Inaugural Year a Success for UPS Entrepreneurial Spirit Award

UPS awards the three most innovative Mexican SMBs at exclusive ceremony

MEXICO CITY, UPS has announced the three winners of the UPS Entrepreneurial Spirit Award. The contest was developed to recognize the contribution of small-and-medium-size businesses (SMBs) to the stabilization of a healthy economy in Mexico, in which they account for 72 percent of jobs. Each winner received a cash prize and Microsoft products for their innovative and original business practices.

After careful review and consideration by a multidisciplinary panel of judges, Procesa Chiapas, A tu Salud and Agricola Sonorg were selected as the three winning SMBs - each one providing a primary example of how an innovative idea can translate into a successful business. The winners stood out among the competition due to their original business models, their results and their commitment to excellence in client service.

With support from the Ministry of Economy and Microsoft Mexico, UPS confirmed its commitment to fostering SMBs’ growth in Mexico at an exclusive awards ceremony held at the Ministry of Economy, honoring the winners and finalists of the contests.

“Our partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Microsoft Mexico was derived from sharing a common goal of recognizing and supporting Mexican SMBs, and as a result we have created a new alliance to support these SMBs in optimizing and diversifying their products and services,” said Griselda Hernandez, UPS Mexico Country Manager. “At UPS we are committed to providing SMBs with the necessary logistics tools and technology that will strengthen and optimize their business’ packaging and shipment processes, in addition to their storage needs, all of which are fundamental for the introduction of SMBs in to international markets.”

The first place winner, Procesa Chiapas, is a company revolutionizing the processed tuna fish industry in Mexico through the production and sale of the “Marina Azul” brand. The product is packaged in a more convenient, secure and fun-to-carry case, thus promoting the consumption of a healthy food that is beneficial to consumers’ health, especially children’s.

A tu Salud received the second place prize and was recognized for their research, development, production, and sale of food made of fresh Nopal (a popular Mexican cactus) and cornmeal. The company’s goal is to produce products that prevent diseases commonly associated with obesity, like diabetes, by furnishing and promoting better products for a better quality of life for consumers.

In third place, Agricola Sonorg, the first 100 percent organic produce field in Mexico, and a certified producer and exporter of cantaloupes, grapes, pumpkins, raisins, and watermelons, was awarded for its low-cost conversion from a traditional produce field to an organic-produce field.

Mexican SMBs responded very well to the invitation to participate in the UPS Entrepreneur Spirit Award- almost 90 registrations were received from companies in industries such as sales, food, healthcare, IT, services and manufacturing - with most submissions originating from Aguascalientes, Chiapas, Mexico City and the State of Mexico. During the awards ceremony, Hernandez praised the participation of Microsoft Mexico and the Ministry of Economy.

“Microsoft is privileged and honored to participate in a contest dedicated to boosting small-and-medium size businesses and showcasing the untapped talent pool in our country wanting to make a difference,” said Microsoft Mexico SMB Marketing Manager Rolando Hermida. “Microsoft will continue to promote the development of SMBs in Mexico, offering the best tools and resources for achieving their full potential.”

The Ministry of Economy shared similar thoughts about Mexico’s SMBs. “It is essential for the Ministry of Economy to provide support to SMBs in Mexico, since they are a key element in the growth and development of our economy,” said the General Director for SME Technology and Innovative Education Department at the Mexico Ministry of Economy (SPYME/SE), Jose Luis Suarez Peredo Sevilla. “This partnership is a perfect example of what companies can do to support entrepreneurs, strengthen their market presence, and thereby increase their level of competitiveness.”

Initiatives like the UPS Entrepreneurial Spirit Award allow the company to strengthen the Mexican economy, one of the most important markets for UPS in the Americas. During its inaugural year, the contest generated a strong response from SMB entrepreneurs, which demonstrates that innovative ideas exist in all the corners of Mexico.

To learn more about UPS and the services available for SMBs in Mexico, please visit www.ups.com.

About UPS
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain and freight services. With more than a century of experience in transportation and logistics, UPS is a leading global trade expert equipped with a broad portfolio of solutions. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at UPS.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.