Guatemalan authorities requested that the distribution company for Galletas Ritz in the country, withdraw all products due to the possible presence of Salmonella bacteria.
The Department of Service and Assistance for Consumers (Diaco) has called for Mondeléz Guatemala Ltda., Distribution company for Ritz Biscuits in the country, to verify that all Ritz Cracker Sandwiches and Rits Bits products in all their different presentations, which possibly contain Salmonella in one of its ingredients, are no longer on the market, said the institution in a statement.
Two Costa Rican companies are successfully competing in the regional market, facing competition from multinationals such as Kellogg's, Nature Valley and Bimbo.
Jack's and Cosecha Dorada are two Costa Rican companies producing cereal bars that not only have a presence in Costa Rica, but have made a place in other Central American countries, competing with multinationals.
Lack of security and high energy and logistical costs have caused the closure of 150 industrial companies in the past 5 years.
127 maquila operations have closed since 2005, firing 60.000 people. Pharmaceutics company Sanofi-Aventis sold its assets in Setember 2007, Avon did the same by the end of 2008, and more recently Kellog's announced its decision of closing its industrial operations in the country.
The company announced the closure of its Guatemalan production plant in November.
The facility will be used in the distribution chain, for the national market, of products imported from Mexico.
Francisco Alcalá, Kellogg's executive, said: "I regret having to inform that we've decided to close Kellogg's production plant in Guatemala. Financial reasons -as well as our desire to mantain job positions in Mexico by not closing our Toluca plant- led us to this sad decision...".