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Features / Archive
13 October, 2009 12:01:50 | in General
Señor MaÃz: Cusco's Corn for the World
By
Katrina Heimark
This week LivinginPeru.com will begin a monthly publication on up and coming Peruvian products.
This week we are focusing on the giant corn snack, Señor Maíz. Señor Maíz was developed by the businessman Edo van Hasselt five years ago.
A product that is now being developed for exportation, LivinginPeru.com feels that Señor Maíz has great potential to bring renown to Peru.
“As soon as someone eats our product, they are hooked.” And Edo van Hasselt knows from experience. He convinced his friend, and current business partner to join him, just by offering him a bag. His friend, who was then on a diet, said that he would try “just one” of the giant white corn snacks.
Well, one is never enough, and his friend wound up eating the whole bag. And every time I find myself opening a bag, I find that I have to finish it as well. Looks like there will be no diet for me either! Edo explains that this is due to the time, effort and dedication his company puts into the making of the giant corn snack, as well as the superior quality of the ingredients.
Edo van Hasselt developed the idea for Señor Maíz after a trip to Spain, where he tried a crunchy corn snack in the street. And it wasn’t just any type of corn, it was huge! He immediately wanted to get involved in the production of this product, but it took him another twelve years to develop his project further. And, well, let’s just say that it was worth the wait.
In elegant style and with a knack for story telling, Edo explains that corn nuts were originally invented by a man in the United States, who used the small US variety of corn to make a crunchy snack. He sold his product to bars, who then served it to their customers, free of charge. However, he was inspired by a photo he received from a friend of a picture of Peruvian choclo. After traveling to Peru, he developed a type of hybrid corn, and then marketed his product as a snack.
While Edo shares this inventor’s enthusiasm for experimentation and elaboration of the product, he does not, however, use hybrid products. He is very proud to mention that all of the ingredients in his corn snacks are natural, and that the product does not contain preservatives. And what also makes Edo and his Señor Maíz unique are his flavors, all created in a natural process.
“I chose the flavors myself…and I don’t think I did a bad job,” he laughs. Of course, Señor Maíz has a Natural flavor, but the flavors the differentiate Edo from his competition are Picante, Queso Maduro, and Finas Hierbas. My personal favorite is the Picante, and if you sprinkle just a little bit of lime on top, you’ll be transported to corn snack heaven.
While he states his competition is made up of colleagues and friends, he is quick to point out some of the differences between their respective companies. Out of the four that he competes with, only one (besides his) is also international. And, Señor Maíz is the company that invests the most time and money in the production. “While the other companies may have between eight or nine steps to make these corn nuts, our company has fourteen,” Edo explains.
The increased process shows. Edo’s Señor Maíz snacks are high quality, full of flavor, and have just the perfect crunch. While some corn snacks that I have tried have left me with a sort of bitter aftertaste, Edo assures me that he has committed himself to producing only excellent products. And he has. The only after-effects I have with Señor Maíz are intense cravings for more and more!
Edo receives all of his giant white corn from the Cusco area. He chose his provider on a visit to Cusco by asking a taxi driver to take him to the best corn-producer in the region. This emphasizes his mission to provide the best product possible to his customers. This corn is raised and harvested in the traditional manner by locals. And this means that each kernel of corn that goes into the bags of Señor Maíz is hand picked from the cob. “If we were to do it any other way, we would ruin the corn,” he explains.
Edo is now experimenting with exports to Spain, the United States and Japan. He currently exports to Mexico, Costa Rica and Venezuela. Each month the company sells at least 30 tons of corn snacks, with at least five of those tons exported to Venezuela. “In Japan we have had very good results,” he explains, but states that he will soon need a new factory if he is to keep up with the international demand he is receiving for his product.
This combination of innovation, a daring attitude and a strong focus on his mission and his goals has brought success to Edo van Hasselt’s business. And, with such a great product, one can only imagine that it will continue to do the same, both within Peru, and overseas.
To learn more about Señor Maíz, visit their website.
tags : Peru, cusco, corn, snacks
Katrina Heimark
This week LivinginPeru.com will begin a monthly publication on up and coming Peruvian products. This week we are focusing on the giant corn snack, Señor Maíz. Señor Maíz was developed by the businessman Edo van Hasselt five years ago.
A product that is now being developed for exportation, LivinginPeru.com feels that Señor Maíz has great potential to bring renown to Peru.
“As soon as someone eats our product, they are hooked.” And Edo van Hasselt knows from experience. He convinced his friend, and current business partner to join him, just by offering him a bag. His friend, who was then on a diet, said that he would try “just one” of the giant white corn snacks.
Well, one is never enough, and his friend wound up eating the whole bag. And every time I find myself opening a bag, I find that I have to finish it as well. Looks like there will be no diet for me either! Edo explains that this is due to the time, effort and dedication his company puts into the making of the giant corn snack, as well as the superior quality of the ingredients.
Edo van Hasselt developed the idea for Señor Maíz after a trip to Spain, where he tried a crunchy corn snack in the street. And it wasn’t just any type of corn, it was huge! He immediately wanted to get involved in the production of this product, but it took him another twelve years to develop his project further. And, well, let’s just say that it was worth the wait.In elegant style and with a knack for story telling, Edo explains that corn nuts were originally invented by a man in the United States, who used the small US variety of corn to make a crunchy snack. He sold his product to bars, who then served it to their customers, free of charge. However, he was inspired by a photo he received from a friend of a picture of Peruvian choclo. After traveling to Peru, he developed a type of hybrid corn, and then marketed his product as a snack.
While Edo shares this inventor’s enthusiasm for experimentation and elaboration of the product, he does not, however, use hybrid products. He is very proud to mention that all of the ingredients in his corn snacks are natural, and that the product does not contain preservatives. And what also makes Edo and his Señor Maíz unique are his flavors, all created in a natural process.
“I chose the flavors myself…and I don’t think I did a bad job,” he laughs. Of course, Señor Maíz has a Natural flavor, but the flavors the differentiate Edo from his competition are Picante, Queso Maduro, and Finas Hierbas. My personal favorite is the Picante, and if you sprinkle just a little bit of lime on top, you’ll be transported to corn snack heaven.
While he states his competition is made up of colleagues and friends, he is quick to point out some of the differences between their respective companies. Out of the four that he competes with, only one (besides his) is also international. And, Señor Maíz is the company that invests the most time and money in the production. “While the other companies may have between eight or nine steps to make these corn nuts, our company has fourteen,” Edo explains.
The increased process shows. Edo’s Señor Maíz snacks are high quality, full of flavor, and have just the perfect crunch. While some corn snacks that I have tried have left me with a sort of bitter aftertaste, Edo assures me that he has committed himself to producing only excellent products. And he has. The only after-effects I have with Señor Maíz are intense cravings for more and more!
Edo receives all of his giant white corn from the Cusco area. He chose his provider on a visit to Cusco by asking a taxi driver to take him to the best corn-producer in the region. This emphasizes his mission to provide the best product possible to his customers. This corn is raised and harvested in the traditional manner by locals. And this means that each kernel of corn that goes into the bags of Señor Maíz is hand picked from the cob. “If we were to do it any other way, we would ruin the corn,” he explains.
Edo is now experimenting with exports to Spain, the United States and Japan. He currently exports to Mexico, Costa Rica and Venezuela. Each month the company sells at least 30 tons of corn snacks, with at least five of those tons exported to Venezuela. “In Japan we have had very good results,” he explains, but states that he will soon need a new factory if he is to keep up with the international demand he is receiving for his product.
This combination of innovation, a daring attitude and a strong focus on his mission and his goals has brought success to Edo van Hasselt’s business. And, with such a great product, one can only imagine that it will continue to do the same, both within Peru, and overseas.
To learn more about Señor Maíz, visit their website.
tags : Peru, cusco, corn, snacks
6 Comments
# jimmyjames says :
14 October, 2009 [ 04:22 ]
14 October, 2009 [ 05:17 ]
18 October, 2009 [ 03:22 ]
25 October, 2009 [ 10:53 ]
28 October, 2009 [ 03:07 ]
4 November, 2009 [ 10:28 ]
# jimmyjames says :
14 October, 2009 [ 04:22 ]
Grew up with corn nuts in the states. Tried the other brand in the stores here in Lima. Senor Maiz is truely a superior product and the claim that if you try one you will ABSOLUTELY finish the bag is true (verdad).# Suzanne Rodriguez says :
How do I become an investor!?!?!
14 October, 2009 [ 05:17 ]
# Victoria Arnaez says :I'm really hoping that you are considering to bring this product to Canada. My husband is from Peru and I have had the opportunity of trying this corn when I was there. I love corn nuts that we have in Canada but they are much smaller and to have them as big as they are in Peru would be such a treat and I believe thay would sell well here in Canada.
All the best............Suzanne
18 October, 2009 [ 03:22 ]
I love to see this product in Australia, love to show el Senor Maiz to my children and friends.# Guillermo Chirinos says :Australia All the best Victoria
25 October, 2009 [ 10:53 ]
# Enrique Febres says :Mr. Van Hasselt:
I am peruvian and I am very interested in your product. There is a chain of 300 convinient stores through Virginia and Maryland States owned by one nephew. I am sure your product could be easely distributed.
I hope you could get in touch with me
Thank you for your attention
Guillermo Chirinos
gchirinos@eandc.net
28 October, 2009 [ 03:07 ]
Mr Van Hasselt,# Edo van Hasselt says :I agree with the comments of Victoria Arnaez, your product will do very well all over Australia. If you need a distributor please do not hesitate to contact me.Kind regardsEnrique Febresenriquissimo@gmail.com
4 November, 2009 [ 10:28 ]
Thank you all very much for your comments.
Please visit our page at:
www.senormaiz.com
All enquiries are welcome and will be promptly answered.
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