1. The Globalization of Mexican Tortillas: GRUMA and the Mass Production of Corn Flour
- Author:
- Rosalía del Carmen Ríos Arreguín, Rebecca Orr, and Christopher McKenna
- Publication Date:
- 04-2020
- Content Type:
- Case Study
- Institution:
- Oxford Centre for Global History
- Abstract:
- In 2001, Disney opened the gates to the California Adventure Park. Billed as a celebration of the history and culture of the Golden State, the park featured Disneyfied versions of Wine Country, the Hollywood Backlot and other Californian landmarks. In the park’s top left corner, stood the Mission Tortilla factory. The attraction run by Disney in partnership with Mission Foods (a division of the GRUMA corporation) showcased ‘the history and the making of the traditional food of ancient and modern Mexico—the tortilla’.1 In the first half of the exhibition, visitors watched a film about the ancient origins of the tortilla and learnt about the lengthy process in which women ground maize into dough. The second half of the exhibition celebrated all things modern. Visitors observed a working factory production line staffed by Mission employees who handed out free tortillas to passing customers. The final room told the story of Mission’s role in transforming the corn tortilla from a dietary staple of the Mexican masses to a Californian delicacy.
- Topic:
- Globalization, History, Food, and Capitalism
- Political Geography:
- North America, Mexico, and United States of America