HISTORY

MAZZEI FAMILY BUSINESS

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Mr. Omar Mazzei, Senior, started working as a messenger and moved up to Purchase Manager in an important factory in the restaurant, bakery and hotel equipment suppliers business. In 1971, Mazzei started his own company in Caracas, Venezuela after being in the business for 13 years. The company grew very fast and continued to add new lines to attend the industrial laundry and medical equipment businesses.

Before long, they started furnishing complete 5 star hotels and the biggest and best hospitals in Venezuela. He went on to purchase a stainless steel factory, established a new company in “Isla de Margarita”, a duty free Island of Venezuela where he furnished the best 5 star chain hotels and casinos in the Island.

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It was in 1989 when Omar E. Mazzei (Jr.), at the age of 17, started in the business as one of the salesman and followed to manage the Spare Part Department as well. In 1992, an Italian customer asked the Mazzei family for equipment and products to produce the very popular Italian “Gelato”. Mazzei, Jr. was in charge to retrieve all the necessary information and that is when the Mazzei family discovered all the magic around this incredible frozen dessert. The first step was made when Omar, Jr. and his father went to Italy to meet with the No. 1 worldwide manufacturers and suppliers. The business grew so fast that a new company, Master Hotel Supply, C.A. was created to attend this section of the market. Omar Jr. managed, as the Vice-president, this family company after accomplishing several specialized training and short courses in Italy, Argentina, Colombia and Penn State University where he learned all the secretes of the famous Gelato in all its different ways and cultures. Later on his sister, Mariela Mazzei, came on board as the director of the company.

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The Mazzei family owns a gelato plant in Venezuela managed by Italo Frigerio, a master gelato artisan with more than 40 years of experience. They own twelve gelato stores in the best shopping malls and areas of Caracas, Venezuela, and recently built a 9000 sq. feet complete store in the “Isla de Margarita” with all the high quality areas of food service such as gelato, pastries, bakery, specialty coffee and even antipastos and gourmet food, all produced in an artisan way inside the store.

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All the companies that the Mazzei family owns integrate GRUPO MASTER including Baluna LLC, started by Mazzei Jr. in 2003 services customers in the United States, South and Central America and the Caribbean.

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BALUNA

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Without a doubt, experience makes the difference. This is the case of BALUNA, a company that is a part of GRUPO MASTER with more than 40 years of experience in importing and manufacturing of an extensive line of products. Started in 2003 in Miami, Florida, we are leaders in the use of new and modern technology with unique products of great beauty creating pleasant, efficient and productive spaces like no other available in the market today. We have designed and equipped more than 1000 spaces in both national and international markets to satisfy a variety of segments. BALUNA has many qualities that make us an invaluable provider.