bakingbuyer - March 2011 - (Page PAN 45)

PROFILES Panadería La Mexicana At Panadería La Mexicana in Oxnard, CA, they have both the inside and the outside of the bakery business covered. The husband and wife owners, Ramon and Maria Damian, come from two distinctly different backgrounds, which both lend themselves well to running a successful bakery. Maria grew up in a family of bakers and learned the trade from her parents. Ramon, however, was a salesman for more than 13 years before marrying Maria and joining her family’s bakery. “Being out there in the field you have an idea of what moves and what doesn’t move,” Ramon says. “So when I came on here and I saw these products I knew there was so much we could do.” Ramon started taking La Mexicana’s products out to various markets from Oxnard to Santa Barbara. They are now being sold in several outside shops. “You have to go out and compete with everyone else,” Ramon says. “But my father-in-law knew baking from A to Z and he really knew his product, so it made my job easier.” Panadería La Mexicana 818 North Ventura Road Oxnard, CA 93030 (805) 278-0380 Ramon and Maria Damian Owners Ramon has learned how to bake, but since he has become so busy with outside sales, he mostly focuses on that aspect of the business. “I want to make sure I’m consistent. I don’t want to take products in one week but not the next,” he says. That leaves Maria to watch over the bakery, where the majority of the sales take place. “We like to keep things nice and clean for our customers,” she says. “The morning is the busiest time of the day, but people come in for different things all day long.” La Mexicana is fully supplied by BakeMark in order to keep the products consistent and the quality high. “BakeMark has good product,” Ramon says. “The flour is the best.” Customer service is also always top of mind. “’Thank you’ goes a long way,” says Ramon. “And ‘hello’ really breaks the ice and makes customers feel welcome. You want to show customers that you care about them.” The Damian’s have big plans for the future. They have their eyes on online ordering and nationwide distribution. “I would like to do what we do here in our showcase, but do it raw and frozen and ship it to the coasts,” Ramon says. “I want to get it out there and experiment.” The Damian’s are also interested in someday opening a tamale factory, as well as getting their Hispanic breads into some of the local donut shops. MARCH 11 | PANADERIA 45

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of bakingbuyer - March 2011

bakingbuyer - March 2011
EDITOR’S NOTE - Reacting to the Economy
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
INDUSTRY NEWS
RBA to Relocate Headquarters
Caravan Names Director, Food Ingredient Sales
Bread Bakers Guild Adds to Board
Hobart Launches “Get Back to Scratch”
Gonnella Baking Promotes Dan Herzog
Danisco Takes Food Protection Gluten-free
IDDBA Speakers for 2011 Show
Expert Baker Joins New French Bakery
Green Baking
Bakery Toolkit
The Power of Promotions
CONTENTS
Inside and Out
Turn Impulse into Volume
Promote Personal Connections
Package, Protect, Promote
Loyalty Rewards
Shopper Spotlight
A Hot Concept
What’s Baking in Semifreddi’s Ovens
Team USA Profile
USA WINS SIGEP BREAD CUP
The Final Results of the Sigep Bread Cup 2011
A Guide to GRADUATION Cake Licensing
Your Options
Related Defi nitions
Here Comes the Groom's Cake
Personal Touch
Pillow Talk
Social Circles
How to Mold Filled Chocolate Candies
Alternative Method for Larger Jobs
Signature Sandwich Breads
Graduates Take th e Cake
Uncertain Times
Bake Your Own Signature
More Cake, Please
Word of Mouth
Creative Inspirations
THUMBS UP FOR GOURMET COFFEE
SANITATION Takes Center Stage
Production Schedule
FEATURED PRODUCTS
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
MARKETPLACE NETWORK
AD INDEX
BAKER’S DOZEN
BakeMark's Panaderia
CARTA DE INTRODUCCIÓN - Fusión Cubana
INTRODUCTORY LETTER - Cuban Fusion
Panes Dulces
Pasteles de Graduación
La Demanda Crece Por Platillos Étnicos y Opciones de Mejor Valor
Fusión Cubana
Porto’s Bakery & Café
Tropicana Bakery & Cuban Café
Reyna’s Bakery
Panadería La Mexicana
La Estrella Bakery
El Fogón
NUEVOS PRODUCTOS DE TRIGAL DORADO
CALENDARIO DE DÍAS FESTIVOS
FÓRMULAS
Sweet Breads
Wheat is on the Rise
Graduation Cakes
The Busy Graduation Season
Plan Ahead!
Demand Rising for Ethnic Fare and Value Options
Cuban Fusion
Porto’s Bakery & Café
Tropicana Bakery & Cuban Café
Reyna’s Bakery
Panadería La Mexicana
La Estrella Bakery
El Fogón
CALENDAR
NEW PRODUCTS FROM TRIGAL DORADO
FORMULAS

bakingbuyer - March 2011