El Puente invests in its production plant and is committed to growing with franchises

The story of Usina Láctea El Puente can inspire a movie, one of improvement, in which a child with barely completed third grade of primary school, with humble origins – in an environment in which nothing was left over – from a small town in Córdoba and after years of work and effort manages to become a successful businessman , owner of a dairy company that processes 80 million liters of milk annually, with 23 direct sales stores to the public and that employs 700 people, That is the story of Héctor Julio Maccari “Don Lucho”, the creator of a company that is more than 50 years old and that today is still in the hands of the second generation with Myller Maccari at the helm.

This company, which has a production plant in the Cordoba town of Ordoñez, is characterized by two fundamental issues, firstly it sells its production directly to the public and secondly its focus is aimed at offering quality products at low prices. But that’s not all because the firm also proposes an expansion plan through franchises, while investing in optimizing its factory and has the launch of new products in the pipeline.. Below, its general manager, Luis Ibarguren, details the past, present and future of this 100% Argentine company in dialogue with Ámbito.

Journalist (P): Last year the company celebrated its 50th anniversary and the figure of Don Lucho was very present. What were the origins of the company like?

Luis Ibarguren (LI): Don Lucho is still in the company and it is true that his history is very present due to the values ​​he transmitted, which we seek to honor. Although Don Lucho is still present, today his children are the ones who manage the day-to-day operations, with Myller Maccari at the helm as CEO. Particularly, andor I have been in El Puente for 25 years; I started as an independent professional to address some specific issues as an accountant, and over time I left my private activity to dedicate myself 100% to El Puente, because I discovered a company that I am passionate about, with a lot of potential, great development and, fundamentally, with good people.. Héctor Julio Maccari, “Don Lucho”, began the activity in 1973 with his wife, Elda Pérez, for all of us “Kuky”. Together they bought a truck to distribute and market cheeses, which they bought in Córdoba, the Federal Capital and Greater Buenos Aires. That business worked very well and, by 1975, they managed to buy a small cheese factory. In 1979, they moved to another larger factory due to the growth in demand, and this move ended up inspiring our logo and business name, because to get to this establishment you had to cross a bridge. The company’s focus has always been on direct dealings with the customer. and at that time the first direct sales location was opened on Avenida Corrientes at 6000 in Capital Federal. Always with a vision of development, Lucho and Kuky continued to expand and, in 1984, they finally moved their plant to Ordoñez, Córdoba, where we are currently located.

Q: When did the franchise model enter history?

L.I.: Franchises are a more recent development. First, the company achieved great development and penetration among consumers with its own stores; That was the focus from the beginning and remains to this day. For example, the purchase of the production plant was to provide the customer with a better product at affordable prices. Already With Myller at the helm, in the midst of the pandemic in 2020, the franchise model began to be developed. It is essential for us that there is no difference between a franchised location and our own, because we have a lot of respect for the client, focusing on warm and personalized attention as well as supporting the investor at all times.. Our business is not simple, because we are involved in all the processes: from the receipt of the raw material – we buy the milk from 50 dairy farmers in Córdoba -, through processing, preparation, transportation and final sale to the public. Thus, we ensure the traceability of all our products.

Q: What plans do you have with franchises and how much does an investor have to spend to open a location in El Puente?

LI: At the moment We have 10 franchised branches operating and another 4 in the process of opening before the end of the year. It is a business segment in which we aim to grow a lot, but always in an orderly manner, so as not to neglect the fundamental values ​​of the company. The average investment is around US$150,000. The premises must have, at least, 80 square meters for the sales room and about 9 employees are needed. Regarding the recovery of the investment, although it is difficult to establish an exact term in the current economy and with the fluctuations of the dollar, we can estimate a maximum term of 36 months from its equilibrium point. Some of our first franchisees are already opening their second location, which is a great indicator.

Q.: In the current economy, with the marked decline in consumption, especially in the dairy sector, did El Puente find strength in its low prices?

LI: Beyond the context, which means that we are all more than ever looking for ways to save when making purchases, we have noticed that our customers are not willing to compromise on quality. It is true that the drop in the consumption of dairy products has been very marked this year. However, when the industry shows a decline in sales, we grow in the hard cheese category —those with the greatest maturity and therefore value. On the other hand, we have two alternatives for this context, one is the D70 brand sample, which offers more accessible products without sacrificing quality and the other is the “Happy Customers” benefits program with significant discounts for loyal customers.

Q: Is it complex for a company of your scale to have such a wide range of products?

LI: Yes, it is both a productive and logistical challenge. However, We keep so many products because they are a customer requirement, By having the possibility of being in contact with the final consumer, we can know their needs and consider them for the development of new products. Although soft cheeses are the best sellers, we also offer specific products with a more limited sale, such as salut light cheese without added salt or lactose-reduced milk, at customer request. We are developing 30 new products; We recently launched peach yogurt, and more news could be coming soon. A very important recent launch was Lucho Maccari Parmesan, a cheese with 36 months of maturation – something unprecedented in the Argentine market – since the longest-maturing cheeses usually have 18 months.

Q: How do you evaluate access to credit and what investment projects do you have in the pipeline?

LI: Until recently, access to credit was complicated for any company in the country, especially for SMEs like ours. Although we are at the upper edge of the SME segment, we face difficulties with rates, terms and amounts. Now we see positive signs: banks are more active offering financing and we are also considering alternatives such as negotiable obligations or international financing. In terms of investments, our industry requires constant investment. This year we will invest US$500,000 in our plant to optimize the filtering process, and by 2025 we project US$1 million in automatic packaging and packaging. The focus is on being more efficient, rather than increasing production volume.