When I was a child, the best gift someone could bring you from abroad was imported chocolate. It’s that simple. A Hershey’s, a Snickers, a Milky Way… any of those bars was almost a treasure. The emotion was not just the taste, it was the feeling of having something that did not exist in Mexico. Traveling to the United States implied an unwritten rule: returning with a suitcase that, in addition to clothes, brought products impossible to get here. It was part of the ritual, part of the magic of crossing the border.
And it was no coincidence. Government and customs restrictions at that time—particularly in the 1970s and 1980s—were extremely strict. Under the narrative of protecting the national producer, the country built a wall of regulations that made it almost impossible for foreign brands to freely enter the Mexican market. The goal was to foster a strong local industry; The result was a consumer with very limited options.
That protectionism marked an entire generation. In a country where product diversity was “curated” by decree, the market became predictable and slow. Many Mexican companies, protected by the lack of competition, simply stopped innovating. Complacency became a silent evil: why invest in quality, efficiency or new technologies, if the consumer had no alternatives?
Few companies managed to get around those rules. And it wasn’t for diplomacy, it was for investment. Brands that really wanted to enter Mexico discovered that the only way was to set up local production plants. Industrial investment became the entry ticket to the national market. Thanks to that, we began to see some “foreign” brands manufactured in Mexican territory, with everything and the pride of the “Made in Mexico” label.
Even the name of the brands was a regulated issue. An iconic example: 7-Eleven. The chain had to operate for years under the name “Súper 7” because business rules did not allow the use of English names. It would seem anecdotal today, but at the time it perfectly reflected the spirit of the time: protecting the national at all costs, even if that meant distorting the market.
Over time, the evidence became impossible to ignore. This protectionism did not boost Mexican companies: rather it lulled them to sleep. Lack of competition flattens creativity. And when the market finally began to open up—with economic modernization, trade agreements, and globalization—many local companies simply couldn’t catch up. Some closed; others were transformed, and several managed to reinvent themselves to compete with international giants.
And here is a key point: an open market, far from weakening the consumer, strengthens it. More competition means better prices, better quality, more innovation and a more dynamic business ecosystem. Commercial opening not only benefits the client; forces market players to raise their level.
Today Mexico is experiencing a brand revolution like few others in its history. Proximity to the United States automatically connects us with thousands of products that cross the border in a matter of weeks—not years—from their launch. Physical stores and e-commerce allow the Mexican consumer to have access to portfolios that were unthinkable 30 years ago.
Even so, we have not reached the level of brand saturation that exists in the United States, where each category has dozens of hyper-segmented competitors. But we do have a robust presence of global leaders in practically all industries: food, beverages, personal care, technology, fashion, home, convenience and much more.
Furthermore, Mexico no longer only receives brands. Export. Europe, Asia and South America also compete for space on the national shelf. We are a global meeting point, an attractive and strategic market.
But here comes the most interesting part: in the midst of this explosion of foreign brands, local has never been so strong.
The Mexican consumer is rediscovering the value of homemade products. There is a growing impulse to support national brands, to buy artisanal products, to choose nostalgic flavors and formats. The “consume local” trend stopped being a discourse and became mass behavior, especially among the new generations.
And we have examples that transcend borders: Corona, Tajín, Bimbo, La Costeña, Grupo Lala… Mexican brands that not only dominate here, but have conquered international markets and have become global references.
The lesson is clear: opening the market does not eliminate the local; It forces you to improve and drives you to grow.
Today, in a world that once again talks about tariffs, tariffs and trade wars, it is worth remembering what we have already experienced. Regulations may change the pace, but they do not change reality: the consumer is the one who defines which brand wins or loses. It is the consumer who grants legitimacy. And it is the market, not the decrees, that ends up dictating who stays and who goes.
Development must come from competition, not from artificial protection. Because when the market competes, the consumer wins. And when the consumer wins, so does the country.
This is Beyond Success. See you soon!
