Gruma

The first industrial production facility of corn flour in the world was opened in 1949 under the name "Molinos Azteca, S.A. de C.V.", later shortened to "Grupo Maseca". Expansion quickly led to the government of Costa Rica inviting the company to invest in that country, in 1973. From then on, a long tradition of investments outside of Mexico was followed. In 1977, Grupo Maseca opened a subsidiary in California, pioneering in the production of tortilla in the United States. In Texas, in 1982, Maseca opened the first production facility of nixtamalized corn flour in that country.

The election of Carlos Salinas de Gortari, a close family friend of Grupo Maseca president Roberto Gonzalez Barrera, allowed Gruma to grow substantially while hastening the decline of traditional masa and tortilla production. In 1990, the Mexican Department of Commerce under Salinas's administration instituted limits on the overall amount of fresh corn purchased at a support price by CONASUPO, requiring all further growth in the corn market to come from corn flour instead. The only two corn flour providers at the time were Grupo Maseca and the publicly-owned Miconsa; the latter was mismanaged by Salinas's administration to the point of losing almost all of its market share, leaving Gruma with a near-monopoly. Salinas also changed government policy to incentivize tortillerias to use Maseca rather than fresh masa, punishing those who refused with lower-quality corn and stricter grain limits.

By 1990, the company had subsidiaries in North America and Central America, including the United States, Honduras, and Costa Rica. It was in this year when the company made its initial public offering in the Mexican Stock Exchange as "GIMSA", or "Grupo Industrial Maseca".

Gruma consolidated itself as a holding company after acquiring 10% of Banorte in 1992. A series of expansions opened subsidiaries around the world, including one in Coventry, England in 2000, and another one in Shanghai, China in 2006, also next in Ukraine in 2010 and recently in Tekkeköy, Samsun, Turkey in 2011.

Apart from its 10% interest in Banorte, Gruma operates as a holding company for a number of subsidiaries that produce, market, and distribute its various products around the world.

Mission Foods

Mission Foods is one of the world's largest producers of flatbread, tortilla and corn flour products.

Gruma Corporation

Gruma Corporation produces and commercializes corn flour and tortillas in the United States, Europe, and China. In the United States, Gruma Corporation is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

Gruma Corporation in China is based in Shanghai, and made it the first tortilla producer in that country. It has a production capacity of 15,000 tonnes (14,800 long tons; 16,500 short tons) of wheat tortillas, 7,000 tonnes (6,890 long tons; 7,720 short tons) of corn tortillas and 6,000 tonnes (5,910 long tons; 6,610 short tons) of snacks. In Asia, the company also has distributors in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Philippines, and Taiwan.

Controversies

Gruma has faced criticism for its continued operations in Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Despite widespread international sanctions and calls for businesses to withdraw from the Russian market, Gruma maintains one production plant within the country. This decision has drawn scrutiny and raised concerns about the company's ethical considerations and its alignment with international efforts to pressure Russia.