Walmart supports growth of Bon Bini Bakery in Mayagüez
Puerto Rican company Bon Bini Bakery, manufacturer of traditional sweets, has achieved a 35% increase in its annual sales and plans to continue expanding its manufacturing capacity and variety of products, driven by Walmart Puerto Rico’s support, it confirmed.
Miguel Cruz, owner of Bon Bini Bakery that he started with his wife, Cristina Vélez in 2012, and that has its plant in Mayagüez where it produces traditional cookies, coconut kisses and meringues, among others, initially supplied its products to six Walmart stores.
Currently, the company delivers merchandise to 15 stores and will soon add six more, he said. Over the next year, he expects to supply products to the entire chain, so plans call for moving into a larger facility and hiring more employees to meet the demand.
“Bon Bini Bakery was one of the 91 local companies that reached commercial agreements with Walmart during the first Open Call Puerto Rico event, a specific initiative that we carried out to continue increasing the purchase of local products and to develop skills in new entrepreneurs to boost job creation and economic activity on the Island,” said Viviana Mercado, senior manager of Corporate Affairs at Walmart Puerto Rico.
“We’re proud that with our support, this small family business has been able to continue developing successfully and plans to continue expanding to employ more people,” said Mercado, who for more than 10 years has been the spokesperson and ambassador for the “Hecho en Puerto Rico” institutional policy in favor of local products and is a Board member of the Puerto Rico Products Association.
Currently, 80% of the merchandise sold in local Walmart stores is harvested, manufactured or distributed in Puerto Rico, which represents an annual investment of approximately $1.6 billion. This includes $500 million in the purchase of products harvested or manufactured in Puerto Rico, she said.
Jenniffer Garland, senior director of Walmart Puerto Rico, said “we’ll continue working hand in hand with Bon Bini Bakery, as well as with our hundreds of local suppliers, to support the strengthening and growth of Puerto Rican companies, as has been our commitment during the more than 27 years that we have been on the island.”
Through the Open Call initiative, the company also seeks to expand the range of products it offers to consumers under its “Marketside” and “Great Value” private brands, which represents significant support for local manufacturing, Garland said.
