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Fomento Economico Mexicano S.A.B. de C.V.

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FY2018 Annual Report · Fomento Economico Mexicano S.A.B. de C.V.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2018

To generate economic and social value through our companies 
and institutions. We have established a mission, a vision and values 
that are both our beacons and guidelines to plan strategies and 
projects in the pursuit of success.

Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V., or FEMSA, is a 
leader in the beverage industry through Coca-Cola FEMSA, the 
largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world by 
volume; and in the beer industry, through ownership of the second 
largest equity stake in Heineken, one of the world’s leading brewers 
with operations in over 70 countries. We participate in the retail 
industry through FEMSA Comercio, comprising a Proximity Division, 
operating OXXO, a small-format store chain; a Health Division, which 
includes all drugstores and related operations; and a Fuel Division, 
which operates the OXXO GAS chain of retail service stations. 
Through FEMSA Negocios Estratégicos (FEMSA Strategic Businesses) 
we provide logistics, point-of-sale refrigeration solutions and plastics 
solutions to FEMSA’s business units and third-party clients.

FEMSA’s 2018 integrated Annual Report reflects our commitment 
to strong corporate governance and transparency, as exemplified 
by our mission, vision and values. Our financial and sustainability 
results are for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, 
compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2017. 

This report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting 
Initiative (GRI) Standards and the United Nations Global Compact, 
this represents our Communication on Progress for 2018.

Contents
1
Discover Our Corporate Identity 
2
FEMSA at a Glance 
4
Value Creation Highlights 
6
Social and Environmental Value 
8
Dear Shareholders 
10
FEMSA Comercio 
18
Coca-Cola FEMSA 
28
FEMSA Strategic Businesses 
32
FEMSA Foundation 
40
Corporate Governance 
44
Financial Summary 
Management’s Discussion & Analysis  46
52
Contact 

Over the past several decades, FEMSA has evolved from an integrated 
beverage platform to a multifaceted business with a broad set of capabilities 
and opportunities. While our corporate offerings have evolved, our culture, 
mission and values remain consistent. In 2018, we set out to define the 
FEMSA Corporate Identity as it connects to our culture and purpose, which is 
captured in the graphic below.

DISCOVER OUR CORPORATE IDENTITY

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To generate social and economic value through companies and institutions.

FEMSA is in the business of...

...and we believe everything we do contributes to

Designing, building and developing large-scale business 
models that enable our customers to satisfy their daily 
needs, in an efficient and differentiated way

Improve the communities we serve through our actions, 
with the integral development of our people, and 
through value propositions that generate well-being

By doing this, we will reach our strategic objectives to...

1. Be the best owner, partner and operator of our businesses in the long term
2. Aspire to double the value of our business every five years
3. Be leaders in the markets where we operate
4. Be the best employer and neighbor to the communities in which we operate

Our people will have a positive impact by...

Seeking to transcend, always putting the organization first,  
and exemplifying our shared corporate values  
1. Integrity and Respect, 2. Sense of Responsibility,  
3. Humility with a Service Mindset, and 4. Passion for Learning

Our way of working...

Our leadership model fosters...

Leverages our capabilities and enables 
our corporate strategy through our:
1. Customer Focus, 2. Commitment to Excellence,  
3. Competence and Collaboration, and 4. Innovative Spirit

1. Cultivating and building our vision, 
2. Promoting and nurturing our business values  
in our daily activities, and  
3. Inspiring and developing the best teams in 
accordance with our personal values

FEMSA is committed to promoting the well-being and quality of life of all our 
employees, their families and the communities where they live and work. This vision 
drives our efforts to train better collaborators, better citizens and better people for 
the world. As part of this effort, our FEMSA System of Integral Social Development 
consolidates our social commitment with our collaborators, promoting wellness 
across five dimensions: social, health, labor, economic and training.

 
 
2 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

FEMSA AT A GLANCE

n n n n n Mexico

 n n Central America

n Venezuela

Colombia n n n n

Peru n

n n n Brazil

n  FEMSA Comercio

n  Coca-Cola FEMSA

Chile n

n Uruguay

n Argentina

n  FEMSA Comercio and Coca-Cola FEMSA

n  Solistica

n  Imbera

n  PTM

Corporate Structure
Equity Stakes and Business Units

27.8%
The Coca-Cola 
Company

47.2%*
47.2%*
Coca-Cola 
FEMSA

25.0%
Public

100%
100%
FEMSA 
Comercio

100%
100%
Strategic 
Businesses 

14.8%
14.8%
Heineken

*Represents 63% of voting rights.

Proximity 
Division

Health 
Division

Fuel 
Division

FEMSA operates in 
12 countries: 
Argentina, Brazil, 
Chile, Colombia, Costa 
Rica, Guatemala, 
Mexico, Nicaragua, 
Panama, Peru, 
Uruguay and 
Venezuela. 

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 3

Headcount

Business

Plants

Distribution facilities

Customers (millions)

Mexico 
n n n n n

224,164

FEMSA Comercio

Coca-Cola FEMSA

Central America
n n

Colombia 
n n n n

Venezuela 
n

Brazil 
n n n

Argentina 
n

Peru
n

Chile
n

Uruguay 
n

8,867

Coca-Cola FEMSA

13,880

FEMSA Comercio

Coca-Cola FEMSA

4,735

Coca-Cola FEMSA

27,965

Coca-Cola FEMSA

2,571

388

Coca-Cola FEMSA

FEMSA Comercio

12,291

FEMSA Comercio

952

Coca-Cola FEMSA

— 

17 

7 

— 

7 

4 

10 

2

— 

— 

1

21 

145 

56 

3

24 

22 

40

4

— 

3 

6

120

75

33

8

45

32

89

12

10

18

3

17,999

total OXXO stores

82%

of our inputs and products were 
sourced from local suppliers

+7,000 

pre-sale routes served by the 
KOFmmercial Digital Platform 

UNGC

we support the UN Global 
Compact 10 principles

4 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

VALUE CREATION HIGHLIGHTS

2017(8)  %Change 

2016  %Change
10.1%
7.6%

Millions of pesos
Total revenues
Income from operations 2
Operating margin 
Consolidated net income 
Controlling interest net income 3
Controlling interest earnings per BD unit 4
Controlling interest earnings per ADS 5
EBITDA 
EBITDA margin 
Total assets 
Total liabilities 
Total equity 
Capital expenditures 
Total cash and cash equivalents 6
Short-term debt 
Long-term debt 
Headcount 7

2018(1)
 23,924 
 2,117 

 1,684 
 1,221 
 0.3 
 3.4 
 3,079 

 29,355 
 12,266 
 17,089 
 1,236 
 3,160 
 696 
 5,856 

2018 
 469,744  
 41,576  
8.9% 
 33,079  
 23,990  
 6.7  
 67.0  
 60,458  
12.9% 
 576,381  
 240,839  
 335,542  
 24,266  
 62,047  
 13,674  
 114,990 
297,073  

 439,932 
 40,261 
9.2%
 37,206 
 42,408 
 11.9 
 118.5 
 58,165 
13.2%
 588,541 
 251,629 
 336,912 
 23,486 
 96,944 
 13,590 
  117,758 
 295,027 

-11.1%
-43.4%
-43.7%
-43.5%
3.9%

6.8%  399,507
 37,427 
3.3%
9.4%
 27,175 
 21,140 
 5.9 
 59.1 
 54,987 
13.8%
-2.1%  545,623 
-4.3%  259,453 
-0.4%  286,170 
 22,155 
3.3%
 43,637 
-36.0%
0.6%
 7,281 
-2.4%  131,967 
0.7%  266,144 

23.2%
100.6%
101.7%
100.5%
5.8%

7.9%
-3.0%
17.7%
6.0%
122.2%
86.7%
-10.8%
10.9%

1. U.S. dollar figures are converted from Mexican pesos using the noon-buying rate published by U.S. Federal Reserve 

Board, which was Ps. 19.6350 per US$1.00 as of December 31, 2018.

2. Company’s key performance indicator.
3. Represents the net income that is assigned to the controling shareholders of the entity.
4. “BD” units, each of which represents one series “B” share, two series “D-B” shares and two series “D-L” shares. Data 

based on outstanding 2,161,177,770 BD units and 1,417,048,500 B units.

5. American Depositary Shares, a U.S. dollar-denominated equity share of a foreign-based company available 

for purchase on an American stock exchange.

6. Cash consists of non-interest bearing bank deposits and cash equivalents consist principally of short-term bank 

deposits and fixed rate investments.

7. Includes headcount from Coca-Cola FEMSA, FEMSA Comercio and FEMSA Strategic Businesses.
8. The consolidated income statement of 2017 was revised to reflect the discontinued operations of Coca-Cola FEMSA 

Philippines.

● Coca-Cola FEMSA 
  FEMSA Comercio:
● Proximity Division 
● Health Division 
● Fuel Division 
● Others* 

37%

34%
10%
10%
9%

● Coca-Cola FEMSA 
  FEMSA Comercio:
● Proximity Division 
● Health Division 
● Fuel Division 
● Others* 

59%

34%
5%
1%
1%

Total Revenues
by Business Unit
millions of Mexican pesos

Total Assets
by Business Unit
millions of Mexican pesos

Ps. 469,744

Ps. 576,381

Ps. 41,576

Ps. 60,458

Income from Operations1
by Business Unit
millions of Mexican pesos

EBITDA2
by Business Unit
millions of Mexican pesos

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 5

● Coca-Cola FEMSA 
  FEMSA Comercio:
● Proximity Division 
● Health Division 
● Fuel Division 
● Others* 

43%

12%
6%
1%
38%

● Coca-Cola FEMSA 
  FEMSA Comercio:
● Proximity Division 
● Health Division 
● Fuel Division 
● Others* 

59%

32%
5%
1%
3%

* 
Includes FEMSA Strategic Businesses
1.  Company’s key performance indicator
2.  EBITDA equals to Income from operations 
  plus depreciation, amortization and other 
  non-cash items

6 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE

FEMSA creates value for our stakeholders and wider society by generating the 
economic, social and environmental conditions necessary to operate today and grow 
sustainably over time. Our sustainability strategy—guided by a commitment to our 
people, planet and communities—is integral to our business approach. 

In 2018, we continued to manage the social and environmental impacts of our 
products, services and activities across our business units, and we made progress on 
multiple company-wide sustainability initiatives. 

COMMITTING TO CLEAN ENERGY

85%

of the total 
electric energy 
demand of 
our operations 
in Mexico will 
come from 
renewable 
energy by 2020. 

FEMSA’s goal is to source 85 
percent of the total electric energy 
demand of our operations in 
Mexico with renewable energy by 
2020. By the end of 2018, 37% of 
our requirements were supplied 
with clean energy, compared to 
26.4% in 2017.

Our progress in 2018 was greatly 
supported by the launch of the 
Amistad Wind Farm in November 
in the state of Coahuila; this 
dedicated wind farm has a 
capacity of 197.5 MW and can 
produce more than 750,000 Mwh 
of electricity per year – enough 
to supply an average of 427,350 
households in Mexico with 
electricity. 

Looking ahead, we are on track to 
continue to make solid progress 
toward achieving our company 
goal by 2020. In December 2018, 
the construction of the Energía 
Eólica del Sur (EES) wind farm was 
finalized and will start supplying 
clean energy to FEMSA in early 
2019. Located in the state of 
Oaxaca, the EES wind farm will 
add 396 MW of capacity with the 
installation of 132 wind turbines 
of 3MW each, distributed across 
two sites. 

82% local sourcing

SUPPORTING LOCAL SUPPLIERS
As part of our commitment to responsible sourcing, we 
consistently seek opportunities for enhancing value creation 
across our supply chain. This includes supporting local suppliers 
whenever possible, which in turn supports local economies and 
reduces the costs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with 
transporting products over long distances. In 2018, we maintained 
our spend with local suppliers by over 80 percent. 

CLOSER TO OUR GOAL
At the end of 2018, we sourced 37 
percent of clean energy in Mexico, 
up 10 percent in 2017.

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 7

Organizational Climate 

The Organizational Climate Diagnostic, our internal employee 
engagement tool, assesses the level of Satisfaction, 
Commitment and Quality of Life for all FEMSA employees. 
The survey is applied to all Business Units every two years, 
and in 2018, more than 89,000 employees representing 82% 
participated. The results of the survey confirmed that FEMSA 
continues to improve, strengthen and promote a harmonious 
and efficient Organizational Climate for our employees.

In addition to the highlights below, sustainability progress is 
featured throughout this integrated report, and in our Global 
Reporting Initiative (GRI) Content Index.

Average hours of training  
per employee

2018

30.15

2017

33.92

2016

25.60

Accident Index 1

2.50

2.10

2.13

General Diseases Rate 1

27.90

40.70

47.25

Organizational Climate Result 2

81.00

80.80

81.50

Energy Intensity
(Gigajoules / Total Revenues 
 in Ps. million)

Greenhouse gas emissions 
intensity
(Tons of equivalent CO2 / Total 
Revenues in Ps. million)

Water efficiency
(liters of water used per liter  
of beverage produced)

39.95

37.27

40.46

3.38

3.27

3.59

1.59

1.65

1.72

Economic spill to the 
community 3

Ps. 274.0 billion
US$ 13.9 billion

Ps. 253.2 billion
US$ 12.8 billion

Ps. 258.2 billion
US$ 12.5 billion

Percentage of procurement 
budget on local suppliers 4

Direct beneficiaries of FEMSA 
Foundation programs 5

82%

87%

82%

1,423,985

1,248,123

1,124,319

1  Number of incidents per 100 employees, based on the number of FEMSA direct employees reported to the 

Occupational Health and Safety Administration System. Includes information on all countries.

2  According to FEMSA’s Organizational Climate Diagnostic.
3  Includes human resources remuneration, provider payments, public administration sector remuneration, 

external donations and donations to the community.

4  Local suppliers are defined as suppliers from the country where the purchase is made.
5  The number of direct beneficiaries is accumulated.

8 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

DEAR 
SHAREHOLDERS

José Antonio Fernández Carbajal
Executive Chairman of the Board

Eduardo Padilla Silva
Chief Executive Officer

The economic impact inherent 
to the operations is reflected by 
the returns on the investments we 
made and the indicators of our 
financial strength, including growth, 
revenues, profits and income from 
operations. But we also track social 
value creation by measuring the 
impact around these three pillars, 
the basis of the Sustainability 
Strategy: Our People, Our Planet 
and Our Community.

In 2018, we marked another important step forward in FEMSA’s evolution as an 
organization that creates value for all stakeholders. After thorough self-reflection and 
analysis, we have reviewed and adapted the FEMSA Corporate Identity model (page 1), 
which reflects our culture and purpose. This model also clarifies for us, and for all our 
stakeholders, FEMSA’s mission, vision and set of shared corporate values that guide 
this collective mindset and strategic approach toward long-term success. In short, our 
mission is to generate economic and social value– a premise that is at the heart of 
the entire business.

We view these social and economic drivers of value creation as two sides of the same 
coin, closely linked and mutually reinforcing. FEMSA is committed to shared corporate 
values that provides the blueprint for how we will succeed in achieving our mission 
across the organization.

It is in this spirit that our 2018 integrated Annual Report highlights how we are working 
to stay true to the organization’s mission, activate our vision and live the shared values 
as one, unified team. We seek to disclose the progress we have made this year on both 
sustainability and financial performance. 

We are proud to say that we had notable successes in 2018.

First, despite challenging macroeconomic conditions in several markets, we continued 
to leverage our diversified business platform and operational expertise to realize strong 
performance on a consolidated level. Total revenues in 2018 increased 6.8 percent over 
the previous year to Ps. 469.7 billion (US$ 23.9 billion), and income from operations 
increased 3.3 percent to Ps. 41.6 billion (US$ 2.1billion), while net consolidated income 
decreased 11.1 percent to Ps. 33.1 billion (US$ 1.7 billion). Net majority income per BD 
Unit was Ps. 6.70 in 2018 (US$ 3.42 per ADS).

FEMSA Comercio opened 1,422 net new OXXO stores in the Proximity Division, 136 
net new stores in the Health Division and 87 net new stations in the Fuel Division. 
An increasingly important part of this growth resulted from the expansion of our 
international footprint. We opened the first OXXO store in Peru and entered the 
Ecuadorian market through Socofar’s acquisition of Corporación GPF*, Ecuador’s 
leading drugstore operator. Of a combined total of 1,645 new stores and stations 
across the three divisions globally, 92 percent were opened in Mexico. This expansion 
contributed to FEMSA Comercio creating more than 14,000 new jobs in Mexico during 
2018. In terms of investment, FEMSA Comercio deployed US$ 566 million in Capital 
Expenditures during the year, with 88 percent of that invested in Mexico.

* Acquisition pending to receive regulatory approval

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 9

In support of Our Community, 
employees continued to contribute 
to their local communities through 
volunteering. In 2018, 71,683 employees 
devoted a total of 593,308 hours 
to approximately 1,975 initiatives. 
Additionally, we reaffirmed our 
commitment to education through 
important programs such as Líderes del 
Mañana at Tec de Monterrey.

We are grateful for the support of all 
our key stakeholders—especially our 
employees, who bring FEMSA’s culture 
to life and exemplify our values every 
day. Looking ahead, we know there will 
be challenges, changes and exciting new 
opportunities. As we step forward to 
continuing evolution, we are confident in 
our approach—grounded by a mission 
and vision that serve us as beacon and 
guide. We welcome your feedback and we 
look forward to sharing this journey with 
you in 2019 and beyond.

JOSÉ ANTONIO FERNÁNDEZ CARBAJAL
Executive Chairman of the Board

EDUARDO PADILLA SILVA
Chief Executive Officer

As part of the approach to sustainability governance, we continue to 
support the UN Global Compact’s (UNGC) ten principles to protect 
human rights, uphold ethical labor practices, reduce environmental 
impacts and combat corruption. Our 2018 Annual Report represents 
our thirteenth Communication on Progress of the UNGC since 2005.

Coca-Cola FEMSA continued strengthening its total 
beverage leadership position. For example, we continued to 
capitalize on strategic, long-term synergetic opportunities 
through the newly acquired territories of Uruguay and 
Guatemala and by accelerating the digitally-driven business 
transformation, building up a winning portfolio and creating 
a more collaborative, consumer and client-centric culture. 
Conversely, and with a firm focus on value creation, in August 
2018 Coca-Cola FEMSA announced the sale of its 51% stake 
in Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines, Inc., in order to serve the 
best interest of its shareholders and maintain discipline in its 
capital-allocation process.  

We also made strides in 2018 on the corporate sustainability strategy.

To support Our People, we launched several new courses on 
FEMSA University, which offers an array of online curricula and 
functional materials that focus on strengthening our employees’ 
key business capabilities. With support from an expanded 
investment in the platform in 2018 of nearly half a million ($US) 
dollars, we now offer more than 5,000 different resources for 
our employees including events, online courses, videos, tutorials 
and other professional development materials.

In support of Our Planet, we made great progress toward 
achieving our 2020 goal of sourcing 85 percent of our Mexico 
operations’ total electric energy needs from renewable energy. 
As of the end of 2018, we are meeting 37 percent of the total 
energy needs through renewables. This progress has been due 
largely to the launch of two new wind farms in Mexico that are 
now supplying clean energy to FEMSA. 

10 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018
10 < FEMSA INFORME INTEGRADO 2017

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 11
FEMSA INFORME INTEGRADO 2017 > 11

FEMSA COMERCIO

FEMSA Comercio’s three 
business divisions—
Proximity (formerly Retail), 
Health and Fuel—all 
posted growth across 
markets, delivering strong 
value for our stakeholders.

n 1,422 
  net new 
  OXXO stores

2018 

OPENINGS

n 136 
  net new stores 
  of our Health Division

n 87 
  net new OXXO Gas 
  service stations

+3,200

average SKUs per 
OXXO store

17,999

OXXO stores in 
Mexico, Colombia, 
Chile and Peru

11.8%

Revenue growth at 
FEMSA Comercio‘s 
Proximity Division

+14,000

new jobs created 
by FEMSA Comercio in 2018

12 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

FEMSA Comercio

Achieving Strong, 
Sustainable Growth 

Building on a decade of strong, steady growth, FEMSA Comercio 
continued to thrive in 2018 as a market leader. Despite a 
challenging market environment throughout Latin America, our 
retail operations drew on our brand leadership, deep industry 
knowledge and operational expertise to achieve new growth 

and geographic expansion. As a result, FEMSA 

Comercio’s three business divisions—
Proximity (formerly Retail), Health and Fuel—
all posted growth across markets, delivering 
strong value for our stakeholders. Together, 
they contributed 54 percent of FEMSA’s 
consolidated revenues in 2018 (up from 50 
percent in 2017) and 38 percent of EBITDA 
(up from 33 percent in 2017).

The year saw significant strategic moves that 
reflect our commitment to expanding our 
successful small format stores across Latin 
America. We opened our first OXXO stores 
in Peru and our Health Division announced 
our entry into the Ecuadorian market through 

Socofar’s acquisition of Corporación GPF*, one 
of Ecuador’s leading drugstore operators with more than 620 
points of sale nationwide.

* Acquisition pending to receive regulatory approval

Sustainability Progress
As we expand into new territories and grow our footprint, 
we continue our commitment to sustainability. Initiatives 
across all our business units seek to manage the social 
and environmental impact of our products, 
services and activities while supporting our 
people, embracing resource conservation 
and engaging with our communities. For 
example, to address the reality of climate 
change and help offset our direct and 
indirect greenhouse gas emissions, we 
maintain several sustainability commitments 
across FEMSA Comercio, including energy 
efficiency projects, LED lighting requirements 
and renewable energy targets at our stores, 
pharmacies and service stations.

On average, the 
Proximity Division 
creates more than 27 
new jobs every day

Proximity Division
In the third quarter of 2018, we announced the reorganization 
and renaming of FEMSA Comercio’s Proximity Division (formerly 
known as the Retail Division). This business segment now 
includes only FEMSA Comercio’s proximity and proximity-related 
operations, most of which operate under the OXXO brand across 
our markets. The reorganization provides a more accurate 
picture of performance for this high-growth business, which saw 
year-on-year revenue growth of 11.8 percent in 2018.

OXXO proximity stores represent one of FEMSA’s strongest 
brands, collectively drawing 13 million customers per day and 
generating approximately 34 percent of FEMSA’s total revenue. 
OXXO’s fast and steady growth has allowed it to become one of 
the leading generators of formal employment in Mexico, as well 
as the second largest retailer in the country in terms of revenues, 
while consistently delivering best-in-class margins and returns.

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 13

Supporting Employees 
with Disabilities

More than 730 of our 
OXXO employees in 
Mexico have disabilities. 
To support our 

longstanding commitment to promote 
their professional development 
and inclusion in an equitable work 
environment, in 2018 we opened 6 
new OXXO Directed Labor Training 
Centers in Mexico, reaching now 9 
centers that we operate across the 
country. The initiative, launched in 
partnership with the National System 
for Integral Family Development 
(DIF), expands opportunities for 
our employees with disabilities by 
providing three months of job training 
in a simulated retail environment that 
prepares them to work at any 
OXXO store or at any other 
retail company.

DRIVING VALUE THROUGH 
TRANSACTION-INTENSIVE 
OPERATIONS

13 million

daily transactions

In our ongoing effort to 
improve our customer 
value proposition, we 
have developed a broad 
assortment of high-quality 
private label products in a 
variety of categories such as 
snacks, groceries and pantry 
products. On average, an 
OXXO store carries 250 
private label SKUs.

Delivering Convenience
Our differentiated retail approach, characterized by a focus on 
creating value for consumers, has driven OXXO’s steady growth. 
Increasingly, our customers visit our stores to take advantage of 
one-stop convenience that ranges from grabbing a quick drink or 
picking up a prepared meal, to purchasing household products 
and using our diverse banking, remittance or bill paying services. 
Our Correspondent Banking network currently includes more 
than 10 partner-banking institutions.

14 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

OXXO proximity stores enjoy strong brand recognition and are 
highly accessible, with a large geographic footprint and extended 
opening hours daily. We utilize these advantages, as well as our 
trusted partnership network, to deliver convenience in unique 
ways to our large customer base. For example, while in an 
OXXO store, our customers can purchase pre-paid gift cards for 
streaming online services, transfer cash remittances, pay their 
phone and electricity bills, or pay for their plane tickets on select 
airlines—among many other services.

Pursuing International Growth
We opened our first OXXO store in Monterrey, Mexico in 1978 
and today we are the largest proximity store chain in the 
Americas by units. On average, we open a new OXXO store every 
six hours and we use proprietary models to identify optimal 
locations, new store formats and expanded product categories. 
For the last several years, we have also been planning for long-
term growth and expansion of the OXXO brand beyond Mexico.

Greening our Stores
To contribute to a healthier environment 
and greener local communities, we 
plant trees at every OXXO store where 
there is sufficient outdoor space and 
other necessary resources. As of the 
end of 2018, we have planted more 
than 19,234 trees at OXXO stores in 
Mexico. Trees mitigate climate change 
by removing carbon dioxide from the 
air, storing carbon and releasing oxygen. 
They reduce flooding risks by catching 
rainwater, reducing erosion and creating 
more permeable soils.

During 2018, we opened 
our first OXXO store in 
Lima, Peru

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 15

Enabling Financial Inclusion

Financial inclusion is an 
important pathway for 
reducing poverty but 
remains a significant 
development challenge 
in Mexico. According to a 
2016 study by the Instituto 
Nacional de Estadística 
y Geografía (INEGI), only 
18% of Mexican adults 
have a credit card and 
approximately 39% have a 
bank account. Through new 
partnerships and innovations, 

OXXO is also offering new e-commerce 
solutions. In partnership with Conekta, 
a leading Mexican digital payment 
processing company, we launched 
OXXO PAY in 2017, which allows 
consumers to digitally transfer cash 
payments by providing OXXO cashiers 
with a 14-digit numerical reference. Stores 
receive real-time notifications to confirm 
transferred payments. In 2018, over 1,000 
on-line businesses were using OXXO PAY, 
greatly expanding financial access options 
and the shopping experience for our 
customers.

OXXO is taking a lead in enabling 
broader financial access and boosting 
e-commerce among the country’s 
unbanked consumers.

Since 2012, OXXO has sold and activated 
more than 11 million Saldazo debit cards. 
This VISA card issued by Citibanamex 
ensures that a larger percentage of 
Mexico’s population has easy access to a 
secure savings account option where they 
can make deposits and whithdrawals. The 
card has simple set-up requirements and 
no minimum balance, and it is sold and 
activated in less than five minutes.

Finally, OXXO is addressing some of 
the biggest barriers to online shopping 
in Mexico by providing solutions for 
both payments and pickup. Consumers 
can pay cash at their nearest store to 
make purchases from online merchants 
through our partnership with Mercado 
Libre. And, through a “click and collect” 
partnership with Amazon, users can 
securely pick up their online orders 
at OXXO. First launched in 2015, this 
program now operates in over 3,000 
OXXO locations.

+1,000 

on-line businesses using

Since 2009, when we opened our first 
five OXXO stores in Colombia, we have 
gradually and consistently adjusted the 
value proposition of our stores to better 
satisfy consumer needs in different 
markets.

Since our 2016 acquisition of Chilean 
convenience store Big John, we have 
increased the international reach of the 
OXXO brand. As we look ahead, we are 
continuing to focus on understanding 
what the Chilean consumer wants from 
OXXO and how we can most conveniently 
serve their needs.

In 2018, we also opened our first 
OXXO store in Peru, marking the latest 
addition in our international growth 
strategy and bringing our small box-
store format expertise to a market of 
more than 32 million consumers. Overall, 
our value proposition in each of these 
South American markets has improved 
significantly and we are gearing up to 
accelerate our growth across the region.

16 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

Health Division
In 2018, FEMSA Comercio continued to build a strong presence 
in the health and drugstore industry in Latin America, satisfying 
consumers’ healthcare needs by delivering medicines and 
health-related products and services to our clients.

With 2,361 points of sale at year-end 2018, our Health Division 
is consolidating a significant market position in Latin America, a 
few years after acquiring three regional chains in Mexico as well 
as a mayority stake in Socofar, a leading health and pharmacy 
operator in Chile and Colombia under the Cruz Verde brand. 

During 2018, revenues increased by 9.1 percent, with 
same-store sales increasing by 5.8 percent.

9.1%

revenue growth 
during the year

136

net new stores

2,361

POINTS OF SALE 
AT YEAR-END 2018
We are becoming a significant 
pharmacy operator in Latin America

+600

stores powered 
by renewable 
energy 

Strengthening Latin America’s Health and Pharmacy 
Presence
Leveraging Socofar’s strong capabilities in the health sector 
combined with FEMSA Comercio’s deep retail operational 
and logistical expertise, our Health Division is focused on 
consolidating a fragmented health and drugstore industry across 
Latin America. In 2018, we announced our entry into Ecuador, a 
market with more than 16 million consumers, through Socofar’s 
acquisition of Corporación GPF*, a leading drugstore operator 
with more than 620 outlets, mainly under the Fybeca and 
SanaSana banners.

Our ongoing growth strategy aims to continue to create value 
from our acquisitions, consolidate our presence in current 
markets and pursue other opportunities in new markets.

* Acquisition pending to receive regulatory approval

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 17

Fuel Division
FEMSA continues to participate in 
the evolution of Mexico’s oil and gas 
industry, which continued to transition 
to a competitive open-market model in 
2018. Despite market volatility, we remain 
focused on improving our customer value 
proposition in an increasingly competitive 
market. During the year, we launched 
effective cross-promotional strategies 
jointly with OXXO stores, and we made 
further progress in our commitment to 
strengthen service station teams through 
incremental training and improvements in 
compensation. 

DRIVING VALUE THROUGH 
TRANSACTION-INTENSIVE 
OPERATIONS

500,000

daily transactions

22.3%

revenue growth 
during the year

87

net new 
stations

Expanding our Network
Our Fuel Division has a growing presence in 17 Mexican states. 
In 2018, we further expanded our network of service stations 
by adding 87 units, a new record for us and representing 24 
percent growth, to reach a total of 539 locations. This expansion, 
together with an accelerated effort to transition all of our stations 
to our new commercial image, reflects a continued focus on 
consolidating our presence in the market and creating additional 
value for shareholders. Our strong brand presence in the 
country’s retail sector, combined with our reputation for reliable, 
high-quality service, have enabled us to pursue growth, build trust 
with customers and differentiate our brand from competitors.

18 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018
18 < FEMSA INFORME INTEGRADO 2017

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 19
FEMSA INFORME INTEGRADO 2017 > 19

COCA-COLA FEMSA

Coca-Cola FEMSA is a total 
beverage leader and 
The Coca-Cola Company’s 
largest franchise bottler in 
the world by sales volume.

45%

of the launches in 
our portfolio are 
low- or no-sugar 
beverages

50%of global electric energy 

needs met through 
renewable sources

+6 million

accumulated beneficiaries 
of our Healthy Habits 
programs

Ps. +182 billion

in total revenues

+3.3

billion unit cases 

290

million people served 
in 10 countries

2020 goals:

Reduce the carbon footprint 
of our value chain by 20% 
against the 2010 baseline.

237

New beverage 
launches in 2018

20 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

Coca-Cola FEMSA

A Strong Strategic Vision

In 2018, we continued to build on our winning portfolio of 
beverages, transformed and strengthened our operational 
capabilities, and evolved our corporate culture in order to deliver 

greater value for all stakeholders.

Despite a challenging market environment in 2018, 
our strong strategic vision and framework steered 
performance to deliver positive results. Operational 
efficiencies and innovations combined with strategic 

acquisitions drove this positive performance, which 
underpins our expected trajectory of continued, 
long-term business expansion. In addition to our 
focus on fostering a unified corporate culture, 
we are also integrating a growing emphasis 
on sustainability and proactive environmental 
management into our business strategy.

TOTAL BEVERAGE LEADER 
with SUSTAINABLE and 
PROFITABLE GROWTH

Categories

Geographies

Winning Portfolio 
Buildup

Operating Model 
Transformation

 ● Leverage sparkling 
beverage growth 
through affordability.
 ● Consistent leadership 
position in water.

 ● Selectively improve our 
competitive position  
in still beverages.
 ● Drive our low- and        
no-sugar footprint.

 ● Accelerate digitally 
driven business 
transformation.
 ● Develop tailored 

business models for 
customer segment.
 ● Address proactively 

growing environmental 
challenges.

SUSTAINABILITY

Cultural 
Evolution

 ● Create a more 
collaborative,  
consumer and    
client-centric     
culture:  
New KOF DNA.

CHOICES FOR 
EVERY LIFESTYLE

SUSTAINABLE 
COMMUNITIES
& ENVIRONMENT

PROFESSIONAL 
DEVELOPMENT AND
WORKPLACE RIGHTS 

DISCIPLINED CAPITAL 
ALLOCATION

STRATEGIC MERGERS 
& ACQUISITIONS

We are consolidating a winning 
total beverage portfolio, offering 
a growing array of sparkling 
beverages, water, juices, teas, 
sports, and energy drinks, and 
wholesome dairy and 
plant-based protein 
beverages

Our strong strategic vision 
and framework allow us to 
create shareholder value 
over the short and long term. 

 
Our flexible approach and effectiveness at adapting to different 
markets has resulted in strong performance for Coca-Cola FEMSA 
across the ten countries where we are present. For example:

 ❱ In Mexico, improved execution coupled with our KOFmmercial 
Digital Platform contributed to topline growth of 5.6 percent.

 ❱ In Central America, we grew inorganically through the 

acquisition of two franchises from The Coca-Cola Company in 
Guatemala: ABASA and Los Volcanes.

 ❱ In Colombia, we delivered positive volumes as consumers 
who seek for affordability, are embracing our returnable 
presentations.

 ❱ In Brazil, a gradually recovering consumer environment 

coupled with our KOFmmercial Digital Platform and Digital 
Distribution network helped boost performance with 
consistent volume growth throughout the year.

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 21

Consistent Winning Portfolio 
Build-up
In 2018, we continued to strengthen our 
winning portfolio of beverages, offering 
consumers diverse choices encompassing 
sparkling beverages, juices, isotonic sports 
and energy drinks, teas, water, dairy 
products and plant-based beverages. 
We maintained or expanded our market 
share by offering an affordable entry price 
point, presenting a multi-serve packaging 
portfolio, leveraging our digital platforms 
and achieving exemplary point of sale 
execution. 

Our Magic Price 
Points strategy allows 
us to intensify our 
connection with 
consumers.

DRIVING VALUE THROUGH 
TRANSACTION-INTENSIVE 
OPERATIONS

+19 billion

transactions in 2018

3.3

billion unit cases sold 
through 2 million 
points of sale

50%

From 2010 through 
2018, our water 
efficiency increased by 

of our global 
bottling 
operations’ energy 
requirements 
come from clean 
sources

19%

290

million people 
served in 10 
countries

 ❱ In Argentina, we strengthened our competitive position in the 
face of a very challenging macro environment due to effective 
pricing and affordability strategies, as well as the rollout of our 
KOFmmercial Digital Platform.

 ❱ In Uruguay, we acquired Montevideo Refrescos S.R.L., or 

MONRESA, from The Coca-Cola Company, which serves a 
market of 3.5 million consumers, further expanding our South 
American footprint.

In 2018, we sold our 51 percent controlling stake in Coca-Cola 
FEMSA Philippines, Inc. after more than five years of a successful 
turnaround of this operation. Our Board of Directors determined 
that exercising the put option and selling our stake back to 
The Coca-Cola Company was the best course of action for our 
shareholders, given the evolution of the country’s business 
outlook and our commitment to a disciplined capital allocation 
process. Going forward, we will continue to assess other 
potential strategic opportunities for long-term value creation.

Our KOFmmercial Digital Platform 
and Digital Distribution network 
helped boost performance.

22 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

To better serve consumers across our markets, we seek to 
anticipate and respond to their evolving preferences. In 2018, 
we strenghtened our portfolio by introducing innovations that 
offer diverse beverage options that support people’s lifestyles. 
For example:

 ❱ In Argentina, we launched Coca-Cola Sin Azúcares in our 

1.5-liter and 2-liter PET presentations. We also complemented 
this brand’s growth with our launch of our core Fanta and 
Sprite sparkling beverage brands without sugar in our 220-ml 
mini cans. By year-end 2018, our no-sugar offering reached 
34% of our total sparkling beverage mix—the highest of our 
international franchise territories.

 ❱ In Brazil, we rebranded Coca-Cola Sem Açúcar in August, 

resulting in soaring sales across our territory.

 ❱ In Brazil, we launched Del Valle Origens, a 100% apple and 
grape juice in 1.5-liter glass bottles. Thanks to our juice 
strategy, we grew more than 20% driven by the affordable and 
premium juice segments, year over year.

We continue to improve 
our competitive position 
and capture the most 
value from our still 
beverage segments

 ❱ In Colombia and Argentina, our affordable value water brands, 
Taí and Kin, respectively, performed strongly in challenging 
consumer environments marked by declining disposable 
incomes.

 ❱ In the fast-growing plant-based beverage category, we 

consolidated our plant-based AdeS brand, added coconut and 
almond choices and re-launched the portfolio in Colombia. As 
a result, our share of the category rose across all markets.

 ❱ Our energy drinks saw strong growth, led by the high 

performance of the Monster brand in Argentina, Brazil, 
Central America, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay, where we 
strengthened our coverage in this promising beverage category. 

We consolidated our plant-
based AdeS brand and we 
strengthened the coverage 
of our Monster brand in 
Argentina, Brazil, Central 
America, Colombia, Mexico 
and Uruguay. 

Ensuring Product Affordability 
To better serve consumers in light of challenging 
macroeconomic environments, we continue to roll out 
affordability initiatives across our operations. A key strategy in 
providing the right beverage choice at the right price for every 
consumer is returnable plastic and glass packaging.

In 2018, we strengthened our single-serve returnable portfolio 
across markets, improving revenue and our competitive 
advantage. In addition, we expanded returnable multi-serve 
packaging options for Coca-Cola in Mexico, and introduced 
innovative packaging with increased coverage for 2-liter multi-
serve returnable plastic bottles in Brazil, Colombia and Guatemala.

Our Magic Price Points strategy also allows us to intensify 
our connection with consumers. This approach helps ensure 
affordability of our single-serve portfolio by offering to purchase 
a beverage for the value and convenience of a common coin or 
bill, helping to improve consumer segmentation through revenue 
management, increase profitability and gain or maintain market 
share in countries including Argentina, Brazil and Colombia.

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 23

21% of recycled 
materials in our PET 
packaging, staying on 
track to achieve our 
2020 goal of 25%.

Sustainability: 
Toward a World Without Waste

The convenience of food and 
beverage packaging is an important 
part of modern life, and its proper 
handling throughout the value chain 
is of utmost importance. Because of 
this, since 2002, Coca-Cola FEMSA 
has collaborated with other food and 
beverage companies through ECOCE, 
a Mexican Civil Association that 
promotes the collection 
of waste, the creation 
of a national market 

for recycling, and the development of recycling programs. We are leaders in 
PET bottle-to-bottle recycling in Latin America. In 2005, we joined efforts in 
Mexico to operate the first Food Grade PET Recycling Plant in Latin America, 
called IMER (or the Mexican Recycling Industry in English). Through these 
ongoing efforts—together with our leadership in the use of recycled resin in 
our packages now of 21%, we are on track to achieving our goal of reaching 
25% by 2020. We are pleased to join forces with The Coca-Cola Company 
through the “World Without Waste” initiative to multiply our impacts across 
the territories we enjoy the privilege to serve in Latin America for the benefit 
of our communities and to fulfill our 2030 vision of collecting and recycling 
the equivalent of 100 percent of the packaging we sell—regardless of where it 
comes from.

24 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

Transforming our Operating Model
Coca-Cola FEMSA’s present and future success depends 
on continued operational excellence. In 2018, we further 
strengthened our competitive advantage by developing and 
deploying next-generation strategic business capabilities 
including the KOFmmercial Digital Platform (KDP), which is 
backed by analytics, and Digital Distribution. 

In particular, KDP is adapting our business to technology-driven 
commerce. In 2018, we continued to roll out the operational 
tool, reaching 7,600 pre-sale routes in 8 countries by year’s end. 
We plan to expand its use into the newly acquired territories of 
Uruguay and Guatemala in 2019.

Improving Efficiency, Productivity and Safety
Our proprietary Manufacturing Management Model advances 
efficiency, productivity and safety across our operations. During 
2018, we continued to roll out the comprehensive program, 
which covers plant operations, standardized maintenance 
systems and production line execution.

Implementation 
of Digital 
Manufacturing 2.0 
platform to 
enhance 
production 
line 
execution

4.8%

volume growth 
in our personal 
water category 
year over year

We increased 

2%

our operating 
efficiency year 
over year

69

bottling lines 
implemented with 
the new Plant 
Operating Model

KDP THREE PILLARS

1

2

3

Advanced analytics 
for revenue 
transformation

Dynamic initiative 
management

Shopper, 
consumer, and 
client engagement

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 25

Lost time incident rate 
LTIR

2
6
1

.

0
2
1

.

7
0
.
1

2016

2017

2018

Total incident Rate
TIR

6
0
3

.

3
3
2

.

1
8
.
1

2016

2017

2018

Our goal is to reach 
a LTIR of 0.5 per 100 
employees by 2020.

By year’s end, we implemented the new Plant Operating Model 
in 69 bottling lines—increasing efficiency by 2 percent over 2017. 
In addition, we merged the Manufacturing Management Model’s 
core elements into our end-to-end Digital Manufacturing 2.0 
platform in order to enhance production line execution.

A key objective of this new model is to embed a culture of 
safety across our workforce and improve our overall safety 
performance. We aim to achieve zero work-related injuries and 
illnesses among our employees, contractors and communities by 
ensuring the safety of our workplace.

As a result of our strategic initiatives, we reported a Lost Time 
Incident Rate (LTIR) of 1.07 in 2018, a 12% decrease compared 
with 2017 and a 69% reduction compared with 2014. They 
also contributed to a 16% reduction in our Lost Time Incident 
Severity Rate (LTISR), from 26.97 in 2017 to 22.68 in 2018. 
We further achieved a Total Incident Rate (TIR) of 1.81, a 22% 
decrease versus 2017. 

Coca-Cola FEMSA’s operating model transformation extends to 
our supply chain. Through our KOF Logistics Services (KLS) tool, 
we standardize processes, enhance centralized organizational 
capabilities and invest in technology platforms across our supply 
chain. For example, we have introduced a digital distribution 
system in Mexico and Brazil which consists of digitizing our 
distribution by installing telemetry devices and a distribution 
platform. This initiative results in better route planning, increased 
safety and fuel and maintenance savings. Digital Distribution will 
be expanded across all markets in 2019. In addition, to contribute 
to our vendors’ economic, social and environmental development 
while improving our industry’s level of sustainability, we offer a 
comprehensive Sustainable Sourcing Program.

26 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

Cultural Evolution
Transforming our business and accelerating our cultural 
evolution depends on the support of our people. We therefore 
continue to build a strong foundation based on the cornerstones 
of inspirational leadership, talent development and innovation. 
Internally referred to as our “KOF DNA”, this model guides our 
people with the tools and capabilities they need to succeed. For 
example, recognizing that our people co-create our culture and 
share responsibility for our company’s transformation, our KOF 
DNA will enable us to achieve our strategic vision of being the 
best total beverage bottler in our industry.

OPERATIONAL 
EXCELLENCE
We strive for 
excellence in 
everything 
we do

KOF DNA

PEOPLE FIRST

We value our 
people and work 
as one KOF

US$ 10.8  
million invested in 
employee training 
initiatives in 2018

OBSESSIVE FOCUS
ON CONSUMER
& CLIENT

Our consumers and 
clients are at the center 
of everything we do

AGILE DECISION MAKERS

We are action oriented, 
making fast and 
assertive decisions

OWNERS 
MENTALITY

We think and act 
like owners, with 
focus on results

Sustainability Progress
2018 Highlights 
 ❱ 395,773 volunteering hours completed in 2018, representing 39.5% progress toward 

our goal of reaching 1 million hours of volunteer work by 2020.

 ❱ US$10.8 million invested in employee training initiatives in 2018, resulting in 5 million 

training hours.

 ❱ 50% of our global electric energy needs are met through renewable sources
 ❱ We currently give back to the environment 100% of the water we use in the 

production of our beverages in Brazil, Central America, Colombia, and Mexico.

 ❱ Since 2015, more than 6 million people benefited from our support of healthy habits 
initiatives, such as multi-sector coalitions and collaborations that promote nutrition 
and physical activity in schools.

 ❱ 179 community development interventions were carried out in 2018 for the benefit 

of the people in the regions in which we operate.

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 27

Sustainability is an integral part of our day-to-day business at 
Coca-Cola FEMSA, supporting our mission to simultaneously 
generate economic and social value for all stakeholders. Our 
commitment to reduce our use of natural resources, reduce 
waste and reduce the carbon footprint of our value chain by 20 
percent by 2020 has received widespread recognition. 

As sustainability is part 
of our day-today business, 
we continue producing 
our 100% recycled PET 
bottle for our Ciel water 
brand in Mexico.

KOF DNA

is comprised of five key elements: 
an obsessive focus on consumers 
and clients, putting our people first, 
committing to operational excellence, 
having an owner’s mentality, and 
being agile decision makers

We currently 
give back 
to the 

environment 100% 
of the water we use 
in the production 
of our beverages in 
Brazil, Central America, 
Colombia, and Mexico

+6

million people 
benefited by our
Healthy Habits 
programs

From 2010 through 
2018, we saved 
more than 7.25 
billion liters of 
water through our 
water efficiency 
initiatives

395,773

volunteering 
hours completed 
in 2018

In addition to being the only Latin American beverage company 
included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Markets Index 
for the sixth consecutive year, in 2018 Coca-Cola FEMSA merited 
inclusion in:
 ❱ The Dow Jones Sustainability MILA Pacific Alliance Index for the 

second consecutive year;

 ❱ The London Stock Exchange’s FTSE4Good Emerging Index for 

the third consecutive year;

 ❱ The Vigeo Eiris Emerging 70 Ranking for the fourth consecutive 

year; 

 ❱ The Mexican Stock Exchange’s Social Responsibility and 

Sustainability Index since 2010; and

 ❱ The RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook 2018.

In addition, 5 of Coca-Cola FEMSA’s bottling facilities received the 
‘Environmental Excellence’ distinction from the Mexican Federal 
Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), the 
highest recognition granted by the agency. 

28 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

FEMSA STRATEGIC BUSINESSES

In addition to our core 
business segments, FEMSA 
operates several strategic 
businesses that amplify our 
competitive advantage.

1.9

milllion Solistica trips per year

6,278

vehicles owned by Solistica

500,000

square meters of Solistica 
warehousing capacity

24,000

tons of plastic recycled 
each year by PTM

+160,000

Solistica delivery points per week

80%

of PTM’s products were made from 
recycled materials in 2018

+500,000

coolers sold by Imbera in 2018

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 29

30 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

FEMSA Strategic Businesses

Making Sustainable Progress

Deploying industry-leading capabilities and cost-effective 
strategies, these businesses provide logistics, transportation, 
cooling system and foodservice solutions to FEMSA’s core 
businesses and other companies throughout Latin America 
and across the world. They are an important part of how 
FEMSA delivers value to consumers and other stakeholders on 
a daily basis.

Our strategic businesses strive to incorporate environmental 
and social considerations across their processes and operations. 
From finding new efficiencies through improved logistics routing 
and refrigeration design, to retrieving plastic waste and recycling 
it into new products for FEMSA’s other core businesses, the 
team of FEMSA Strategic Businesses is focused on innovating 
for the future to contribute to a healthier planet. Each business 
segment follows FEMSA’s overarching sustainability strategy and 
contributes to its environmental targets.

Solistica
First established in 1998, Solistica provides comprehensive 
logistics solutions to FEMSA affiliates and clients in Brazil, 
Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama. In 2017, 
FEMSA unified all logistics operations (formerly made up of 
FEMSA Logística, Expresso Jundiaí, Zimag, Atlas Transportes e 
Logística, and Open Market) to create Latin America’s largest 
supplier of logistics services under the new name of Solistica. 
This move merged the capabilities, values and talent of all our 
logistics operations and further consolidated our position as the 
leading integrated logistics services provider in the region. 

Known for innovative services, a specialized IT platform and 
sustainable operations, Solistica transports, distributes and 
stores the products of more than 4,000 clients representing 
diverse industries—from consumer goods, retail and 
pharmaceuticals to manufacturing, electronics and automotive.

Solistica’s operations support FEMSA’s three-pillar sustainability 
strategy through a focus on efficient route planning (to 
minimize fuel consumption), reduction of hazardous waste, 
road risk training (to decrease accident rates), and employee 
professional development.

Solistica transports, 
distributes and stores 
the products of more 
than 4,000 clients 
representing diverse 
industries

Imbera
Imbera is the world’s largest commercial 
refrigeration manufacturer and an 
industry leader dedicated to the efficient 
and cost-effective design, development 
and manufacture of cooler equipment 
and parts for the beverage and food 
service industry. With state-of- the-art 
facilities in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil, 
Imbera exports customized and innovative 
solutions to 56 different countries, with 
sales offices in four continents and after 
sales service support through 94 service 
centers across 8 countries.

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 31

Committed to sustainability, Imbera and its 4,600 employees 
develop equipment and proprietary technologies that provide 
energy and cost savings for clients and help reduce their carbon 
footprint. By investing in technologies to improve refrigeration 
design in ways that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Imbera 
has reduced energy consumption in its coolers by 85 percent 
over 10 years.

process 2,000 kilograms of material per 
hour. In 2018, 80% percent of PTM’s 
products—including pallets, ice chests, 
furniture and plastic crates, among 
others—were made from recycled raw 
materials.

PTM
Founded in 1976, PTM designs and manufactures plastic 
products that support the operational and marketing strategies 
of FEMSA’s core businesses and additional customers in diverse 
industries across Latin America. PTM operates state-of-the-art 
production facilities for different plastic processing operations, 
including injection molding, blow molding, thermoforming and 
extrusion. With nearly 1,000 employees, it is one of Mexico’s 
largest plastic recycling companies, recovering more than 24,000 
tons of plastic annually. It operates a recycling line which can 

Torrey
Foodservice manufacturing leader 
in Mexico. Designs, manufactures 
and distributes scales, refrigeration 
equipment, food processing and cooking 
equipment among other products; 
Industries served include butcheries, 
small retailers, supermarkets, C-Stores, 
hotels and restaurants through a network 
of more than 500 distributors.

PTM is one of Mexico’s 
largest plastic recycling 
companies, recovering 
more than 24,000 tons 
of plastic annually.

+500,000

coolers sold by Imbera 
during 2018

DRIVING VALUE THROUGH 
TRANSACTION-INTENSIVE 
OPERATIONS

1.9

million trips 
per year made 
by Solistica

2.5%

reduction of CO2 
emissions per km 
driven in Mexico 
for the primary 
distribution 
operations

24,000 

tons of plastic 
recycled each year

80%

of PTM’s products 
were made from 
recycled materials 
in 2018

CREANDO VALOR A TRAVÉS 
DE OPERACIONES ALTAMENTE 
TRANSACCIONALES

Imbera has 
reduced energy 
consumption  
in its coolers by 
85 percent over 
10 years.

32 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018
32 < FEMSA INFORME INTEGRADO 2017

FEMSA FOUNDATION

FEMSA Foundation was 
founded in 2008 on the 
following premise: a 
sustainable company can 
only exist with sustainable 
communities. 

3 

AREAS 
OF ACTION

Water Security

Early Childhood

Art & Culture

2,168

communities have 
benefited through 
social projects

US$ 40.1

million invested and
US$ 139.7 million  
leveraged

26.6 million

people positively impacted 
directly and indirectly

18 countries

reached

250 partners

engaged

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 33
FEMSA INFORME INTEGRADO 2017 > 33

34 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

FEMSA Foundation

10 years making 
a better future

We make positive impacts in people’s lives through social 
investment for sustainability in three lines of action:

Sustainable use and management of water

Early childhood

Promotion of Latin American art and culture

Our vision 

Sustainable use and management of water

 ❱ The communities where we operate have 

access to safe water and improved sanitation.

 ❱ The regions where we operate achieve water security. 

Early Childhood

 ❱ Children reach their full potential and transform  

our communities. 

FEMSA Cultural Program

 ❱ We contribute to a greater knowledge and 

appreciation of modern and contemporary Latin 
American art through a program of exhibitions and 
various artistic initiatives.

Water Center for Latin America 
and the Caribbean
Our first project was launched 
in 2008 to contribute to water 
security through research, 
innovation and training programs.
partners: 
Tecnológico de Monterrey and  
Inter-American Development Bank
US$ 14.7 million
investment
3,713 trained people

1

Water Funds
In 2011 we launched the 
Latin American Water Funds 
Partnership to promote water 
security through Water Funds, 
multi-sectoral organizations 
that promote better governance 
models and catalyze science-
based systemic changes.
partners:  
Inter-American Development 
Bank, The Nature Conservancy, 
Global Environment Facility, and 
the International Climate Initiative
US$ 67.5 million
investment
24 Water Funds in 8 countries

3

4

2008

first project 
was launched

2

FEMSA Biotechnology Center
Since 2008, we have been 
promoting applied health research 
for the early detection and 
prevention of diseases.
partners: 
Tecnológico de Monterrey
US$ 7.7 million  
investment
196 publications 
50 research projects

Water Links
In 2013, its first phase brought access 
to safe water and improved sanitation 
to people in Latin America. In 2017 we 
refocused these WASH interventions 
to add behavioral change through 
social art for sustainability.
partners phase 1: The Coca-Cola 
Company Latin Center and  
Millennium Water Alliance
partners phase 2: Inter-American 
Development Bank (IDB),  
The Coca-Cola Foundation and One Drop
US$ 17.1 million
investment
145,906 people and
177 communities benefited 

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 35

Innovation Fund for Early 
Childhood Development
Our goal is to design, implement, 
and evaluate innovative and 
scalable initiatives mainly for 
disadvantaged children from 0 to 
5 years of age.
partners:  
Inter-American Development 
Bank (IDB) and Open Society 
Foundations at the regional level 
and Fundação Maria Cecilia Souto 
Vidigal in Brazil
US$ 8.0 million
investment
6 projects in 5 countries 
(Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, 
and Brazil)

5

FEMSA Collection
In 2018, we celebrated 40 years 
of preserving, promoting and 
disseminating the FEMSA Collection, 
which brings together over 1,200 
works of modern and contemporary 
Latin American art and is recognized 
as one of the most representative 
corporate art collections in the 
world. Through an active program 
of exhibitions, FEMSA shares its 
Collection in Mexico and abroad, 
promoting an understanding and 
appreciation of the region’s art.
+1,200 works in its collection
+4.9 million visitors to FEMSA 
Collection exhibitions since 2000
+132 exhibitions in 12 countries

8

Disaster relief
Since 2010 we have responded to 
contingencies related to natural 
disasters by providing access 
to safe water. Our mobile safe 
water vehicles have reached 
communities affected by floods, 
droughts, and earthquakes.
US$ 1.2 million
investment
10,238,436 liters of safe 
water delivered

10

2018

Starting Together -  
Grow with your child
We launched this platform in 
2018 to offer first-rate tools and 
strategies for working parents and 
their families and join them in the 
adventure of raising their children 
from pregnancy to the age of five.

6

7

Ready to Play!
We developed this multiplatform 
with Sesame Workshop and strategic 
partners to help improve Latin 
American children’s health through 
educational entertainment.
partners:
Carlos Slim Foundation, UNICEF, 
Sesame Workshop, Ministry of 
Health of Mexico, Canal Once and 
TV Ecuador
US$ 2.1 million
investment
+18.2 million people made 
aware about healthy childhood in 
Ecuador, Colombia and Mexico

9

FEMSA Biennial
The XIII FEMSA Biennial took 
place in Zacatecas, Mexico, from 
September 2017 to February 
2019. Under the title Nunca 
fuimos contemporáneos, it seeks 
to be a collaborative model 
that generates, together with 
cultural institutions of the State of 
Zacatecas, exchanges between the 
local cultural context and the world 
of global contemporary art.
partners:
Instituto Zacatecano de la Cultura, 
Museo de Guadalupe and the self-
managed spaces El Santero and 
Museo Comunitario de Vetagrande 
+1.9 million visitors in 
exhibitions and events since 1992

36 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

FEMSA Foundation

A sustainable company can only 
exist with sustainable communities

FEMSA Foundation’s mission is to use social investments to 
make a positive impact in people’s lives and build stronger 
and more sustainable communities everywhere we operate. 
Working with more than 250 partners in 18 countries, we 
look to identify, replicate and scale innovative solutions and 
approaches that succeed.

We seek to address complex social challenges through a 
collaborative approach that allows us to bring together more 
resources to achieve greater impact. For every dollar that we 
invested last year, we leveraged approximately US$ 7.4 million 
dollars through our partnerships. As a result, our programs 
benefited 9.9 million people directly and indirectly in over 542 
communities during 2018.

¡Listos a Jugar! (Ready 
to Play!): A multi-
platform initiative 
to promote lifelong, 
healthy habits through 
education

Providing Safe Water
Water is essential to human life and 
health, yet an estimated 222 million 
people across Latin America do not 
have access to safely managed water. 
In addition, 16 of the region’s 20 
largest cities including Mexico City, 
São Paulo and Lima, are under water 
stress. Through a range of science-
based programs and partnerships, we 
seek solutions to these challenges.

Water Funds
For the past seven years, we have 
helped launch and strengthen two 
dozen Water Funds programs that 
help communities sustainably manage 
watersheds and cities achieve water 
security by developing innovative 
financial and governance mechanisms 
that leverage public, private and civil 
society partnerships.

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 37

In 2018, we developed and released the Desired State of Water 
Funds, a methodology to systematize and structure knowledge 
based on the experience of professionals in the field. We also 
launched Agua Capital (Capital Water), the 24th Fund to support 
water security in the Valley of Mexico, in partnership with Coca-Cola 
FEMSA, Citibanamex, Grupo Modelo, HSBC and Mexichem.

Water Links
FEMSA Foundation launched the second phase of Lazos de 
Agua (Water Links) in collaboration with the IDB, The Coca-Cola 
Foundation and One Drop to improve the health and living 
conditions of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in 
Latin America. Through a focus on behavioral change, we aim to 
help people access safe water supply and sanitation. 

In 2018, we launched operations in Colombia to bring safe water 
and sanitation to people in the port city of Tumaco. To achieve 
sustainable interventions through increased awareness and 
behavior change, we used social art to increase the adoption of 

healthier behaviors, such as safely treating 
and storing household drinking water and 
washing one’s hands more frequently. To 
date, the program has benefited 26,906 
people in Latin America.

Water Center for Latin America and 
the Caribbean
Our water strategy also focuses on the 
interconnection between water, energy 
and food as a comprehensive approach to 
solve future sustainability challenges. 

During 2018, we started a shift in the 
Water Center’s work in this direction. 
We also partnered with Conservation 
International to deploy a Water Health 
Index in important watersheds in Brazil, 
Peru and Colombia.

In 2019,

we will continue to foster collective 
action through strategic partnerships 
and by promoting knowledge 
exchange in order to catalyze 
transformation, scale our existing 
programs and create greater impact

We have evolved the 
Foundation’s focus 
to design innovative 
solutions that respond to 
XXI century challenges.

2018

Water Links benefited 
over 26 thousand 
people with access to 
water, sanitation, and 
behavioral change 
through social arts

24

Water Funds in 8 
countries

Using a tool called the Strategic Decisions 
Hub (NED by its acronym in Spanish), the 
index diagnoses the condition of, and 
pressure on, freshwater ecosystems using 
indicators such as vitality, ecosystem 
services, watershed governance and 
stakeholders.

197,950

liters of safe water 
delivered during 
emergencies

One of our goals is 
to address water 
challenges in Latin 
America by utilizing 
technology-supported 
decision-making, 
increasing access to 
water and sanitation, 
and enhancing 
water security 
through watershed 
sustainability.

38 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

Nurturing Early Childhood
We believe that when children have the means to harness their 
full potential, communities can be transformed. On this basis, 
we are committed to supporting projects that promote early 
childhood development across Latin America.

In 2017, we launched the regional Early Childhood Development 
Innovation Fund in partnership with IDB and Open Society 
Foundations as well as the Fundação María Cecilia Souto Vidigal 
in Brazil. Through this Fund, we foster innovative solutions 
that support children under five in vulnerable communities by 
improving their cognitive, linguistic, motor and socio-emotional 
abilities. Through 2018, we supported six projects in five 
countries: Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador and Uruguay.
To support caregivers in understanding early childhood 
development, we have used multi-platform educational 
entertainment to reach over 9.2 million families in Colombia, 
Mexico, Ecuador and Brazil. Launched in 2016, and expanded 
to Brazil in 2018, the Ready to play! initiative is a collaboration 
with Sesame Workshop and other regional and local partners to 
promote lifelong healthy habits. 

Comenzando Juntos 
(Starting Together): An 
innovative program to 
support working parents 
in educating their 
children

priority in Mexico. We also organized 
the first Seminar on the Design of 
Innovative Public Policies to Transform 
the Future of Mexico in partnership 
with the School of Government and 
Public Transformation at Tecnológico 
de Monterrey, the Center on 
the Developing Child at Harvard 
University, IDB, the LEGO Foundation 
and the Innovation Accelerator for 
Early Childhood. Over four days, 40 
public sector leaders debated how 
to create the right policies to make 
Mexico one of the best places for a 
child to grow up.

34,943

children benefited 
directly

294

early 
childhood 
spaces 
benefited

300

organizations 
participating in 
the Pact for Early 
Childhood

In 2018, we also launched an innovative pilot program called 
Comenzando Juntos – Crece con tu hijo (Starting Together – Grow 
with your child) to support working parents and their families in 
raising their children and to help companies increase employee 
satisfaction. The program provides parents with tools and 
content developed by specialists for children from pregnancy 
to 5 years of age. During the year, we successfully piloted the 
project at FEMSA’s headquarters, as well as at Solistica and 
several other FEMSA business units. We plan to update and 
expand the program to other parts of the organization and other 
companies in 2019.

To promote these efforts, we also seek to highlight the 
importance of early childhood development on the public 
policy agenda in Latin America. In 2018 we joined 300 other 
organizations in the Pact for Early Childhood, which advocates 
making comprehensive early childhood support a government 

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 39

Our Cultural Program also leads the 
FEMSA Biennial. Established 27 years 
ago, this program encourages and 
promotes artistic creation in Mexico 
through collaborative events. In 2017-
2019, the XIII edition took place in the 
state of Zacatecas using a new curatorial 
approach that brought together local 
and international artists and curators in 
collaboration with cultural institutions 
and museums. 

Sharing Latin American Art
FEMSA Cultural Program contributes to a greater knowledge 
and appreciation of modern and contemporary Latin American 
art around the world through its support for diverse artistic 
initiatives, including the FEMSA Collection, which comprises 
more than 1,200 works of art from iconic artists that are 
representative of various art movements throughout the 20th 
and 21st centuries. Since 2000, more than 12.2 million people in 
18 countries have viewed the Collection through our exhibitions 
and loans program.

In 2018, we celebrated the FEMSA Collection’s 40th anniversary. 
Exhibitions in Chile and Colombia presented Latin American 
identity throughout the last two centuries. Drawing more than 
300,000 people in total, these exhibitions and related programs 
included free workshops, film screenings, dialogues and other 
activities for local communities.

The value of art in education 
resides in building 
knowledge and developing 
sensitive, reflexive and 
proactive citizens.

+12.2

million people have viewed artworks of the 
FEMSA Collection through our exhibitions 
and loan programs since 2000.

The XIII FEMSA 
Biennial was based 
on five platforms: 
museological 
collaborations, 
interventions 
in public space, 
publishing program, 
educational program 
and public program.

FEMSA Cultural Program also manages 
Estancia FEMSA – Casa Luis Barragán, a 
cultural and artistic platform in Mexico 
City at the former residence of Luis 
Barragán, a leading 20th century architect. 
Since 2016, 43,795 people have visited 
this project’s innovative program. Now 
a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its 2018 
exhibitions, performances and editorial 
content showed its 43,795 visitors not 
only the historical context of the house, 
but also offered a broader commentary of 
modern and contemporary art disciplines.

40 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Our corporate practices comply 
with the laws of all countries where 
we operate. We comply with all 
applicable standards, rules and 
regulations in Mexico and in the 
United States including the Ley 
del Mercado de Valores and the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act. 

FEMSA seeks to meet the highest standards of corporate governance and ethical 
business practices. We have in place rigorous, accurate and reliable practices for 
disclosing information and delivering financial transparency and accountability. Our 
corporate practices comply with the laws of all countries where we operate. We comply 
with all applicable standards, rules and regulations in Mexico and in the United States 
including the Ley del Mercado de Valores and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Additionally, 
we observe recommendations of the Mexican Code of Best Practices, issued by the 
Business Coordinating Council (Consejo Coordinador Empresarial).

CODE OF ETHICS
Our Code of Ethics forms the basis of FEMSA’s approach to responsible business 
conduct, characterized by a culture of respect, honesty and integrity. The Code 
guides our directors and employees on how to behave in situations that carry risks 
of potential ethical conflict, such as interactions with investors, customers, suppliers, 
governmental authorities, civil society organizations and the local community. It also 
outlines mechanisms for reporting any breach, behavior or practice that fails to meet 
our company’s high expectations for personal ethical conduct. The Code applies to our 
directors, employees and officers in all the countries where we do business and has 
been approved by the Board of Directors. Also, we advise our suppliers to adhere to 
our Supplier Guiding Principles, which describe our expectations related to labor rights, 
the environment, community, ethics and values. These guidelines represent FEMSA’s 
expectations for how suppliers of goods and services around the world manage key 
sustainability areas.

OUR WHISTLEBLOWER SYSTEM
At FEMSA, we take any reports of illegal or inappropriate 
actions very seriously. We believe that reporting such ethical 
breaches is everyone’s responsibility. We therefore provide 
an easy, secure and confidential Whistleblower System, 
managed 24 hours a day by an independent third-party. 
Directors, officers, employees and third parties (with whom 
FEMSA has some relationship in the development of its 
operations), can access the system in four convenient ways, 
via phone, website, e-mail or online chat.

NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS RECEIVED AT FEMSA AND ITS BUSINESS UNITS*

Number of complaints received

Resolved in same calendar year

Resolved beyond same 
calendar year

2016

2,002

82%

2017

2,492

70%

2018

2,743

78%

18%

30%

22%

*  Complaints include reported situations relating to workplace 

or sexual harassment, discrimination, human rights violations, 
theft, misuse.

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 41
FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 41

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

FEMSA’s Board of Directors is responsible for establishing the company’s corporate strategy, defining and overseeing the 
implementation of its vision and values, and approving related-party transactions, including those outside the ordinary course of 
business. In 2018, our Board consisted of 20 Directors, including three women, assisted by a Secretary and Alternate Secretary, 
both of whom are non-members. In accordance with our bylaws and the Mexican Securities Law, at least 25 percent of our Board 
members are independent.

SERIES “B” DIRECTORS
José Antonio Fernández Carbajal C
Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of 
Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V.
Elected 1984
Alternate: Federico Reyes García C

Javier Gerardo Astaburuaga Sanjines C
Vice-President of Corporate Development of 
Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V.
Elected 2006

Mariana Garza Lagüera Gonda
Private Investor
Elected 1998
Alternate: Bárbara Garza Lagüera Gonda

Eva María Garza Lagüera Gonda
Private Investor
Elected 1999
Alternate: Othón Páez Garza

José Fernando Calderón Rojas
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the 
Board of Directors of Franca Servicios, S.A. de 
C.V., Servicios Administrativos de Monterrey, S.A. 
de C.V., Regio Franca, S.A. de C.V., and Franca 
Industrias, S.A. de C.V.
Elected 1984
Alternate: Francisco José Calderón Rojas

Alfonso Garza Garza
Vice President of Strategic Businesses of 
Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V.
Elected 2001
Alternate: Juan Carlos Garza Garza

Maximino José Michel González
Chief Executive Officer of 3 H Capital Servicios 
Corporativos, S.A. de C.V.
Elected 1996
Alternate: Bertha Paula Michel González

Francisco Javier Fernández Carbajal C
Chief Executive Officer of Servicios 
Administrativos Contry, S.A. de C.V.
Elected 2004
Alternate: Daniel Alberto Rodríguez Cofré

Alberto Baillères González
Chairman of the Boards of Directors of, 
Peñoles, Grupo Nacional Provincial, S.A.B., 
Fresnillo Plc, Grupo Palacio de Hierro, S.A.B. 
de C.V., Grupo Profuturo, S.A.B. de C.V. and 
subsidiaries, Controladora Petrobal, S.A. de 
C.V., Energía BAL, S.A. de C.V., Energía Eléctrica 
BAL, S.A. de C.V., and Tane, S.A. de C.V., and 
Chairman of the Governance Board of Instituto 
Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) 
and founding member of Fundación Alberto 
Bailleres, A.C.
Elected 1989
Alternate: Arturo Manuel Fernández Pérez

SERIES “D” DIRECTORS
Armando Garza Sada I
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Alfa, 
S.A.B. de C.V., Alpek, S.A.B. de C.V. and Nemak, 
S.A.B. de C.V.
Elected 2003
Alternate: Enrique F. Senior Hernández C, I

Moisés Naím B, I
Distinguished Fellow Carnegie Endowment 
for International Peace; producer and host of 
Efecto Naim; author and journalist
Elected 2011
Alternate: Francisco Zambrano Rodríguez A, I

Ricardo Guajardo Touché B, C, I
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Solfi, 
S.A. de C.V.
Elected 1988 

Alfonso González Migoya A, I
Chairman of the Board of Directors of 
Controladora Vuela Compañía de Aviación, 
S.A.B. de C.V. (Volaris) and managing partner of 
Acumen Empresarial, S.A. de C.V.
Elected 2006
Alternate: Sergio Deschamps Ebergenyi I

Paulina Garza Lagüera Gonda
Private Investor 
Elected 2009
Alternate: Juan Bautista Guichard Michel

Ricardo E. Saldívar Escajadillo B, C, I
Private Investor
Elected 2006
Alternate: Víctor Alberto Tiburcio Celorio A, I

Alfonso de Angoitia Noriega I
Co-Chief Executive Officer of Grupo Televisa, 
S.A.B.
Elected 2015

Eduardo Padilla Silva 
Chief Executive Officer of Fomento Económico 
Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (FEMSA)
Elected 2014

José Manuel Canal Hernando A, I
Independent Consultant on corporate 
governance matters, statutory examiner 
and director of several public and private 
companies
Elected 2003

Michael Larson I
Chief Investment Officer for William H. Gates III
Elected 2011

Robert E. Denham B, C, I
Partner at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP 
Elected 2001
Alternate: Ernestro Cruz Velázquez de León A, I

Carlos Eduardo Aldrete Ancira
Secretary 
(non-member of the Board of Directors)

Alejandro Gil Ortiz
Alternate Secretary 
(non-member of the Board of Directors)

A  Audit Committee
B  Corporate Practices Committee
C  Strategy and Finance Committee
 I  Independent Director

42 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Audit Committee has 
procedures in place for receiving, 
retaining, and addressing 
complaints regarding accounting, 
internal control, and auditing 
matters. Its remit includes the 
submission of confidential, 
anonymous complaints from 
employees regarding questionable 
accounting or auditing matters.

BOARD COMMITTEES 
Member committees support the Board of Directors by analyzing strategic issues 
critical to our business success. They provide recommendations to the full Board 
regarding the focus areas shown below, including economic, social and environmental 
matters.

AUDIT COMMITTEE*
Responsible for:
 ❱ reviewing the accuracy and integrity 
of quarterly and annual financial 
statements in accordance with 
accounting, internal control, and 
auditing requirements;

 ❱ the appointment, compensation, 
retention, and oversight of the 
independent auditor, who reports 
directly to the Audit Committee;
 ❱ identifying and following up on 

contingencies and legal proceedings.

CORPORATE PRACTICES COMMITTEE*
Responsible for:
 ❱ preventing or reducing the risk of 

transactions that could damage the 
value of the company or benefit a 
particular group of shareholders;
 ❱ approving policies for the use of the 

company’s assets or any related party 
transactions and the compensation of 
the Chief Executive Officer and senior 
executives, as well as supporting the 
Board of Directors in the preparation of 
reports on accounting practices.

STRATEGY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
Responsible for:
 ❱ evaluating the investment and financing 
policies proposed by the Chief Executive 
Officer;

 ❱ evaluating risk factors to which the 

corporation is exposed, as well as its 
management policies;

 ❱ making recommendations on the 

company’s dividend policy;

 ❱ strategic analysis and assessment of the 
company’s business units and strategic 
alternatives for their growth;

 ❱  making recommendations to the Board 
of Directors on annual operation plans 
and strategic projects for our business 
units.

*Committee members are independent directors, as required by Mexican Securities Law and applicable NYSE listing standards.

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Our management team is focused on driving business growth by creating economic, social and environmental value  
for all our stakeholders. Each of our executive leaders has significant professional experience within the industries where our 
businesses operate.

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 43
FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 43

José Antonio Fernández Carbajal
Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors 
of FEMSA
Mr. Fernández joined FEMSA in 1987. He 
was appointed CEO in 1995 and Chairman 
in 2001, serving in both positions until 
January 2014. He is Vice Chairman of the 
Heineken N.V. Supervisory Board and 
member of the Heineken Holding N.V. 
Board, and also serves as Chairman of 
Coca-Cola FEMSA, FEMSA Foundation, 
Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios 
Superiores de Monterrey (“ITESM”), and 
Chairman Emeritus of the US-Mexico 
Foundation. He is a member of the Board 
of Industrias Peñoles, co-chairs the 
Mexico chapter of the Woodrow Wilson 
Center and member of the board of 
trustees of the Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology Corporation. His degrees in 
Industrial Engineering and Systems and 
MBA were both earned from ITESM.

Eduardo Padilla Silva
Chief Executive Officer of FEMSA
Mr. Padilla joined FEMSA in 1997 and was 
named to his current position in January 
2018. Previously he served as Chief 
Financial and Corporate Officer of FEMSA, 
CEO of FEMSA Comercio, CEO of FEMSA 
Strategic Procurement, and FEMSA’s 
Planning and Control Officer. Mr. Padilla 
earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical 
Engineering from ITESM and an MBA from 
Cornell University. He also has executive 
management studies at IPADE.

Javier Gerardo Astaburuaga Sanjines
Vice President of Corporate Development 
of FEMSA
Mr. Astaburuaga joined FEMSA in 1982. 
His roles in the company have included 
co-CEO of FEMSA Cerveza, Director 
of Sales for Northern Mexico, CFO of 
FEMSA Cerveza, and Chief Financial and 
Corporate Officer of FEMSA. He was 
appointed to his current position in 
April 2015. Mr. Astaburuaga earned his 
Bachelor’s degree in Public Accounting 
from ITESM.

Alfonso Garza Garza
Vice President of Strategic Businesses of 
FEMSA
Mr. Garza joined FEMSA in 1985 and 
held various positions including CEO 
of FEMSA Empaques. In 2009 he was 
appointed to his current position. 
He is vice-chairman of the executive 
commission of the National President 
of the Employers Confederation of 
Mexico (Coparmex). He is member of the 
Board of Directors FEMSA, ITESM, Grupo 
Nutec, S.A. de C.V. and American School 
Foundation of Monterrey, A.C. and he 
is an alternate member of the Board of 
Directors of Coca-Cola FEMSA. Mr. Garza 
earned a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial 
Engineering from ITESM and completed 
postgraduate coursework at IPADE.

Genaro Borrego Estrada
Vice President of Corporate Affairs of FEMSA
Mr. Borrego joined FEMSA in 2008 after 
serving as Governor of the Mexican 
State of Zacatecas (1986-1992), General 
Director of the Mexican Social Security 
Institute (IMSS) (1993-2000), and Senator 
to the Federal Congress representing 
the State of Zacatecas (2000-2006). He 
holds a degree in Industrial Relations from 
Universidad Iberoamericana.
As of February 2019, Roberto Campa Cifrián replaces 
Genaro Borrego Estrada as Vice President of Corporate 
Affairs of FEMSA.

Roberto Campa Cifrián
Vice President of Corporate Affairs of FEMSA
Joined FEMSA in 2019 after a long 
professional career in the public, 
private and nonprofit sectors. He has 
been Secretary of Labor and Social 
Planning for the federal government, 
Undersecretary of the Interior, Head 
of the Federal Consumer Protection 
Agency, representative to the Mexico 
City Legislative Assembly and federal 
congressional representative. Mr. Campa 
holds a Law degree from Universidad 
Anahuac.

José González Ornelas
Vice President of Administration and 
Corporate Control of FEMSA
Mr. González joined FEMSA in 1973 and 
assumed his current position in 2001. 
His previous roles have included CFO of 
FEMSA Cerveza, Director of Planning and 
Corporate Development of FEMSA, and 
CEO of FEMSA Logística. He serves as 
Secretary of the Audit Committee of both 
FEMSA’s and Coca-Cola FEMSA’s Boards of 
Directors, and is a member of the Board 
of Productora de Papel, S.A. He holds 
a BA in Accounting from Universidad 
Autónoma de Nuevo León and completed 
postgraduate studies in Business 
Administration from IPADE.

John Anthony Santa Maria Otazua
Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola FEMSA
Mr. Santa Maria was appointed to his 
current position in 2014, having joined 
Coca-Cola FEMSA in 1995 and having 
served in several senior management 
positions since then, including COO 
of the company’s Mexico Division, and 
Strategic Planning and Commercial 
Development Officer. Mr. Santa Maria 
earned a Bachelor’s degree and an MBA 
with a major in Finance from Southern 
Methodist University.

Daniel Alberto Rodríguez Cofré
Chief Executive Officer of FEMSA Comercio
Mr. Rodríguez joined FEMSA in 2015 as 
Chief Financial and Corporate Officer, 
and was named to his current position 
in January 2016. Prior to joining the 
company he was CFO and then CEO 
of CENCOSUD (Centros Comerciales 
Sudamericanos, S.A.), among other senior 
finance and management positions in 
Latin America and Europe and Africa. He 
is an alternate member of the Boards 
of Coca-Cola FEMSA and FEMSA. Mr. 
Rodríguez holds a forest engineering 
degree from Austral University of 
Chile and an MBA from Adolfo Ibañez 
University.

44 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

FINANCIAL SUMMARY

Amounts expressed in millions of Mexican pesos (Ps.)
as of December 31, 2018

Income Statement  
Net sales 
Total revenues 
Cost of goods sold 
Gross profit 
Operating expenses 
Income from operations (1) 
Other non-operating expenses (income), net 
Financing expenses, net 
Income before income taxes and share 
  of the profit of equity accounted investees 
Income taxes 
Share of the profit of equity accounted 

investees, net of taxes 

Net income from continuing operations 
Net income from discontinuing operations (9) 
Consolidated net income  
  Controlling Interest  
  Non-Controlling Interest  
Ratios to total revenues (%)
  Gross margin  
  Operating margin  
  Consolidated net income  
Other information
  Depreciation  
  Amortization and other non cash charges  

  to income from operations 
  Operative Cash Flow (EBITDA)  
  Capital expenditures (2)  

2018 
Ps. 468,894  
469,744  
294,574  
 175,170  
 133,594  
 41,576  
 874  
 7,380  

2017 (9)  
Ps. 439,239  
439,932  
277,842   
 162,090  
 121,828  
 40,262  
 1,285  
 3,302  

2016  
Ps.  398,622  
 399,507  
 251,303  
 148,204  
 110,777  
 37,427  
 4,208  
 4,619  

2015  

2014
Ps.  310,849   Ps.  262,779 
 263,449 
 153,278 
 110,171 
 80,188 
 29,983 
 (508)
 6,988 

 311,589  
 188,410  
 123,179  
 89,444  
 33,735  
 954  
 7,618  

 33,322  
10,169  

6,560  
29,713 
3,366 
33,079 
23,990  
 9,089  

37.3% 
8.9% 
6.3% 

 35,674  
10,213  

8,021  
33,480  
3,726  
37,206  
42,408  
 (5,202) 

36.8% 
9.2% 
7.6% 

 28,600  
 7,888  

 6,463  
 27,175  
 -  
 27,175  
 21,140  
 6,035  

37.1% 
9.4% 
6.8% 

 25,163  
 7,932  

 6,045  
 23,276 
 -  
 23,276  
 17,683  
 5,593  

39.5% 
10.8% 
7.5% 

 23,503 
 6,253

 5,380 
 22,630 
 -
 22,630  
 16,701 
 5,929 

41.8%
11.4% 
8.6%

14,698  

13,799  

 12,076  

 9,761  

 9,029 

 4,184  
60,458  
24,266  

 4,104  
58,165  
23,486  

 5,484  
 54,987  
 22,155  

 3,130  
 46,626  
 18,885  

 1,933 
 40,945 
 18,163 

 
 
FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 45

Balance Sheet  
ASSETS
  Current assets  

Equity accounted investees  

  Property, plant and equipment, net (3)  

Intangible assets,net  

Other assets, net  
Total assets  
LIABILITIES

Short-term bank loans and current portion  
  of longterm bank loans and notes payable 

  Other current liabilities  

Long-term bank loans and notes payable  
Employee	benefits		
  Deferred tax liabilities  
  Other non-current liabilities  
Total liabilites  
Total equity  
  Controlling interest  
  Non-controlling interest  
Financial ratios (%)

Liquidity  
Leverage  
  Capitalization  
DATA PER SHARE
  Controlling interest book value (4)  
  Net controlling interest income (5)  
  Dividends paid (6)

  Series B shares  
  Series D shares  
Number of employees (7)  
Number of outstanding shares (8)  

2018 

2017 (9)  

2016  

2015  

2014

Ps. 177,607  
94,315  
108,602  
145,610  
50,247  
576,381  

Ps. 181,188  
96,097  
116,712  
154,093  
40,451  
588,541  

Ps.  117,951  
 128,601  
 102,223  
 153,268  
 43,580  
545,623  

Ps.  86,723   
 111,731  
 80,296  
 108,341  
 22,241  
409,332  

Ps.  79,112 
 102,159 
 75,629 
 101,527  
 17,746 
376,173

13,674  
87,790  
114,990  
4,699  
5,886  
13,800  
240,839  
335,542  
257,053  
78,489  

1.750 
0.718 
0.29  

14.368 
1.341 

13,590  
91,432  
117,758  
5,373  
6,133  
17,343  
251,629  
336,912  
250,291  
86,621  

1.725 
0.747 
0.29  

13.990 
2.370 

 7,281  
 79,008  
 131,967  
 4,447  
 11,037  
 25,713  
 259,453  
 286,170  
 211,904  
 74,266  

 1.367  
 0.907  
 0.33  

 11.844  
 1.182  

 5,895  
 59,451  
 85,969  
 4,229  
 6,230  
 5,702  
 167,476  
 241,856  
 181,524  
 60,332  

 1.327  
 0.692  
 0.28  

 10.146  
 0.988  

 1,553 
 47,766 
 82,935 
 4,207  
 3,643  
 5,947 
 146,051 
 230,122 
 170,473 
 59,649 

 1.604 
 0.635 
 0.27 

 9.528
 0.933 

0.460 
0.575 
297,073  
17,891.13  

0.431 
0.538 
295,027  
17,891.13  

0.417 
0.521 
266,144  
17,891.13  

0.366 
0.458 
246,158  
17,891.13  

0.000
0.000
216,740 
17,891.13 

1. Company’s key performance indicator.
2. Includes investments in property, plant and equipment, as well as deferred charges and intangible assets.
3. Includes bottles and cases.
4. Controlling interest divided by the total number of shares outstanding at the end of each year.
5. Net controlling interest income divided by the total number of shares outstanding at the end of the each year.
6. Expressed in nominal pesos of each year.
7. Includes incremental employees resulting from mergers & acquisitions made during the year.
8. Total number of shares outstanding at the end of each year expressed in millions.
9.	The	consolidated	income	statement	of	2017	was	revised	to	reflect	the	discontinued	operations	of	Coca-Cola	FEMSA	Philippines.

 
 
 
 
 
	
 
 
 
 
46 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

FOMENTO ECONÓMICO MEXICANO, S.A.B. DE C.V. AND SUBSIDIARIES
MONTERREY, N.L., MEXICO

MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION & ANALYSIS

AUDITED FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2018
COMPARED TO THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2017.

Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (“FEMSA”) is a Mexican holding company. 
Set forth below is certain audited financial information for FEMSA and its subsidiaries 
(the “Company” or “FEMSA Consolidated”) (NYSE: FMX; BMV: FEMSA UBD, FEMSA 
BD). The principal activities of the Company are grouped mainly under the following 
subholding companies (the “Subholding Companies”): Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B de C.V. 
(“Coca-Cola FEMSA” or “KOF”), (NYSE: KOF, BMV: KOFL) which engages in the production, 
distribution and marketing of beverages, and FEMSA Comercio, S.A. de C.V. (“FEMSA 
Comercio”), including its Proximity Division operating OXXO, a small-format store chain, 
a Health Division, which includes all drugstores and related operations, and a Fuel 
Division, which operates the OXXO GAS chain of retail service stations. Additionally, 
through its Strategic Businesses unit, it provides logistics, point-of-sale refrigeration 
solutions and plastics solutions to FEMSA’s business units and third-party clients.

The consolidated financial information included in this annual report was prepared in 
accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the 
International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”).

During 2018, we made a change to the disclosure related to our businesses formerly 
named as FEMSA Comercio’s “Retail Division”: We have removed those operations that 
are not directly related to our proximity store business, namely our restaurant and 
discount retail units, from this segment. The segment is now named the “Proximity 
Division”, and it only includes proximity and proximity-related operations, most of which 
operate today under the OXXO brand across markets. 2017 figures have been restated 
to reflect such changes.

The 2018 and 2017 results are stated in nominal Mexican pesos (“pesos” or “Ps.”). 
Translations of pesos into US dollars (“US$”) are included solely for the convenience of 
the reader and are determined using the noon buying rate for pesos as published by 
the U.S. Federal Reserve Board in its H.10 Weekly Release of Foreign Exchange Rates as 
of December 31, 2018, which was 19.6350 pesos per US dollar.

This report may contain certain forward-looking statements concerning Company’s 
future performance that should be considered good faith estimates made by the 
Company. These forward-looking statements reflect management expectations and 
are based upon currently available data. Actual results are subject to future events and 
uncertainties, which could materially impact the Company’s actual performance.

FEMSA CONSOLIDATED
2018 amounts in millions of Mexican pesos

FEMSA Consolidated 

Coca-Cola FEMSA 

FEMSA Comercio – Proximity Division 

167,458 

FEMSA Comercio – Health Division 

FEMSA Comercio – Fuel Division 

51,739 

46,936 

182,342 

total revenues  % growth vs’17  gross profit  % growth vs’17
8.1%

469,744 

175,170 

6.8% 

(0.5%) 

11.8% 

9.1% 

22.3% 

83,938 

65,529 

15,865 

4,231 

0.5%

16.8%

11.6%

52.9%

 
FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 47

FEMSA’s consolidated total revenues increased 6.8% to 
Ps. 469,744 million in 2018 compared to Ps. 439,932 million 
in 2017. Coca-Cola FEMSA’s total revenues decreased 0.5% to 
Ps. 182,342 million, as the consolidation of recently acquired 
territories in Guatemala and Uruguay, volume growth in Brazil, 
Central America and Colombia, flat volumes in Mexico, and price 
increases above inflation in Argentina and Mexico were offset by 
the negative translation effect resulting from the depreciation 
of the Argentine Peso, the Brazilian Real and the Colombian 
Peso as compared to the Mexican Peso, the deconsolidation of 
Coca-Cola FEMSA de Venezuela as of December 31, 2017, and 
the reporting of Argentina as a hyperinflationary subsidiary as 
of July 1, 2018. FEMSA Comercio – Proximity Division’s revenues 
increased 11.8% to Ps. 167, 458 million, driven by the opening 
of 1,422 net new OXXO stores combined with an average 
increase of 5.2% in same-store sales. FEMSA Comercio – Health 
Division’s revenues increased 9.1% to PS. 51,739 million, driven 
by the opening of 136 net new stores combined with an average 
increase of 5.8% in same-store sales. FEMSA Comercio – Fuel 
Division revenues increased 22.3% to Ps. 46,936 million in 2018, 
driven by the addition of 87 total net new stations in the last 
twelve months, and a 5.6% increase in same-station sales. 

Consolidated gross profit increased 8.1% to Ps. 175,170 million 
in 2018 compared to Ps. 162,090 million in 2017. Gross margin 
increased 50 basis points to 37.3% of total revenues compared to 
2017, reflecting gross margin expansion across all business units.

Consolidated operating expenses increased 9.7% to Ps. 133,594 
million in 2018 compared to Ps. 121,828 million in 2017. As a 
percentage of total revenues, consolidated operating expenses 
increased from 27.6% in 2017 to 28.4% in 2018.

and the faster growth of FEMSA Comercio’s three divisions, whose 
lower margins tend to compress FEMSA’s consolidated margins 
over time.

Some of our subsidiaries pay management fees to us in 
consideration for corporate services we provide to them. These 
fees are recorded as administrative expenses in the respective 
business segments. Our subsidiaries’ payments of management 
fees are eliminated in consolidation and, therefore, have no 
effect on our consolidated operating expenses.

Net financing expenses increased to Ps. 7,380 million from 
Ps. 3,302 million in 2017, reflecting a demanding comparison 
base in 2017, driven by a foreign exchange gain related to the 
effect of FEMSA’s US Dollar-denominated cash position, as 
impacted by the depreciation of the Mexican peso during 2017, 
and by other financial income related to Coca-Cola FEMSA 
hyperinflationary subsidiaries. This movement was enough to 
offset an interest expense decrease of 11.4% to Ps. 9,825 million 
in 2018, compared to Ps. 11,092 million in 2017, mainly reflecting 
lower interest expense at Coca-Cola FEMSA.

Income before income taxes and share of the profit in Heineken 
results decreased 6.6% to Ps. 33,322 million in 2018 compared 
with Ps. 35,673 million in 2017, reflecting a demanding 
comparison base in 2017, driven by a foreign exchange gain 
related to FEMSA’s U.S. dollar-denominated cash position, 
and by other financial income related to Coca-Cola FEMSA 
hyperinflationary subsidiaries.

These impacts were partially offset by growth in our income of 
operations and lower financing expenses. 

Consolidated administrative expenses increased 13.7% to 
Ps. 17,313 million in 2018 compared to Ps. 15,222 million 
in 2017. As a percentage of total revenues, consolidated 
administrative expenses increased 20 basis points, from 3.5% in 
2017, to 3.7% in 2018.

Our accounting provision for income taxes in 2018 was 
Ps. 10,169 million, as compared to Ps. 10,213 million in 2017, 
resulting in an effective tax rate of 30.2% in 2018, as compared 
to 28.6% in 2017, in line with our expected medium-term range 
of 30%. 

Consolidated selling expenses increased 8.2% to Ps. 114,573 
million in 2018 as compared to Ps. 105,880 million in 2017. As 
a percentage of total revenues, selling expenses increased 40 
basis points, from 23.9% in 2017 to 24.3% in 2018.

Consolidated income from operations increased 3.3% to 
Ps. 41,576 million in 2018 as compared to Ps. 40,261 million 
in 2017. As a percentage of total revenues, operating margin 
decreased 30 basis points, from 9.2% in 2017 to 8.9% in 2018 
reflecting an operating margin contraction at Coca-Cola FEMSA 

Consolidated net income was Ps. 33,079 million in 2018 
compared to Ps. 37,206 million in 2017, reflecting a demanding 
comparison base stemming from: i) a foreign exchange gain 
related to FEMSA’s U.S. dollar-denominated cash position, 
impacted by the depreciation of the Mexican peso during 
2017; ii) a higher participation in Heineken’s results for most of 
the comparable period; and iii) other financial income related 
to Coca-Cola FEMSA’s hyperinflationary operations. This was 
partially offset by growth in our income from operations, and 
lower financing expenses.

48 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION & ANALYSIS

Controlling interest amounted to Ps. 23,990 million in 2018 
compared to Ps. 42,408 million in 2017. Controlling interest in 
2018 per FEMSA Unit1 was Ps. 6.70 (US$ 3.42 per ADS).

and HFCS, used as a sweetener in some countries, are 
denominated in U.S. dollars.

COCA-COLA FEMSA
Coca-Cola FEMSA total revenues decreased 0.5% to Ps. 182,342 
million in 2018, compared to Ps. 183,256 million in 2017, as the 
consolidation of recently acquired territories in Guatemala and 
Uruguay, volume growth in Brazil, Central America and Colombia, 
flat volumes in Mexico, and price increases above inflation in 
Argentina and Mexico were offset by the negative translation 
effect resulting from the depreciation of the Argentine Peso, 
the Brazilian Real and the Colombian Peso as compared to 
the Mexican Peso, the deconsolidation of Coca-Cola FEMSA 
de Venezuela as of December 31, 2017, and the reporting of 
Argentina as a hyperinflationary subsidiary as of July 1, 2018. 
On a comparable2 basis, total revenues grew 5.9%, driven by 
average price per unit case growth ahead of inflation in Mexico, 
coupled with volume growth in Brazil, Colombia, Central America, 
and flat volume performance in Mexico.

Coca-Cola FEMSA gross profit increased 0.5% to Ps. 83,938 
million in 2018, compared to Ps. 83,508 million in 2017, with a 
gross margin expansion of 40 basis points. Pricing initiatives, 
coupled with lower sweetener prices, were partially offset 
by higher PET costs across most of their operations, higher 
concentrate costs in Mexico, and the depreciation in the average 
exchange rate of all Coca-Cola FEMSA’s operating currencies as 
applied to U.S. dollar-denominated raw material costs. Gross 
margin reached 46.0% in 2018.

The components of cost of goods sold include raw materials 
(principally concentrate, sweeteners and packaging materials), 
depreciation costs attributable to our production facilities, 
wages and other employment costs associated with labor force 
employed at our production facilities and certain overhead 
costs. Concentrate prices are determined as a percentage of 
the retail price of our products in the local currency, net of 
applicable taxes. Packaging materials, mainly PET and aluminum, 

1  FEMSA Units consist of FEMSA BD Units and FEMSA B Units. Each 
FEMSA BD Unit is comprised of one Series B Share, two Series D-B 
Shares and two Series D-L Shares. Each FEMSA B Unit is comprised 
of five Series B Shares. The number of FEMSA Units outstanding as of 
December 31, 2018 was 3,578,226,270, equivalent to the total number 
of FEMSA Shares outstanding as of the same date, divided by 5.

2  Excluding the effects of recent acquisitions, currency translation effects 

and the results of hyperinflationary subsidiaries in both periods.

Operating expenses increased 1.3% to Ps. 59,265 million in 
2018, compared to Ps. 58,513 million in 2017. 

Administrative expenses increased 4.0% to Ps. 7,999 million in 
2018, compared to Ps. 7,694 million in 2017. Selling expenses 
decreased 0.8% to Ps. 49,925 million in 2018 compared with 
Ps. 50,352 million in 2017.

Income from operations decreased 1.3% to Ps. 24,673 million in 
2018 compared to Ps. 24,996 million in 2017.

FEMSA COMERCIO – PROXIMITY DIVISION
FEMSA Comercio – Proximity Division total revenues increased 
11.8% to Ps. 167,458 million in 2018 compared to Ps. 149,833 
million in 2017, primarily as a result of the opening of 1,422 net 
new OXXO stores during 2018, together with an average increase 
in same-store sales of 5.2%. As of December 31, 2018, there 
were a total of 17,999 OXXO stores. As referenced above, OXXO 
same-store sales increased an average of 5.2% compared to 
2017, driven by a 3.6% increase in average customer ticket while 
store traffic increased 1.6%. On an organic basis3, total revenues 
grew 11.4%.

Cost of goods sold increased 8.8% to Ps. 101,929 million in 
2018, compared to Ps. 93,706 million in 2017. Gross margin 
increased 160 basis points to reach 39.1% of total revenues. 
This increase reflects; i) the sustained growth of the services 
category, including income from financial services; ii) healthy 
trends in our commercial income activity; iii) increased and more 
efficient promotional programs with our key supplier partners 
and iv) the consolidation of Caffenio, our sole coffee supplier in 
Mexico, which we now control with 50% share ownership. As a 
result, gross profit increased 16.8% to Ps. 65,529 million in 2018 
compared with 2017.

Operating expenses increased 18.3% to Ps. 51,452 million in 2018 
compared to Ps. 43,491 million in 2017. The increase in operating 
expenses was driven by: i) our continuing and gradual shift from 
commission-based store teams to employee based teams; ii) 
higher secure cash handling costs driven by increased volume and 
higher operational costs including fuel prices; iii) the consolidation 
of Caffenio; and iv) organic growth of OXXO’s international 

3  Excludes the effects of significant mergers and acquisitions in the last 

twelve months.

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 49

operations that achieved healthy sales levels per store, but have 
yet to reach sufficient scale to better absorb overhead.   

Administrative expenses increased 20.2% to Ps. 3,587 million in 
2018, compared to Ps. 2,983 million in 2017; as a percentage of 
sales, they increased slightly to 2.1% in 2018, from 2.0% in 2017. 
Selling expenses increased 18.1% to Ps. 47,589 million in 2018 
compared with Ps. 40,289 million in 2017; as a percentage of 
sales they reached 28.4% in 2018.

Income from operations increased 11.4% to Ps. 14,077 million 
in 2018 compared to Ps. 12,636 million in 2017, resulting in an 
operating margin of 8.4% as a percentage of total revenues for 
the year, in line with 2017.

FEMSA COMERCIO – HEALTH DIVISION
FEMSA Comercio – Health Division total revenues increased 
9.1% to Ps. 51,739 million compared to Ps. 47,421 million in 
2017, primarily as a result of the opening of 136 net new stores 
during 2018, together with an average increase in same-store 
sales of 5.8%. As of December 31, 2018, there were a total of 
2,361 drugstores in Mexico, Chile and Colombia. As referenced 
above, same-store sales increased an average of 5.8%, reflecting 
strong performance in our South American operations, as well 
as gradually improving trends in Mexico, coupled with a positive 
currency translation effect related to the depreciation of the 
Mexican peso compared to the Chilean and Colombian pesos in 
our operations in South America.

Cost of goods sold increased 8.0% to Ps. 35,874 million in 2018, 
compared with Ps. 33,208 million in 2017. Gross margin increased 
70 basis points to reach 30.7% of total revenues. This was 
mainly driven by more efficient and effective commercial activity, 
particularly in South America, and to benefits that are gradually 
beginning to materialize in Mexico from our integration into a 
single operating platform. As a result, gross profit increased 11.6% 
to Ps. 15,865 million in 2018 compared with 2017.

Operating expenses increased 9.2% to Ps. 13,750 million in 
2018 compared with Ps. 12,595 million in 2017. This increase 
was partially offset by cost efficiencies and tight expense control 
throughout our territories. 

Administrative expenses increased 25.1% to Ps. 2,055 million in 
2018, compared with Ps. 1,643 million in 2017; as a percentage of 
sales, they reached 4.0% in 2018. Selling expenses increased 6.5% 
to Ps. 11,557 million in 2018 compared with Ps. 10,850 million in 
2017; as a percentage of sales, they reached 22.3% in 2018.

Income from operations increased 30.7% to Ps. 2,115 million in 2018 
compared with Ps. 1,618 million in 2017, resulting in an operating 
margin expansion of 70 basis points to 4.1% as a percentage of total 
revenues for the year, compared with 3.4% in 2017.

FEMSA COMERCIO – FUEL DIVISION
FEMSA Comercio – Fuel Division total revenues increased 22.3% 
to Ps. 46,936 million in 2018 compared to Ps. 38,388 in 2017, 
primarily as a result of the opening of 87 net new OXXO GAS 
service stations during 2018, together with an average increase 
in same-station sales of 5.6%. As of December 31, 2018, there 
were a total of 539 OXXO GAS service stations. As referenced 
above, same-station sales increased an average of 5.6% 
compared to 2017, as the average price per liter increased by 
15.1%, while the average volume decreased by 8.2% reflecting 
consumer reaction to the higher prices, and, to a lesser degree, 
increased competition. 

Cost of goods sold increased 19.9% to Ps. 42,705 million in 
2018, compared with Ps. 35,621 million in 2017. Gross margin 
increased 180 basis points to reach 9.0% of total revenues. This 
increase reflects improved supply terms and a recovery from 
a low comparable base last year, when gross profit per liter 
was held flat in peso terms for most of the comparable period 
in 2017. As a result, gross profit increased 52.9% to Ps. 4,231 
million in 2018 compared with 2017.

Operating expenses increased 51.1% to Ps. 3,773 million in 
2018 compared with Ps. 2,497 million in 2017. The increase in 
operating expenses was driven by: i) higher wages implemented 
to reduce turnover in a tight labor market; ii) expenses related 
to the remodeling of our stations and the installation of new 
environmental controls and; iii) provisions related to certain 
unprofitable institutional clients.

Administrative expenses increased 57.1% to Ps. 242 million in 
2018, compared with Ps. 154 million in 2017; as a percentage 
of sales, they increased 10 basis points to 0.5% in 2018. Selling 
expenses increased 51.3% to Ps. 3,526 million in 2018 compared 
with Ps. 2,330 million in 2017; as a percentage of sales, they 
reached 7.5% in 2018.

Income from operations increased 69.6% to Ps. 458 million in 
2018 compared with Ps. 270 million in 2017, resulting in an 
operating margin expansion of 30 basis points to 1.0% as a 
percentage of total revenues for the year, compared with 0.7% 
in 2017. This increase reflects better operating leverage that 
more than offset higher personnel, remodeling and expansion-
related expenses.  

50 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION & ANALYSIS

KEY EVENTS DURING 2018
The following text reproduce our press releases exactly as the 
time they were published.

Coca-Cola FEMSA acquires bottlers in Guatemala
On April 25, 2018, Coca-Cola FEMSA announced that through its 
subsidiary “Compañía Inversionista en Bebidas del Norte, S.L.”, 
it had closed an acquisition agreement with the shareholders 
of the Guatemalan company “ABASA”, a bottler of Coca-Cola 
products, in an all-cash transaction for an amount of US$ 53.4 
million on a cash free and debt free basis. ABASA would continue 
to operate in the same way, considering the particular business 
realities and opportunities of its territory. ABASA operates in the 
northeast area of Guatemala with 1 plant, 9 distribution centers 
and 791 employees.

On that same date, Coca-Cola FEMSA also announced that 
through its subsidiary “Compañía de Inversiones Moderna, S.L.”, 
it had closed an acquisition agreement with the shareholders of 
the Guatemalan company “Los Volcanes”, a bottler of Coca-Cola 
products, in an all-cash transaction for an amount of US$ 124.6 
million on a cash free and debt free basis. Los Volcanes, will 
continue to operate in the same way, considering the particular 
business realities and opportunities of its territory. Los Volcanes, 
operates in the southwest area of Guatemala with 1 plant, 7 
distribution centers and 1,066 employees.

Coca-Cola FEMSA acquires bottler in Uruguay
On June 28 2018, Coca-Cola FEMSA announced the acquisition 
of Montevideo Refrescos S.R.L. (“MONRESA”) from The Coca-Cola 
Company, in an all cash transaction. The aggregate enterprise 
value for this transaction is US$ 250.7 million, on a cash free 
and debt free basis. MONRESA was founded in 1943 and is 
the exclusive distributor and manufacturer of the extensive 
Coca-Cola beverage portfolio in Uruguay, serving a market of 
3.4 million consumers through 26 thousand points of sale. 
The integration of this franchise increased Coca-Cola FEMSA’s 
presence to 11 countries worldwide. “As part of our strategic 
framework and the consolidation of leadership in the global 
beverage market, the integration of MONRESA reaffirms our 
commitment to generating economic and social value for our 
shareholders and stakeholders.” Said John Santa Maria, CEO of 
Coca-Cola FEMSA.

Coca-Cola FEMSA exercises a put option to sell its 51% stake 
in Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines, Inc.
On August 16, 2018, Coca-Cola FEMSA announced that it 
had notified The Coca-Cola Company (“TCCC”), the exercise 
of KOF’s put option to sell its 51% stake in Coca-Cola FEMSA 
Philippines, Inc. (“CCFPI”). As part of the transaction structure for 
the acquisition of a 51% stake in CCFPI, closed on January 25, 
2013, KOF obtained a put option to sell back to TCCC not less 
than all of KOF’s shares in CCFPI at a price to be determined 
according to an agreed formula, which cannot exceed the 
aggregate enterprise value of the original purchase. KOF will 
work closely with TCCC in all aspects of the transaction, and 
will fully cooperate with TCCC to ensure a smooth transition 
of the CCFPI business. “As part of our efforts to expand our 
geographic reach, we have been operating in the Philippines for 
more than five years, deploying our expertise and capabilities 
to develop and operate in fragmented markets, leading to an 
efficient turnaround of this operation. However, given the recent 
evolution in the business outlook in the Philippines, and our 
commitment to a disciplined capital allocation approach focused 
on driving shareholder returns, our Board of Directors has 
concluded that exercising our put option represents the best 
course of action for Coca-Cola FEMSA’s shareholders. This was 
not an easy decision, and it comes after a deep and thorough 
process of analysis based on our best interest to protect our 
shareholders’ value. Going forward, we will continue to look and 
assess other potential strategic opportunities for long-term value 
creation”, said John Santa Maria, Chief Executive Officer.

Later, on December 13, 2018, Coca-Cola FEMSA announced the 
closing by its subsidiary Controladora de Inversiones en Bebidas 
Refrescantes, S.L. (“CIBR”), of the transaction to sell its 51% stake 
in Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines, Inc. (“CCFPI”) to the Coca-Cola 
Company (“TCCC”), for an aggregate amount of US$ 715 million. 
As previously announced, on August 16, 2018, CIBR notified to 
TCCC its decision to exercise its put option to sell its stake in 
CCFPI. The proceeds of this transaction will be used for debt 
repayment and general corporate purposes. The parties will 
continue to work and cooperate to ensure a smooth transition of 
the CCFPI business.

FEMSA Comercio enters the drugstore business in Ecuador 
On September 24, 2018, FEMSA announced that through its 
majority-owned subsidiary Socofar, it had reached an agreement 
to acquire Corporación GPF (“GPF”). GPF is a leading drugstore 
operator based in Quito, Ecuador, with almost 90 years of solid 
trajectory, operating more than 620 points of sale nationwide 

FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018 > 51

Public Offering and listing in the Mexican Stock Exchange and 
in the New York Stock Exchange; and since then, Hector, has 
deeply contributed to the evolution and value creation of the 
business, playing a fundamental role in driving profitable growth 
throughout the years. His work ethic and financial discipline 
are a legacy that will continue to be a part of our core values 
for many years to come.” said John Santa Maria Otazua, Chief 
Executive Officer of the Company, and added: “Constantino is an 
experienced officer with proven results across different beverage 
categories; his strategic focus and talent make him an excellent 
successor to Hector.”

mainly under the Fybeca and SanaSana banners. This transaction 
represents a new building block of FEMSA Comercio’s drugstore 
strategy in South America, following its successful acquisition 
of a controlling stake in the drugstore and distribution platform 
of Chile-based Socofar in 2015. Today’s announcement marks 
another important step for FEMSA Comercio as it brings its 
considerable retail expertise and Socofar’s deep industry 
knowledge to the Ecuadorian market and its more than 16 
million consumers. GPF is a strong local operator with attractive 
growth prospects, and it will help Socofar as it continues to build 
a robust base from which to expand further in the region. The 
transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is 
expected to close during the first quarter of 2019.

FEMSA Comercio opens its first OXXO store in Lima, Peru 
On October 26, FEMSA Comercio announces that it is opening 
its first OXXO store in Lima, Peru. OXXO’s entry into Peru marks 
the beginning of a new stage in the format’s international growth 
strategy. Since 2009, when OXXO opened its first five stores 
in Colombia, OXXO has gradually and consistently improved 
its capabilities to adjust the value proposition of its stores to 
better satisfy the needs of different consumers, across different 
markets. These improved capabilities are already being put 
to work in Colombia and Chile, and now they will also enable 
growth at OXXO Peru. This announcement marks another 
important step for FEMSA Comercio as it brings its considerable 
expertise in small-box retail to the attractive Peruvian market 
and its more than 32 million consumers.

Coca-Cola FEMSA announces Chief Financial Officer 
succession plan
On November 1, 2018, Coca-Cola FEMSA announced that 
that Hector Treviño Gutierrez, had decided to retire effective 
December 31, 2018, after serving as Chief Financial Officer of 
KOF for more than 25 years and with an overall career in FEMSA 
of more than 37 years. The Board of Directors of the Company 
elected Constantino Spas to serve as Chief Financial Officer for 
Coca-Cola FEMSA, effective January 1, 2019. Constantino joined 
the Company on January 1, 2018 as Strategic Planning Officer. 
He has more than 25 years of experience in the food and 
beverage sector, with a demonstrated track record in companies 
such as Grupo Mavesa and Empresas Polar in Venezuela; Kraft 
Foods, SAB Miller in Latin America, and Bacardi, where he served 
as VP Managing Director for Mexico and then for Latin America 
and the Caribbean. Constantino worked alongside Hector 
to ensure an orderly and seamless transition of CFO duties. 
“Hector Treviño, was appointed CFO in 1993, year of KOF’s Initial 

52 < FEMSA INTEGRATED REPORT 2018

CONTACT

FEMSA CORPORATE OFFICES
Monterrey
General Anaya Nº 601 Pte. Col. Bella Vista
Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico C.P. 64410
Phone: +52 (81) 83 28 60 00
Fax: +52 (81) 83 28 60 80

GENERAL COUNSEL
Carlos E. Aldrete Ancira
General Anaya Nº 601 Pte.  
Colonia Bella Vista Monterrey,  
Nuevo León, Mexico, 
C.P. 64410
Phone: +52 (81) 83 28 61 80

Mexico City
Mario Pani N° 100 Col. Santa Fe 
Cuajimalpa
Mexico City, Mexico C.P. 05348
Phone: +52 (55) 52 49 68 00

Coca-Cola FEMSA
Mario Pani N° 100 Col. Santa Fe Cuajimalpa
Mexico City, Mexico C.P. 05348
Phone: +52 (55) 15 19 50 00

FEMSA Comercio
Edison Nº 1235 Nte. Col. Talleres Monterrey, 
Nuevo León, Mexico C.P. 64480
Phone: +52 (81) 83 89 21 21
Fax: +52 (81) 83 89 21 06

FEMSA Negocios Estratégicos
General Anaya Nº 601 Pte. Col. Bella Vista
Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico C.P. 64410
Phone: +52 (81) 83 28 66 00
Fax: +52 (81) 83 28 6601

INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANT
Mancera, S.C. A Member Practice of 
Ernst & Young Global Limited
Av. Lázaro Cárdenas Nº 2321 Pte. 
Floor 5 Col. Residencial San Agustín
San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, 
Mexico, C.P. 66260
Phone: +52 (81) 81 52 18 00

DEPOSITARY BANK AND REGISTRAR
BNY Mellon Shareowner Services 
PO Box 505000 Louisville, KY 40233-5000
Direct Mailing for overnight packages:
BNY Mellon Shareowner Services
462 South 4th Street, 
Suite 1600 Louisville, KY 40202
Toll free number for U.S. calls: +1 888 269 2377
International calls: +1 201 680 6825
www.mybnymdr.com
shrrelations@cpushareownerservices.com

For more information we provide additional 
information and extensive reporting online, 
including the Audited Financial Statements.

We encourage you to review the following site 
to learn more about FEMSA: www.femsa.com

STOCK MARKETS AND SYMBOLS
Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. 
stock trades on the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores 
(BMV) in the form of units under the symbols 
FEMSA UBD and FEMSA UB. The FEMSA 
UBD units also trade on The New York Stock 
Exchange, Inc. (NYSE) in the form of ADRs under 
the symbol FMX.

INVESTOR RELATIONS
Juan Fonseca Serratos
Enrique Manero Martínez
Phone: +52 (81) 83 28 61 67
Fax: +52 (81) 83 28 60 80
e-mail: investor@femsa.com.mx

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
Mauricio Reyes López
Phone: +52 (55) 52 49 68 43
Fax: +52 (55) 52 49 68 61
e-mail: comunicacion@femsa.com.mx

SUSTAINABILITY
Víctor Manuel Treviño Vargas
Gabriel Adrián González Ayala
Phone: +52 (81) 83 28 60 00
e-mail: sostenibilidad@femsa.com.mx

For more information visit us at:
www.femsa.com
https://femsa.gcs-web.com/
investor@femsa.com.mx

General Anaya Nº 601 Pte. 
Colonia Bella Vista 
Monterrey, Nuevo León, 
Mexico, C.P. 64410
Phone: +52 (81) 83 28 61 80

The FEMSA 2018 Annual Report may contain certain forward-looking 
statements concerning FEMSA and its subsidiaries’ future performance 
and should be considered as good faith estimates of FEMSA and its 
subsidiaries. These forward-looking statements reflect management’s 
expectations and are based upon currently available data. Actual results 
are subject to further events and uncertainties which could materially 
impact the Company’s subsidiaries’ actual performance.

www.femsa.com