 million to establish Derivados de Maíz Alimenticios de Venezuela in partnership with Corporación Venezolana Agrícola La Castellana. The company later expanded by acquiring Molinos Nacionales (Monaca).
While the government of Hugo Chávez decreed the forced acquisition of Monaca in 2010, leading to a loss of asset control, González Moreno clarified that the exit was not a direct expropriation. “We were not expropriated; we sold those assets,” he said, noting that the company is not seeking to recover past holdings but rather to initiate a new phase of investment.
The CEO emphasized that Gruma remains well-diversified globally, with international operations now accounting for approximately 75% of total revenue. In the United States, Gruma’s primary market for 48 years, the company has observed a moderate contraction in sales, attributed to a cooling economy and reduced consumption among migrant populations. Despite this, the company continues to focus on high-growth segments, including wraps, healthier product lines, and tortillas.
Regarding domestic operations, González Moreno reported that Gruma is aligned with Mexico’s agricultural procurement policies. He noted that Mexico’s unique position as the only country with two annual harvest cycles provides a strategic advantage in sourcing. “Our suppliers are the farmers, and we are doing very well with them,” he said.
Venezuela Seeks to Attract Foreign Direct Investment
At the fourth annual FII Priority Summit, Delcy Rodríguez, Acting President, Venezuela, delivered a virtual address emphasizing the country’s intention to transition toward a more structured and investor-friendly environment. At the summit, held March 25–27, 2026, in Miami, Rodríguez stated that Caracas is moving away from the crisis-management approach that defined the previous decade of sanctions and economic restrictions, focusing instead on the recently reformed Hydrocarbons Law.
Rodríguez described the legislation as a central instrument for establishing legal certainty and regulatory stability, both critical for long-term capital investment. Unlike previous frameworks, the reformed law outlines clear investment structures that enable greater private sector participation in operational activities and commercialization. It also introduces more flexible mechanisms for the sale and distribution of hydrocarbons, supported by transparent frameworks for profit-sharing between the state and private investors.
She noted that the law aims to create a more favorable investment climate, enabling Venezuela to regain its historical position in global hydrocarbon markets.
Citing data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Rodríguez stated that Venezuela had previously demonstrated strong growth performance in key sectors prior to recent global disruptions. The administration’s current objective is to sustain double-digit economic growth over the next five years.
To support this target, Rodríguez emphasized two critical conditions for investors: political and legal certainty through consistent application of regulatory frameworks, and physical security. Regarding the latter, she reported a significant decline in the national homicide rate to 3 per 100,000 inhabitants, positioning the country as one of the safer environments in the region for industrial operations.