Our history
HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN
In 1948
The entrepreneurial vision of Don Manuel Eleuterio Melo Villar , Panama's first Agricultural Engineer, led him to start his own agricultural business with his wife, Doña Libertaria Sarasqueta de Melo. Together, they opened a modest warehouse called "El Agricultor" on Avenida B, with a team of three workers, among whom was their son, Arturo Donaldo Melo Sarasqueta. From an early age, Arturo dedicated himself daily to the business after leaving the National Institute, thus contributing to the family project.
Thanks to the perseverance and vision of the future of the Melo family, they laid the foundations of what we know today as Grupo Melo. On its first day of opening, the "El Agricultor" warehouse managed to invoice 5 balboas, thus marking the beginning of a path full of hard work and success.
70 years later
With great pride and gratitude, today we have 8 business units and more than 5,000 employees throughout the country, which allows us to affirm with certainty that we are one of the largest and most prominent Panamanian companies. Since our beginnings, we always had a long-term vision that transcended the mere creation of a business, seeking to leave true value in society.
Don Manuel Melo established the foundations of our business, while Arturo Donaldo Melo strengthened it by diversifying our operations. In both leaders, the will to support the development of the communities where we operate was always present, investing in education, health and production with high quality standards.
Our operations are divided into two main areas: the Food Division and the Commercial Division. The Food Division of Grupo Melo aims to be a leader in the production and marketing of innovative processed foods and feed, both in the local and international markets. We are committed to applying cutting-edge technology and maximizing the benefits for our clients, collaborators, shareholders, community and environment.
Currently, Grupo Melo's Food Division stands out for having the most efficient model in the poultry industry in the region, thanks to a complete vertical integration of all processes.
THE MOST PRODUCTIVE POULTRY FARM IN PANAMA
Our vertical integration begins with the Sarasqueta y Cía. Feed Factory, where tons of high-quality feed are processed daily. These feeds are intended both to feed our birds on poultry farms and for retail sale in our agricultural warehouses.
The next stage in this gear is Production, which has three lines of high genetic breeders and a production line for table eggs. Its infrastructure includes two Incubation Plants and two Table Egg Sorting Plants, one in Cerro Azul and another in La Mesa, in Carriazo.
It is important to note that this Division also operates three mini hydroelectric plants, which operate 24 hours a day, in addition to a solar energy plant in La Mesa since 2015, with a maximum generation capacity of 5 megawatts (MW) per day. With these initiatives, Empresas Melo demonstrates its permanent commitment to the environment by incorporating the generation of clean and inexhaustible energy, such as solar, and renewable energy, such as hydroelectric, which does not pollute the atmosphere or produce greenhouse gases.
The next link in our chain is the Processing and Marketing area, where our poultry Processing Plant, located in the town of Juan Díaz and recently modernized, meets the highest standards of biosafety and quality. This plant carries out daily processing of chickens, which are distributed nationally and are also used as raw materials for our value-added plants.
We have one of the largest distribution networks in the country, with daily transportation to all regions, thus ensuring that products reach consumers fresh. Our 7 Distribution Agencies guarantee fresh, high-quality products, preferred for their nutrition and flavor.
To satisfy consumer demands, we have two Value Added product plants, where innovation is one of the distinctive characteristics of the products developed.
The Manuel E. Melo Plant, which was inaugurated in May 2001, specializes in the production of ready-to-cook foods, supplying both the demand of the domestic market and that of the countries to which we export in Central America and the Caribbean. Our products are backed by cutting-edge technology and meet rigorous health specifications.
This plant has international HACCP certification, a program based on the analysis of Hazards and Critical Control Points, which guarantees the quality and safety of our foods at all stages of production.
In addition, the Sausage Plant, which was relocated next to the Manuel E. Melo Plant in August 2019, is dedicated to the production of sausages and sausages based on chicken, beef and pork, such as sausages, chorizos, hams and mortadella. We also develop innovative products based on vegetable raw materials, such as our line of corn buns and pancakes. All of these products are fully cooked and ready to eat just by heating them.
The processing chain, from poultry feed production to final product processing plants, is subject to audits by both internal and external experts. This rigorous process guarantees compliance with the most advanced standards of the poultry industry worldwide.