Bimbo Museum

 In English, the word "bimbo" is derogatory and sexist. But in Mexico everyone knows "Bimbo" as the most widely sold brand of bread.  "Grupo Bimbo", the multinational food corporation that produces a wide variety of baked goods and snacks, is one of Mexico's biggest companies with over 130,000 employees.  It is the largest baking company in the world.  

The company recently opened a museum in downtown Mexico City telling the story "Grupo Bimbo"... yet another museum to add to the list of more than 150 in the city.

Last week I paid a visit to the museum.  Outside the building is a large metallic statue of their mascot, "Osito" (Little Bear).

The company had its beginnings in 1918 when Juan Servitje invented a machine for mass producing "bolillos", the rolls with the crusty exterior and soft interior that are a staple in Mexico.

Servitje and his wife, Josefina Sendra went on to open "El Molino", a successful Mexico City bakery in 1928.

"Bimbo" was born in 1945 when Servitje's son Lorenzo opened a large bread factory in Mexico City.

An advertisement in a Mexico City newspaper announces the inauguration of the Bimbo factory.

The name "Bimbo" was chosen as a combination of the Disney movies "Bambi" and "Dumbo", favorites of Lorenzo's daughter.

"Bimbo" introduced to Mexico "pan de caja", loaves of sliced bread wrapped in celophane.

The original white "Pan Bimbo" is very much like "Wonder Bread".  It surprises me that in Mexico, a country with so many neighborhood bakeries and so many varieties of delicious breads, an imitation of highly processed Wonder Bread should become so immensely popular.  Perhaps it was fashionable to eat like the "gringos" north of the border.

The evolution of "Osito" from 1945 to the present day...

A "Bimbo" delivery truck from 1945

"Bimbo" expanded its line of products to include snacks such as "Submarinos", the Mexican equivalent of "Twinkies", and "Pinguinos", which look just like Hostess Cupcakes.  Their division under the brand name "Barcel" produces a variety of junk foods such as "Takis", rolled tortilla chips with intense spiciness.

"Bimbo" has become a multinational company with operations in 39 countries, including the United States.

Here is a display of all the "Bimbo" brands that are sold in the U.S.  I was shocked to see that well-known brands such as Sara Lee, Entenmanns and Thomas' English muffins are now owned by "Grupo Bimbo".

The Bimbo Museum will certainly never be ranked as a "must-see" attraction in Mexico City, but it was an interesting look at the origins and growth of this industrial giant.