Profitable industry

Tortillas may be a “food delivery vehicle” for consumers, but TIA describes them as a “results delivery vehicle” for the 381 tortilla businesses in the US tortilla industry today.

In the 52 weeks ending June 14, dollar sales in the fresh hard/soft tortillas/taco kits category increased nearly 6% to $2.28 billion over the prior 52-week period, while unit sales rose 4.6% to more than $1 billion, according to IRI. Setting the pace was Mission Foods, Inc., Dallas, a division of Gruma S.A.B. de C.V., Monterrey, Mexico. Mission Foods had dollar sales of $6.95 million, up almost 12% from a year ago, while unit sales increased nearly 11%, according to IRI. Joining Mission Foods and Gruma in the Top Five producing vendors were General Mills, Minneapolis, and Ole Mexican Foods Inc., Norcross, GA.

According to IRI, Santa Rosa-based La Tortilla Factory brands were in the Top 20 per the latest 52-week period. La Tortilla Factory hard/soft tortillas/taco kits sales increased more than 37% to more than $32 million, and the company’s Smart & Delicious hard/soft tortillas/taco kits posted dollar sales of $14.7 million.

Chicago-based Azteca Foods/Baja Trading Inc. refrigerated tortillas topped other vendors in the refrigerated tortilla category with dollar sales of $28.3 million, as reported by IRI.