EMBA International Trip to South America: Travel Journal, Day 10

2010 Travel Journal » Day 10 - September 13

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Our first full day of briefings in Rio de Janeiro started with two. After a quick ride to the Intercontinental Hotel two representatives from Souza Cruz met us. This company, established in 1903, is the largest tobacco company in Brazil. Its parent company is British American Tobacco, which has a 75% stake. It produces nearly 80 billion cigarettes a year and sells them primarily in Latin America. In addition, the firm exports tobacco leaf to more than 50 countries on five continents. Since they can only advertise their product at point of sale, they attribute the popularity of their brands to the relationships that they have created between the company and their distributors.

After this briefing, the students had the rest of the morning to spend at the International Logistics Forum being held at the Intercontinental Hotel. Hosting the forum this year is ILOS, the Institute of Logistics and Supply Chain in Rio. Besides the traditional general sessions, case studies and tutorials (70 presentations in total) that cover the variety of logistics processes, industries and best practices, the event will have two thematic tracks, which are: Global Sustainable Supply Chain Forum and Infrastructure Brazil Forum. Both aim to address, in a consistent manner, two issues of extreme importance to the top executive of logistics and supply chain. 83 companies are participating in the forum this year.

After a group lunch at the Intercontinental Hotel with other forum participants, we were once again back on the coach for a trip to Rapido Cometa. This is one of the best and largest air and road cargo transportation companies and logistics solution providers in the country. They are a full service logistics provider who meets the demands of every step in the supply chain. The class enjoyed both a briefing a tour of the large logistics center.

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The group dinner on Monday evening was quite an experience. We ate at Porcao Rio, a Brazilian churrascarias, or steak house:

 http://www.porcao.com.br/porcaoSite/home/home.php

 Unlike the type of steak house we're accustomed to at home, this is a buffet and all-you-can-eat restaurant. Unbelievable varieties of salads, vegetables, and seafood are on an oppulent buffet. After filling your plate with the buffet food, waiters circulate around the tables and offer diners any type and cut of beef, pork, lamb, chicken and sausage that you can possibly imagine. Each diner is give a disc that's green on one side ("sim" for "yes") and red on the other ("nao" for no). As long as your disc has the green side up waiters will come to your seat and offer you whatever type of meat it is that thay are slicing. All of the food was delicious. At the end of the evening we decided that a meal like this is something that you could only indulge in once or twice a year!