Midterm 1: Case Analysis
Professor: Juan Camilo Vila
Manuela Usuga
Mazamorra and Guarapo My Grandma S.A.S. is attending to Expo Agrofuturo in Plaza Mayor
Medellín, we got the request from a new customer to quote 40 containers of product to his country.
1.​ What country would you think would be suitable to sell 40 containers of the company’s
products?
Mazamorra
The countries that consume mazamorra the most are mainly located in Latin America, including Peru,
Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and of course
Colombia. Although recipes vary slightly, the product is essentially based on corn and milk, with
some differences such as the use of purple corn in Peru, which mainly affects its presentation. Outside
Latin America, mazamorra is also consumed in Spain, specifically in the region of Andalusia and
Córdoba, where it is known as mazamorra cordobesa. However, the ingredients there are completely
different, as it is made from bread crumbs, garlic, and olive oil.
Guarapo
Similarly, guarapo is widely consumed in Cuba, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic,
Brazil, and Mexico. In all these cases, it is commonly prepared either as panela (unrefined cane sugar)
dissolved in water or as freshly pressed sugarcane juice.
GIven this information, it is advisable to focus on countries with a strong Latin American
demographic presence as potential markets, in order to assess the viability of these products outside
Colombia. Traditional consumer countries are not considered here, as their local industries are already
well established and highly competitive.
Own elaboration with data from1
1
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024.
1
Own elaboration with data from 2
Based on the demographic analysis, it is evident that the territories with the largest populations of
Latin American origin outside the region are the United States and Spain. Therefore, these two
countries would be the most suitable options to export the 40 containers of My Grandma S.A.S.
products, given the strong cultural familiarity and high consumption potential for items such as
mazamorra and guarapo.
It is also worth highlighting Portugal as an attractive secondary market. The country hosts a
significant Brazilian community, and the strong Brazilian cultural influence creates favorable
conditions for introducing products like guarapo, which already have a well-established tradition of
consumption.
2.​ Make the possible country indicators and explain If the product could have good sales
over there and why (Economy, income and so on)
United States
GDP
The United States has a robust economy with a nominal GDP of approximately
$29.18 trillion in 2024. Such a high GDP reflects significant economic capacity
and a large consumer market, an essential foundation for introducing new food
products (World Bank, 2024).
Latino
Purchasing
In 2023, Latino purchasing power in the U.S. reached $4.1 trillion, growing 2.4
times faster than the national average. This massive and dynamic purchasing
Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), 2024.
Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF), 2023.
Statistics Canada, 2022.
Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2022
2
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024.
Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), 2024.
Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF), 2023.
Statistics Canada, 2022.
Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2022
2
Power
potential suggests that campaigns targeting Latino consumers, especially with
traditional products like mazamorra and guarapo, could tap into a powerful and
growing market (Latino Donor Collaborative, 2025).
Latin
The U.S. Hispanic grocery market was estimated at over $22 billion in 2021.
Products
Steady demand for Latin food items demonstrates that ethnic and traditional food
Consumption segments are already well-established, offering strong retail pathways for
mazamorra and guarapo (P2PI, 2024).
Spain
GDP
Spain's nominal GDP in 2024 is estimated to be approximately US $1.65 trillion.
This substantial economic output and average income level indicate a market with
solid purchasing capacity, making it receptive to imported consumer goods
(Statista, 2024).
Latino
Purchasing
Power
As of January 2024, there are approximately 4.25 million Latin American-born
residents in Spain, representing over 8% of the population. A sizable Latin
American community translates into a built-in consumer base with cultural
familiarity and established demand for Latin American products like mazamorra
and guarapo (Wikipedia, 2025).
Latin
The ethnic food market in Spain generated US $1,386.5 million in revenue in
Products
2024, and is expected to grow to US $2,252.3 million by 2030, with a CAGR of
Consumption 8.4%. The rapid growth of the ethnic and Latin food segment shows expanding
consumer acceptance and demand—reflecting strong potential for mazamorra and
guarapo to find shelf space and attract interest. (Grand View Research, 2024).
These indicators provide valuable insights into both markets, especially when considered alongside
the Latino demographics in each country. Together, they highlight the economic capacity, cultural
familiarity, and consumer demand that make the United States and Spain highly attractive destinations
for introducing traditional products such as mazamorra and guarapo.
3.​ What would be a good price to sell Mazamorra and Guarapo in the possible country?
Why?
United States
Mazamorra:
Recommended price: $2.50 – $3.50 per unit (200–250g
serving).
Hispanic refrigerated desserts (like flan or rice pudding)
are sold in U.S. supermarkets such as Walmart and Target
within this range. A comparable product, Señor Rico Rice
Pudding (8 oz), is priced around $1.99 to $2.79 depending
on the retailer (El Rancho Supermercado, 2025).
3
Guarapo:
Recommended price: $2.00 – $3.00 per bottle (bottled cane juice drink, 350–500ml).
Natural sugarcane juices and niche “ethnic beverages” in the U.S. are priced similar to premium aguas
frescas or kombucha. This range aligns with typical pricing for natural cane-juice-based beverages
and authentic ethnic drinks in U.S. markets.
Spain
Mazamorra:
Recommended price: €2.50 – €3.50 per unit (200–250 g)
A single rice pudding “arroz con leche” (450 g) at Carrefour costs approximately €1.60 (Findit, 2025).
This range positions mazamorra as a premium traditional dessert, above basic supermarket prices but
below the higher-end artisanal offerings.
Guarapo:
Recommended price: €2.50 – €3 per bottle (350–500 ml).
At cafés or restaurants, bottled waters or juices are usually priced between €2 – €3. This provides an
average price between everyday beverage pricing (comparable to colas) and cafe-level artisanal
refreshment pricing. Additionally, locally made artisan refreshments (like Catalan “aloja”) can start
from €0.80 per bottle in retail environments (Verano, C., 2025).
4.​ What would be the best logistics options to get the product there? Why?
Given the perishable nature of mazamorra and guarapo, the best logistics option to transport 40
containers is full-container-load (FCL) ocean freight using refrigerated containers (reefers). Reefers
maintain a strict temperature range vital for preserving product quality, supported by extensive use in
transporting dairy, beverages, and other perishables (Maersk, 2025). Cold chain monitoring minimizes
spoilage risk from temperature breaches.
The typical transit times are approximately 7–14 days to the U.S. and 14–20 days to Spain. The
growing global reefer market (from $9.7 B in 2022 to a projected $19.7 B by 2032) demonstrates that
this mode is both scalable and robust (International Institute of Refrigeration, 2024).
The containers could be shipped from Colombian ports (Cartagena or Barranquilla) to:
➢​ Miami or Houston for the U.S. market,
➢​ Valencia or Barcelona for the Spanish market.
This logistic plan balances product preservation and direct access to key Latino population centers.
From there, inland trucking and warehousing will be necessary to ensure an effective distribution.
5.​ Your company only has capacity to produce 3 containers, but the CEO said it is a must
to cover this order if the company wants to survive in the next 6 months. The customer
wants it in maximum three months since he places the order. What would you do to fill
the 40 containers order that will be placed soon?
4
This is a very common challenge among Colombian SMEs that attempt to export: international buyers
often request volumes far beyond the production capacity of a single local company. In such
situations, the most effective and least risky solution is to subcontract or partner with other certified
manufacturers in the same sector.
By forming a production alliance, My Grandma S.A.S. could cover the demand for 40 containers
while maintaining product quality and complying with food safety standards. This strategy is common
in the Colombian agro-industrial and processed food sectors, where several small or medium-sized
producers join forces under one export contract to guarantee large orders (ProColombia, 2023).
The subcontracted companies would charge a margin or production fee, but this cost is outweighed by
the strategic benefit: the company gains access to the international market and secures survival over
the next six months. Additionally, this approach reduces financial risk compared to investing
immediately in new facilities or machinery that may not be sustainable in the long term if orders do
not remain at this scale.
6.​ Most Colombian companies face the same situation with the capacity, what would you
recommend them to handle this situation?
My Grandma S.A.S. should respond to high-volume export opportunities through collaboration, rather
than rejecting contracts or overextending resources. Subcontracting will ensure immediate delivery
capacity. This strategy is especially important because it avoids major expenses in expanding the
production plant, this is a risky move for three main reasons: first, the timeline does not allow scaling
from 2 containers to 40 in just a few months; second, such an investment would involve extremely
high costs without certainty of return; and third, by choosing collaboration or partnerships instead, the
company breaks down competitive barriers and fosters a more cooperative environment among
producers of this product.
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References​
El
Rancho Supermercado. (2025). Senior Rico Rice Pudding, 8 oz.
https://shop.elranchoinc.com/store/el-rancho-supermercado/products/43205-senior-rico
-rice-pudding-8-oz
Find
It. Arroz con leche Carrefour, 450 g. (2025). Find
https://finditapp.es/product/7499232/arroz-con-leche-carrefour-450-g
It
App.
Grand View Research. (2024). Spain Ethnic Food Market Outlook (2024–2030). Retrieved
from
Grand
View
Research.
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/ethnic-food-market/spain?
Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). (2024). Estadística de migraciones y población nacida
en el extranjero, avance a 1 de enero de 2024. INE. https://www.ine.es
International Institute of Refrigeration. (2024, febrero 26). Refrigerated containers: state of
play
and
perspectives.
https://iifiir.org/en/news/refrigerated-containers-state-of-play-and-perspectives
Latino Donor Collaborative. (2025). U.S. Latino Purchasing Power hits $4.1 trillion: growing
2.4× faster than the rest of the economy. Retrieved from
https://latinodonorcollaborative.org/us-latino-gdp/
Maersk.
(2025,
marzo
6).
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P2PI. (2024, December 10). Shining a Light on Hispanic Grocery.
https://p2pi.com/shining-light-hispanic-grocery
ProColombia. (2023). Guía práctica para exportar alimentos procesados desde Colombia.
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Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF). (2023). Relatório de Imigração, Fronteiras e Asilo
(RIFA) 2023. Ministério da Administração Interna. https://sefstat.sef.pt
Statista. (2024). Macroeconomic Indicators – Spain: GDP and GDP per Capita Forecast for
2024. https://www.statista.com/study/174001/macroeconomic-indicators-spain-report/?
Statistics Canada. (2022). Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population: Latin American
population. Government of Canada. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca
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estimates. U.S. Department of Commerce. https://www.census.gov
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Verano, C. (2025, julio 15). Aloja, 'Clipper' y otras bebidas refrescantes y alternativas hechas
en
España
a
partir
de
0,80
euros.
El
País.
https://elpais.com/gastronomia/2025-07-15/aloja-clipper-y-otras-bebidas-refrescantes-y
-alternativas-hechas-en-espana-a-partir-de-080-euros.html
Wikipedia.
(2025).
Latin
American
migration
to
Spain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_American_migration_to_Spain?
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Retrieved from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?locations=US
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