8 • July | August 2026 • abasto.com BY HERNANDO RAMÍREZ-SANTOS L orenzo Piña grew up in the Dominican Re- public. He studied finance and international trade and worked for multinational companies until he arrived in the United States with one certainty: there was an opportunity that no one was taking advantage of. In 2004, he founded Glo- bal Trade Bridge, with the mission of creating a strong commercial link between Latin American brands and the U.S. market. What be- gan as a small representati- ve agency has evolved into a comprehensive import, export, logistics, and dis- tribution operation serving partners across the U.S. What No One Was Explaining to the Brands Piña, the company’s CEO and president, saw some- thing many others over- looked: simply having a high-quality Latin Ameri- can product wasn’t enough to bring it to the U.S. “You can’t imagine how many large companies don’t know what pallet format we need here,” he recalls candidly. That gap between Latin TWENTY YEARS OPENING DOORS FOR LATIN AMERICAN BRANDS Global Trade Bridge Excels at Every Stage of the Market To enter and grow in the U.S., your company needs this partner American manufacturers and the U.S. market was the real problem. And Global Trade Bridge was created precisely to solve it. Growing from the Inside Out, Step by Step Growth wasn’t immediate or easy. “The strap comes from the leather,” says Piña, and that philosophy guided every decision. First, one brand put its trust in them; then another; then yet ano- ther. “There was a lot of trial and error, always with the support of brands that to- day—20 years later—are still with us,” he acknowle- dges. That’s how they built their reputation: with re- sults, not promises. A Service that Leaves no Stone Unturned Today, Global Trade Bridge supports its partners from FDA registration to the last supermarket shelf. They have trademark at- torneys, in-house marke- ting teams, and a distribu- tion network that reaches across the entire U.S. “We’re involved in everything,” says Piña, “from major chains to the small grocery store in Upper Manhattan.” Game-Changing Information Many brands sell well, but they don’t know exactly to whom or where. Piña saw this and solved it: his com- pany shares open data with each partner on pricing, coverage, competition, and in-store presence. “We keep our books open with them,” he assures. That transparency builds trust and, above all, leads to better business decisions. The Latino Consumer has Already Changed Second- and third-genera- tion Hispanics in the U.S. don’t cook like their grand- mothers, but they still crave those flavors. “The young person who grew up here prefers to have the product served to them, but in a more convenient way,” exp- lains Piña. Frozen empanadas, re- ady-to-drink juices, tortillas ready to heat up: the mar- ket is evolving, and Glo- bal Trade Bridge has been anticipating this trend for years. Advice from Someone Who’s Been There For those who dream of ge- tting their brand onto U.S. store shelves, Piña has an honest message: “A lot of hard work and patience. You can make it here, but not overnight.” And he adds something he says with conviction: “I haven’t made it yet.” That humility, combined with 20 years of proven results, is perhaps the strongest ar- gument for entrusting your brand to him. Global Trade Bridge at the NSA Show On July 16 in New Jersey, Global Trade Bridge will be pre- sent at the National Supermarket Asso- ciation trade show. For Piña, this event is unique: “It’s the only trade show whe- re you can sell to and connect with 500 or 600 independent su- permarkets at once.” A business oppor- tunity that no La- tin American brand should miss. SPECIAL INSERT NSA SHOW 2026