News

Holsum celebrates its 50th Anniversary

At Holsum of Puerto Rico, we are celebrating 50 years of producing the highest quality bread and pastry products for Puerto Rican families.  Our product line includes more than 150 products, including: white, whole wheat and light breads, toasts, cakes, pies, coffee cakes, pound cakes, donuts, cream, and oatmeal cookies and crackers.

“From the beginning, the Holsum executive team clearly established its objectives, values, and commitment to the Holsum consumers in its mission: 'To contribute to the healthy nourishing of the families that live in Puerto Rico and adjacent countries, providing the highest quality and most accessible bread and pastry products,' explained Ramón Calderón, Holsum of Puerto Rico's president. “This commitment provides the basis for our success year after year, while it pushes us to create the large variety of healthy and innovative products that we have available today for the local and foreign markets.

Holsum has been a leader in establishing freshness and quality standards in the Island.  Here are a few of our first to market accomplishments:

• Holsum “Light” breads were first manufactured in Puerto Rico.   
• Holsum, under the Country Hearth name, was the first to launch a complete whole wheat line, including six types of breads and three types of oatmeal cookies.
• Holsum was the first to sell bread made with 100% vegetable oil, no cholesterol, and 0 Trans fats.
• Holsum was the first to bring to the Puerto Rican table Whole Wheat White Bread”.

“At Holsum we not only owe our success to these and other innovative products, but also to our top of the line manufacturing facilities, an excellent sales team, and a very effective distribution system that ensures that our products arrive fresh every day to every corner of the island and beyond” explained Calderón.  He added, “Our secret recipe for success includes: well defined objectives, philosophy and values, leadership development, commitment, creativity and teamwork.  For this I have to thank our executive team composed of Julio Vigoreaux (Executive Vice President), Raúl Busó (Vice President of Administration and Finance), Victor Mena (Vice President of Industrial Relations) and all of Holsum's more than 800 employees,”  concluded Calderón.

Holsum's new ad campaign and web presence

As part of its 50^th anniversary celebration, Holsum launched a new website and an ad campaign. At the website, visitors find a collection of new and retro Holsum commercials You Tube style, information about the process of baking bread and cookies, delicious and unique recipes using Holsum products, important health articles, information on how Holsum contributes to the community and more.

The beginning of Holsum

Holsum's origins date back to the 1950's when it was imported to the island by the company Puerto Rico Baking.  Due to the success of the Holsum recipe in Puerto Rico, the company decided to establish its first industrial facilities in Minillas, Bayamón in 1958, now with the name Holsum Bakers of Puerto Rico.

Due to its continued growth, Holsum moved its plant to Toa Baja in 1971 and opened two new distribution centers in Ponce and Aguadilla.  In 1983, the multinational Seaboard Corporation, bought Holsum.  In 1998, the Puerto Rican entrepreneur Ramón Calderón, bought the company and changed its name to Holsum of Puerto Rico.  

Today, Holsum is a source of pride, as it is 100% Puerto Rican owned and provides direct employment to 850 people and supports thousands of indirect jobs.

All of Holsum's bread products satisfy the requirements of the “Health Recommends” program of Puerto Rico's Health Department. Holsum is also a sponsor of the Puerto Rico's Product Association campaign “Busca el sello... invierte en ti” (Look for the stamp... invest in yourself).

After Holsum's® Whole Wheat Club Bread's successful reception, Holsum® of Puerto Rico, Inc. introduces into the local market a new whole wheat bread for hamburgers. This new bread is the only one in its category in the island and carries the same winning formula that has garnered more than 50% of the market. The new 21-ounce bread has a number of attributes that make it unique without sacrificing the rich flavor required by the local palate.

Holsum® of Puerto Rico's Marketing Director, Consuelo Abriles explained that “the Jumbo Hamburger Whole Wheat Bread was launched to keep a leading edge and to expand the very well received whole wheat bread line.”

This bread has the same nutritional attributes, softness and freshness that are characteristic of the Holsum brand and meets the strict standards of the Health Department’s “Salud Recomienda” program. Some of the program's attributes are related to fiber and cholesterol content.