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Building a Legacy of Expansion and Sustainability in Latin America
With a strategic focus on growth, diversification and social & environmental sustainability, CMI is not only reinforcing its position as a leading investment corporation but creating a long-term value and life changing opportunities for all.
It is certainly not common for a multinational corporation with more than 40,000 employees, direct impact over the lives of millions people, and a focus on continued growth, to define itself by its family warmth and its ability to create opportunities, not just to generate profits, but to change lives in a sustainable, long-term way. And yet, it is precisely this growth strategy based on family values and opportunity for all that has defined this family-owned enterprise in its more than 100-year history, contributing to its extraordinary success.
CMI’s journey began with a little store located in San Cristóbal, Totonicapán, Guatemala, and today it enjoys a widely diverse business portfolio that includes food, restaurants, renewable energy, real estate, and capital, operating in more than 16 countries in Latin America and the U.S. Its operations are divided into two major business groups, CMI Foods and CMI Capital, with Juan José Gutiérrez Mayorga and Juan Luis Bosch Gutiérrez as chairmans, respectively. CMI Foods is one of the largest food producers in Latin America, specializing in wheat and corn flour milling, pastas and cookies production, poultry, pork, sausage manufacturing, animal and pet food, and its successful restaurant industry, which includes the iconic Pollo Campero chain. Covering over 370 restaurants worldwide, more than 100 of them in the US alone, it was recently awarded second place in the Fried Chicken restaurant category in the United States by USA Today 10Best Awards. On the other hand, CMI Capital seeks to generate impact investments that promote sustainable development through renewable energy generation projects in Central America and the Caribbean, real estate solutions such as Guatemala’s Pradera shopping mall network and Multi-Proyectos real estate projects for sale, and financial services for CMI companies through financing, investment management and insurance services.
In recent years, CMI has embarked on an ambitious journey of expansion, leveraging its diversified portfolio to strengthen its presence across the region. One of CMI’s key areas of expansion has been renewable energy, where significant investments in clean energy projects such as the Renace hydroelectric plant in Guatemala, the Choluteca solar farm and the Cerro de Hula wind farm in Honduras, the Bosforo solar plant in El Salvador, and the Alisios, Orosi and PESRL wind farms in Costa Rica, among several others, have led to an installed capacity of over 818MW, positioning it as the largest and most diversified private renewable generator in Central America and the Caribbean. These investments, which are helping to reduce the carbon footprint, promote energy independence in the region, and contribute to the energy transition in Latin America, are expected to expand the renewable energy matrix by at least 330 MW by 2030.
Similarly, CMI has also been expanding its footprint in the food sector with state-of-the-art technology and sustainable farming practices that not only increase its production capacity but also ensure food security to millions of people by providing high-quality, affordable food through environmentally friendly operations. By 2027 CMI plans to have invested $190 million to reach 250 Pollo Campero restaurants in the United States, and at regional level, it is expected to grow at a rate of 25-30 new restaurants per year over the coming four years.
Moreover, CMI’s growth strategy is not just about scaling operations but deepening its impact with sustainable community-focused initiatives. Through its Juan Bautista Gutiérrez Foundation, CMI’s has implemented numerous long-term educational and health programs such as university scholarships for underprivileged youths, training workshops for the prevention of teenage pregnancies, a comprehensive program to combat malnutrition, and promotion of income generation through entrepreneurship. Undoubtedly, CMI’s holistic approach to growth has been key to the company’s success as a regional market leader and is a testament to its vision of creating a sustainable and inclusive future for Latin America. By investing in key sectors and focusing on community development, CMI is demonstrating that it is possible to grow and still treat others like family.
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