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Starting
as a one-man operation in 1957, JPMaal & Co. N.V. is now a leading importer
and wholesaler, covering the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.
Joseph Pieter
Maal, or Joss as he was known, was a very sociable person who found
great pleasure in helping others. He worked out of a small office, selling
canned corned beef on an independent basis for Compañía swift de la
Plata in Argentina and later on pickled pork products in plastic pails
from the USA and canned butter from Australia. He did not have to worry
about employees nor business trucks, getting by with his business sense
and people's skills.
The late
seventies were a time of change for the company. In 1977 the bussiness
was incorporated and Sergio A. Leon, the present owner, joined the company.
By that time, J.P. Maal was seriously ill, and died in December of that
year. In 1979, the shopping center that housed the company's warehouse
and offices burned to the ground, forcing J.P. Maal and Co. to begin
from scratch again.
Using the
remains of the shopping center, a new warehouse was erected within three
months time.
Part of
this building may still be seen at the current location of J.P. Maal
and Co.
In 1980,
J.P. Maal and Co. reached a turning point. On its first visit to a Food
Show in Puerto Rico, the company came in contact with Mr. Peter Sill,
now employed at Hunt Wesson International. Still advised the company
that the food business was moving from canned goods to frozen and refrigerated
items. The company has since grown from one truck and a driver to deliver
products to its customers to an operation comprised of 14 delivery trucks,
seven of which are refrigerated. There are now 36 employees in Curaçao
and 14 in Aruba. J.P. Maal and Co. built its first freezer in 1981 and
have been steadily increasing and improving its facilities ever since.
J.P. Maal and Co. built its
first freezer in 1981 and have been steadily increasing and improving
its facilities ever since. The Company now has a capacity of 1,200 metric
tons of frozen and chilled food products. Its storage facilities now include
a 2,800 square foot main dry storage warehouse, a 5,850 square foot dry
storage picking warehouse, 7,000 square foot freezer capacity and 600
square foot air conditioning storage. With a 3,800 square foot office
also taken into account, it is easy to recognize the Company's significant
influence on the island's business.
The Company continues expanding
its operations, following its ambitious statement: "To create a value
for every client through supreme quality, excellent service and profitable
long-lasting relationships".
in order to increase its volume
of sales, the company founded J.P. Maal Aruba N.V. in 1993, and now has
a sub distributor, Tropical Flamingo, that distributes its products on
the small island of Bonaire. In December 1997, J.P. Maal and Co. bought
an ice cream distribution company that imports and sells ice cream from
Belgium under the brand name "Ysco".
Demonstrating its diverse
nature and emphasis on service, J.P. Maal and Co. N.V. now to supermarkets,
hotels, restaurants, auto parts stores, gasoline stations, drugstores
and institutions. Restaurants include such big fast food names as Kentucky
Fried Chicken, Wendy's, and Pizza Hut.
Its products include processed
meats, concentrated juices, beef, pork, poultry, yogurts, dog food, canned
and frozen vegetables, ethnic foods, spices, bakery products, tomato products,
ice cream, packaging materials, seafood, oils and shortenings and cheese
and dairy products.
Currently the new freezer
facility in Aruba is being completed and the building of a warehouse club
in Curaçao will start in 2002 in order to offer even better service and
increase the window of opportunity to promote its products.
The team-atmosphere the company
fosters, is shown by the support for its pride and joy, the SWIFT softball
team. The squad has been in existence since 1972 , and has been sponsored
by J.P. Maal and Co. since 1979. The organization consists of 49 members
that play and compete against teams in two different leagues, the "Liga
Van Engelen" for men 25-39 and the "Liga 40" for men over 40 years of
age.
Swift softball team emphasizes
social events, but takes competition very seriously. J.P. Maal and Co.
proudly displays its many trophies in its conference room. They have played
in the USA, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Aruba and Bonaire.
It is this community
atmosphere that sets J.P. Maal and Co. apart from its competitors. The
company genuinely cares for its customers and goes out of its way to satisfy
their needs in an environment where this special attention is not always
the case. The company also demonstrates a willingness to find products
that may not be in their regular inventory, to go the extra mile for its
customers.
Orders are filled promptly,
with orders placed in the morning delivered that same afternoon and afternoon
orders delivered the next morning. Saturday and Sunday service is also
offered, as customers require.
By adding a Club store, J.P.
Maal and Co. will now be able to offer customers an opportunity to buy
its premium quality goods in smaller quantities, at its always-reasonable
prices.
When you add an imminent Internet
presence at jpmaal.com and up-to-date personal computers interwoven with
a mainframe for sales, ordering, and accounts receivable, it is easy to
see why J.P. Maal has such a significant impact on the island.
The Company's vision statement
demonstrates its commitment to success:
"We
are importers and wholesellers distributing supreme quality goods. We
meet the highest standards and represent world-leading brands covering
the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao since 1977".
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