This is how Quaker oats are created, a product that represents about 80% of the consumption of that category in Ecuador

The Quaker brand has been present on the world market for 146 years, since it was founded by Henry Seymour and William Heston. In 1877, it was named by the Quaker Mill Company, in the United States, and it was the first brand of breakfast cereal in that country.

Their arrival in Ecuador happened after the Second World War.. It was founded by Luis Noboa Naranjo, father of Álvaro Noboa Pontón, who was a presidential candidate, and businesswoman Isabel Noboa Pontón.

“It was founded with the vision of specializing in the production of basic items that guarantee food security and contribute to national development,” he says. Verónica Barreda, General Manager of Industrial Moliner CA

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In 1945, Quaker began in Ecuador, according to what he says Ángel Abad, Deputy Production Manager. “We are 78 years old. We started in 1945 and were a pillar; After 1960, we founded the first wheat milland in 1968 another,” says Abad, who also points out that by 1977 They found the first mill, but the oats, and eight years later he was second. Currently, the company has four mills.

With this development it appears Super4, one of the most important brands of baking flour, and begins marketing Quaker Oats under license from Quaker Oatstoday owned by multinational Pepsico.

Abad indicates that it is the raw material is imported. He is not from Ecuador. Wheat comes from Canada, the United States and Argentina. Oats come from Canada and Chile. “Ecuador is not a grain-producing country; There is no agribusiness in the country. This company has strength because we are on the banks of the Guayas River and have a dock; From the origin of raw materials it comes by ship and goes to the factory. So that’s a strength,” Abad explains.

The mills are located in the south of Guayaquil, near the Guayas River. With them appear products such as the famous Quaker Oats: ground, flaked, a mixture of grains and flavored, such as naranjilla, passion fruit and pineapple.

“Quaker has an important responsibility to consumers in Ecuador, because of its presence and consumption in homes. The brand accounts for about 80% of consumption of packaged oatmeal and is currently among the ten most chosen brands in the food sector, according to the Kantar Brand FootPrint 2023 report,” says Barreda.

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The executive director points out that during the pandemic, Industrial Molinera tried to maintain stocks. “This is because its industrial capacity allows it to control the entire process, from the purchase of grain, reception in its private port to marketing, always guaranteeing the quality and freshness that characterizes the brand,” says Barreda.

According to the company, Quaker oats are consumed on average every fortnight and are found in eight out of ten families in the country.. Its production plant has quality control systems and certificates of good manufacturing practice (GMP) and HACCP, BASC standards. In 2023, it was certified according to the FSSC22 000 standard in security systems.

How are quaker oats made?

The process of making Quaker oats takes a little over fourteen hours, says Abad. This starts with the purchase of raw materials abroad, which arrive at the factory and are stored in silos for processing.

Then it goes through cleaning to remove impurities coming from the fields. After this step is completed, we move on to peeling, in which the shell of the oat grain is separated, which is similar to the grain of a bunch of rice.

“Next is the roasting process in order to give the characteristics and advantages of the product, namely the color, taste and aroma of the grains. After roasting, it goes into the cutting process in order to divide the grain into two or three parts, as needed,” notes Abad and adds that, depending on the length, the grain is sorted.

When it is cut, it is taken to a conditioning tank for cooking. This is followed by the lamination process, which consists of stretching and turning the product into oatmeal. “It goes through a cooling process and can be stored in a container for the finished product.” to finally packAbad points out.

Oatmeal for children

Presentations of Quaker oatmeal with strawberry, vanilla and original flavors for children are part of the brand’s recent launches, says María del Carmen Bonifaz, Head of Food Safety.

“It is enriched with calcium, iron, vitamin C, fiber and micronutrients that help strengthen our children’s defenses,” he says.

This product also goes through the same process mentioned above, with the difference that it has nutrients according to the target audience and other flavors.

“Each serving of Quaker Kids would be equivalent to the calcium in a glass of milk, the iron in a cup of cooked spinach, the vitamin C in half an orange and the fiber in half an apple,” says Barreda.