Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery - December 2008 - (Page 12)

Albuquerque Tortilla Co. recently opened an 85,000-sq.-ft. food processing plant that allows the company to produce a wide variety of New Mexican heat-and-eat snacks and meals. Continued from page 10 not just a tortilla company anymore,’” Chris recalls. And the company’s new slogan was born on the spot. “I said, ‘We aren’t because we are doing so many other different items and so many other things as well,’” Chris says. “I still think there is room for us to grow in the tortilla market.” Today, Albuquerque Tortilla Co.’s frozen food sales include its top-selling tamale, burritos, enchilidas and other New Mexican-style foods as well as salsa, spices, chile sauces, seasoned meat and other items to make a meal from scratch. In many of the frozen entree offerings, tortillas are featured as the main component or even as the centerpiece of the entree. Presently, prepared foods account for nearly 35% of total sales for the company, but Chris expects that share will grow, especially as it ramps up production in its new 85,000-sq.-ft. operation. “Prepared foods seem to be the biggest growing category for Albuquerque Tortilla Co.,” he explains. “With most households being supported by two or more, there is less time to spend giving your family a home-cooked meal. That is one piece of the business that we are focusing on, including healthier lines and [new] packaging that allows prepared meals to either be microwaveable or warmed through a conventional oven.” Its Carne Adovada, for instance, is a “heat-and-eat” pork and cheese burrito made with a red chile sauce while the microwaveable breakfast burrito comes with green or red chiles. “We are currently producing pork and chicken tamales, individually wrapped burritos, enchilada trays including a club pack, chile rellenos and our staples of red and green chiles,” Chris explains. “With these lines, we are currently producing more than 30 line items in various sizes and ﬂavors.” Most of the new products come from authentic New Mexican recipes developed by the Martinez family and reﬁned through feedback from employees eating at the company’s cafeteria and consumers who dine at test kitchens that actually sell to the public. The moderately priced entrees are made with real pork, chicken, beef, beans or cheese. “We are pledging to the consumer that we will offer the highest quality ingredients, [and] the least amount of additives, ﬁllers and preservatives in order to bring the most authentic meals to your table,” Chris says. “I feel this gives us an advantage because we are not trying to be the largest manufacturer in the Hispanic food industry, but only striving to be the best.” Moreover, he notes, the frozen meals offer a value-added proposition, especially for consumers with hearty appetites. “I’m really conﬁdent that our taquitos, for example, will be a really strong item Continued on page 14 12 Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery - DECEMBER 2008 www.snackandbakery.com Photo courtesy of Albuquerque Tortilla Co. http://www.snackandbakery.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery - December 2008

Snack Food &�Wholesale Bakery - December 2008 Contents Editor’s Note Now, That’s Haute! Bigger ‘n’ Better But Is It Art? New Products Branching Out Engineering Management Fits to a T Racing to the Finish The Final Word

Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery - December 2008

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