Baking & Snack - November 2009 - 23

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▼ After dividing and intermediate proofing
and resting, concha dough balls are topped
with pucks of sugar-based topping that are
deposited and manually patted down to
completely cover the top of the base dough.

▲ A continuous layer of butter is extruded then folded into
the sheeted dough prior to lamination.
of the ingredients,
toppings and handling of the fragile
frozen items. "It is
critical we deliver and prepare products in stores so items
are presented to customers as if they were fully prepared
onsite," Mr. Galasso noted. "In turn, our customers want
to present the products to family and friends as if they
were produced at home. Having a topping or decoration
break off during transportation or preparation is not acceptable. Quality and consistency are key to our success."
DRIVING THE MARKET. Riding on its own local market
success and taking advantage of the Tina's brand muffin regional popularity, Artimex recently began copromoting the El Gallo Giro and Tina's brands on point-ofpurchase displays in c-stores and grocery markets. "The
first products offered are individually wrapped and labeled conchas with Tina's muffins and cakes," Mr. Keyvan said. "It's been a very big success and is beginning to
gain us a positive reputation with both Hispanic and Anglo consumers. Marketing traditional Mexican products
alongside well-regarded Anglo sweets presents a crosscultural opportunity for consumers."
Artimex product offerings include frozen dough and
fully baked items individually wrapped and bulk packed
in clamshell containers. "We are pushing to grow all
three of these product types," Mr. Keyvan said.
Updated brand logos, bilingual labels and other strategies have all proven successful for Artimex brands. However, private label and contract manufacturing have also
presented the company with opportunities. "We recently
partnered with BakeMark on a nationwide basis for exclusive production of several SKUs for its Trigal Dorado
line," Mr. Keyvan added. "BakeMark offers this product
line as mixes, frozen dough and fully baked, and we
provide the latter two for them."
Artimex also hopes to enter the mass merchandise
market soon and is in negotiations with the largest na-

BAKING & SNACK / November 2009

▲ Sheeted, laminated dough is folded,
guillotined and then placed on trays
to rest before freezing.
tional outlet. "And we haven't even
touched on the grocery business,"
Mr. Keyvan noted. "We feel we are on
the cusp of tremendous growth far
beyond the support we provide the
restaurants." The company currently serves 14 Western
states through its retail c-store customers and distributors. BakeMark is its first customer distributing Artimex
products nationally.
MIXING IT UP. Keeping operations on a productive and
even keel requires expertise and creativity. Artimex accomplishes both. Mr. Galasso is a 3rd generation baker
who started in baking in his family's Galasso Bakery,
which is now owned by Fresh Start Bakeries. The plant
also employs two graduates from the American Institute
of Baking resident baking course and periodically sends
employees to AIB's week-long courses on safety, maintenance and other topics. Total employment ranges from 80
permanent hires to more than 120 during peak seasons.
Mr. Galasso described the plant as "very semi-automated." "A lot of the products are unique and traditionally handmade," he said. "We have automated some of
the operations, but many techniques can only be done by
hand, mainly in the forming areas."
The concha topping, for example, is mixed and au▼ Roberto Keyvan, vice-president of sales and marketing, inspects finished,
baked products at one of El Gallo Giro's locations.

Baking & Snack - November 2009

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