Industry brief

News for tortilla manufacturers & suppliers

Plants, M&A, ingredients, equipment — no recipes. A scannable trade feed for plant ops, suppliers, and buyers.

Plants & People

Belvidere's Raíces Tortilleria Factory cuts its hours to remodel a new space amid strong weekend demand

Raíces Tortilleria Factory in Belvidere, Ill., makes up to 1,000 pounds of tortillas on its busiest weekend days, MyStateline reported Oct. 14. The family shop, owned by Rosa Ochoa, plans to move into a new building next summer, the station reported. The shop's own posts say the new space, next to Ochoa Income Tax Service, is being remodeled and has no official opening date, and the shop has cut back to Friday-through-Sunday hours during the work.

Source: MyStateline (WTVO); Raíces Tortilleria Factory
Companies: Raíces Tortilleria Factory
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Plants & People

Jesse's Tortilla Factory in Waco, open since 1958, is still run by the founders' family

Jesse's Tortilla Factory in Waco, Texas, opened in 1958 by Jesse and Esther Contreras, is managed today by their grandson, Santos Rodriguez Jr., KWKT FOX 44 reported Oct. 14. Rodriguez told the station the plant makes about 45,000 corn tortillas a day, and the company says it supplies about 35 area restaurants.

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Plants & People

Marquez Bakery in Arlington, Texas, runs a flour tortilla factory alongside its panadería and restaurant

Marquez Bakery, opened in 1990 by Jose Marquez as a small storefront in Arlington, Texas, now includes a panadería, a flour tortilla factory and a restaurant, the City of Arlington said in an Oct. 14 profile. His daughters have run it for more than 25 years since his death.

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Plants & People

Vermont Tortilla Company is making organic corn tortillas again, now in Essex, Vt., under new owners

Vermont Tortilla Company, a small organic corn tortilla maker bought in June 2025 by Leyland Papa and Lindsey West, is back in production at a new facility at 30 Boston Court in Essex, Vt., after about a year without a plant. Papa told Seven Days that sales are running at about half of what they were when the pair bought the business.

Source: Seven Days; Vermont Tortilla Company
Companies: Vermont Tortilla Company
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Commodities

December corn settles at $4.48 3/4, its lowest close since July, with the harvest 60% done

CBOT December 2026 corn settled at 448.75 cents a bushel on Tuesday, Oct. 27, down 6.25 cents and its lowest close since July, according to USDA AMS and Total Farm Marketing. USDA says 60% of the U.S. corn crop was harvested as of Oct. 25, 6 points behind the five-year average.

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Plants & People

Gruma says U.S. share is recovering but widens its 2026 U.S. margin decline as foodservice lags

On its Oct. 22 call, Gruma said U.S. foodservice volume fell about 17% in the third quarter and should stabilize sometime in the fourth, later than planned. Its U.S. retail share rose to 59.6% from 58.0%, it now expects a 250 basis point drop in 2026 U.S. EBITDA margin, and about 70% of its 2027 corn is hedged.

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Plants & People

Gruma reports 3Q26 results; U.S. volume falls 4% as foodservice stays weak

Gruma's third-quarter 2026 net sales rose 1% to US$1,650.6 million, but adjusted EBITDA fell 4% to US$280.3 million and volume slipped 2% to 1,072 thousand metric tons. Gruma USA volume fell 4% to 372 thousand tons and its adjusted EBITDA fell 19%, with weak foodservice demand partly offset by private-label retail.

Source: GRUMA
Companies: GRUMA, Mission Foods
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Commodities

Guerrero tortilla makers move price decision to December as out-of-state corn costs climb

Follow-up: Guerrero's masa-and-tortilla trade group now says it will decide in December whether to raise tortilla prices, after saying in early October that it would hold them through year-end. Members are buying corn from Sinaloa, Jalisco and Michoacán at up to MX$10,500 a ton and have asked the state for a corn-purchase subsidy, En Primer Plano reported.

Source: En Primer Plano
Companies: Industriales de la Masa y la Tortilla de Guerrero
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Plants & People

Meriden, Conn., planners receive bid to turn Hanover Street glass shop into tortilla maker

Meriden's Planning Commission took in an application Oct. 14 to change the use of 109 Hanover St. from glass manufacturing to tortilla manufacturing in the city's TOD-Hanover zone, according to the meeting agenda as reported by Patch. The applicant, scale and timeline have not been made public.

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Plants & People

La Tapatia moves its Fresno factory store to H Street after high-speed rail work hits sales

Fresno tortilla maker La Tapatia Tortilleria relocated its retail outlet in late September from Belmont Avenue to 403 N. H St. after California high-speed rail construction cut into store sales, The Fresno Bee reported. The company's tortilla and chip plants are not moving.

Source: The Fresno Bee
Companies: La Tapatia Tortilleria
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Shows

TIA adds hands-on tortilla production course to 2027 Las Vegas convention

For the first time, the Tortilla Industry Association will run its Hands On Tortilla Production Training alongside its annual convention, May 26–29, 2027, at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. The $795 tuition, the same as the stand-alone course, includes a full convention pass.

Source: TIA Industry Report / tortilla-info.com
Companies: Tortilla Industry Association
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Plants & People

Gruma's Delicias, Chihuahua, plant site is earmarked for tortillas, tostadas and chips, state decree shows

Gruma's Mission Foods México bought a 5-hectare state-owned site in Delicias, Chihuahua, that Chihuahua's Congress restricted to a plant making tortillas, tostadas, totopos and baked goods. Delicias' mayor said in August 2026 that Gruma will invest about US$79 million, hire roughly 500 people and export the output to the U.S. Gruma has not published its own details.

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Commodities

December corn slides to $4.67, down nearly 14 cents in three sessions

CBOT December 2026 corn settled at 467.00¢/bu on Oct. 19, down from 480.75¢ on Oct. 14 and 474.25¢ on Oct. 16, according to USDA AMS grain reports. Central Illinois country elevators averaged $4.37 cash.

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Regulation

Holsum de Puerto Rico spinach tortilla recall classified Class II for undeclared colors

FDA classified Holsum De Puerto Rico's recall of Holsum Spinach Flour Tortillas Large (8 ct, 20 oz) as Class II on Oct. 14, 2026. The label left out FD&C Blue No. 1 and FD&C Yellow No. 5. About 9,602 units in nine lots went to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Source: FDA Enforcement Report
Companies: Holsum De Puerto Rico
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Plants & People

Brazil's Castrolanda gets go-ahead to build corn tortilla plant in Castro

Paraná's environmental agency, the Instituto Água e Terra (IAT), issued Castrolanda Cooperativa Agroindustrial an installation license that lets construction start on a corn tortilla unit in Castro, Brazil. The plant belongs to Castrolanda's R$500 million 2026 investment program, its largest ever.

Source: BNT Online
Companies: Castrolanda Cooperativa Agroindustrial
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Products

La Tortilla Factory's protein, sourdough tortillas not yet made in-house, CEO says

La Tortilla Factory, which launched refrigerated Protein and Sourdough tortillas at Walmart in April, is not yet producing them internally. Insignia International CEO Jason Parasco told Commercial Baking the lines took nearly a year of trials and are being kept out of in-house production to limit risk until demand is proven.

Source: Commercial Baking
Companies: Insignia International, La Tortilla Factory
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Regulation

FDA final rule lets makers swap salt substitutes into standardized foods

FDA on Oct. 9 issued a final rule permitting “safe and suitable” salt substitutes in foods whose federal standards of identity list salt as a required or optional ingredient. The rule amends 80 standards directly and, through cross-references, opens 139 in total, including bread, rolls and buns, self-rising flour and self-rising white corn meal, many cheeses, sour cream, mayonnaise, salad dressing and catsup. It names no specific substitutes, adds no new labeling requirements and is voluntary. The rule is scheduled to publish in the Federal Register Oct. 13 and takes effect 60 days after publication. Docket FDA-2022-N-2226.

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Companies: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
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Commodities

Mexican tortillerías hold prices as flour and corn costs bite in Sinaloa and Guerrero

Following our Puebla–Morelos roundup, regional masa-and-tortilla groups report fresh cost pressure. In Sinaloa, the industrialists' federation says flour rose MX$450/t in February, sales are down as much as 30%, and 42 tortillerías closed (11 since reopened); the group is seeking federal/state help to hold the kilo near MX$29. In Guerrero, drought cut local maize output by as much as 60%, pushing Costa Chica corn to MX$9,000–10,000/t from MX$6,500–7,000 and forcing purchases from Sinaloa, Jalisco and Michoacán at about 30% more; industrialists say they will hold prices through year-end. In Chiapas, where nearly all shops run on flour, the group says flour suppliers have not raised prices and the kilo holds at MX$18–25.

Source: El Sol de Chilpancingo
Companies: Federación de Industriales de la Masa y la Tortilla (Sinaloa), Industriales de la Masa y la Tortilla de Guerrero, Industriales de la Masa y la Tortilla “Somos Chiapas”
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Products

East L.A.'s La Reina revives its brand with rolled tortilla chips

La Reina, founded in East L.A. in 1958 by Bracero Program veteran Mauro Robles, will bring its brand back in late October with gluten-free rolled tortilla chips in chile lime and elote flavors, The Eastsider reports. Chief growth officer Mauro Gomez, Robles' grandson, says the flavors were inspired by street-vendor ingredients. The brand left shelves in the late 1980s–early '90s, but the factory kept making private-label tortillas. La Reina acquired Anita's Mexican Foods in 1978 and employs about 300 people across two locations. The chips launch online, at farmers' markets and at East L.A. retailers.

Source: The Eastsider
Companies: La Reina, Anita's Mexican Foods
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Commodities

December corn holds under $5 ahead of Oct. 9 WASDE

Broker desk Walsh Trading (Oct 2) said December ’26 corn settled at 497.75¢/bu (−5), closing under 500¢ after a 502.25 high that session. WSJ market data shows the Oct 5 settle at 497.25¢. USDA’s October WASDE is due Friday, Oct 9. Weekly commodities note for tortilla/masa cost readers; Walsh is broker commentary (solicitation), not research.

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Plants & People

India's Chatha Foods starts up 16,000-tonne Punjab plant with tortilla and wrap lines

Chatha Foods Limited says commercial production has begun at CFL Unit II in Village Toffanpur, Dera Bassi (SAS Nagar), Punjab. The 3.5-acre, fully automated vegetarian plant has 16,000 metric tonnes of installed annual capacity across all categories (tortilla share not disclosed). Lines cover cold-pressed breads (tortillas, roti canai, roti and kathi-roll wraps, Malabari parathas), retort cooking bases, and formed/coated snacks with IQF/blast freezing. Output serves its Unifayre brand plus QSR, HoReCa, institutional and private-label customers in India and abroad, per the company release.

Source: Chatha Foods (PR Newswire)
Companies: Chatha Foods Limited, Unifayre, Allana Group
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Plants & People

Denver chefs scale in-house masa: La Diabla’s Ocho Hileras and Alma group plans

Rocky Mountain PBS (Oct 5) profiles Denver’s scratch-corn push. Jose Avila (La Diabla) plans tortillería Ocho Hileras on an adjacent property, telling RMPBS it would produce more than 3,000 tortillas per hour versus ~1,300/day in-house now. Johnny Curiel’s Alma group plans its own tortillería to control masa for its Michelin-recognized concepts; small molinos (Don Zorros, Dos Caras) already supply chefs. Foodservice-adjacent craft capacity, not a wholesale plant deal.

Source: Rocky Mountain PBS
Companies: La Diabla, Ocho Hileras, Fonda Fina Hospitality, Don Zorros Molino, Dos Caras, Raquelitas
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Equipment & Packaging

Reser’s Don Pancho West cuts electricity ~20% with CO₂ refrigeration and compressed-air upgrades

Reser’s Fine Foods completed refrigeration and compressed-air energy projects at its ~300,000-sq-ft Don Pancho West tortilla plant in Salem, Ore., with Energy Trust of Oregon. Company figures: >20% electricity cut (~1.9 million kWh/yr), 8% lower facility emissions; CO₂ central refrigeration ~41% less power vs. modeled baseline and 114% more capacity; VSD compressor/dryer ~44% less power.

Source: Reser’s Fine Foods
Companies: Reser’s Fine Foods, Don Pancho, Energy Trust of Oregon
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Commodities

USDA FAS: Mexico MY 2026/27 corn output down, imports up — U.S. stays main supplier

USDA FAS GAIN MX2026-0045 (Sep 23, 2026) forecasts Mexico MY 2026/27 corn production near 24.5 MMT (~2% lower y/y) on weak profitability, high inputs, and erratic weather, with corn imports near 26.8 MMT and total corn use ~52.4 MMT. U.S. remains the dominant origin; 2025/26 import mix was ~98% yellow / ~2% white. Text-only commodities brief for U.S. export and masa/tortilla readers.

Source: USDA FAS
Companies: USDA FAS
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Products

Mission Foods adds Protein and Grain Free tortilla-style chips in four varieties

Mission Foods (Gruma) launched Better-for-You Mission Protein Tortilla Style Chips (Chile Limón, Jalapeño; 10 g plant protein/serving, GF, vegan) and Mission Grain Free Tortilla Style Chips (Sea Salt, Hint of Lime; cassava flour, chia, avocado oil; good source of fiber, non-GMO). National at Kroger and affiliates now, wider retail through fall 2026.

Source: Mission Foods
Companies: Mission Foods, GRUMA
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Equipment & Packaging

Tortillas Nagual adds second UR3e cobot for corn-tortilla carton insert pack-off

Spanish corn-tortilla maker Tortillas Nagual (Barberà del Vallès) installed a second Universal Robots UR3e collaborative robot on its packaging line for pick-and-place cartoncillos (carton inserts). Integrator ATX Robotics (Grupo Aritex) supplied a dual vacuum gripper and stack columns adaptable across eight corn-tortilla SKUs. Company cites 21.07 million tortillas in 2025 and 36 employees; Generalitat subsidy supported the project.

Source: Tortillas Nagual
Companies: Tortillas Nagual, Universal Robots, ATX Robotics
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Equipment & Packaging

Coveris takes nylon-free PolyFlex Thermoform into flatbreads with 12-week shelf life

Coveris launched PolyFlex Thermoform, a recycle-ready, nylon-free high-barrier thermoform pack developed with Signature Flatbreads and Al'Fez. It is live on three Al'Fez flatbread SKUs in UK and EU retail, including Turkish-style flame-baked mini flatbreads. The structure pairs a monomaterial PE base web with a PE/PP lidding film. Coveris says it validated a 12-week shelf life and consistent performance on existing packing lines. It's recyclable today through UK front-of-store soft-plastics collection and is positioned for UK pEPR, Simpler Recycling and EU PPWR.

Source: Coveris
Companies: Coveris, Signature Flatbreads, Al'Fez
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Plants & People

Mission Foods Pueblo plant watch: first layoffs set for Oct. 13

Gruma subsidiary Mission Foods’ Pueblo, Colo., tortilla plant remains on a permanent-closure path after manufacturing stopped Aug. 14. Food Processing (Aug 18), citing WARN and local reports, says first layoffs are set for Oct. 13, 2026, affecting about 90 employees, with pay and benefits continuing through the facility close. Framed as a workforce watch roughly two weeks before the first separation date.

Source: Food Processing
Companies: Mission Foods, GRUMA
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Regulation

New Jersey signs Fortifying Corn Masa Act; flour mandate joins California path

Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed S-4193/A-5119, the Fortifying Corn Masa Act, on Sep. 28, 2026. Bill text sets corn masa flour at 0.7 mg folic acid per pound within one year of the effective date (act takes effect immediately). Wet corn masa language is permissive: it may contain 0.4 mg/lb. Snack foods are exempt. Angle for masa mills, plants, and co-packers shipping into New Jersey: SKU, COA, and labeling readiness as another large-market mandate stacks on California (and Alabama per prior TN coverage).

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Commodities

White-maize squeeze lifts tortilla prices in Puebla and Morelos

Puebla-region masa/tortilla industrialists say April–May harvest reserves are largely gone and private white maize jumped about 29.7% in roughly a month (≈MX$7,400 to MX$9,600/t), with tortilla averages near MX$18/kg and room for MX$19–20 in Puebla/Amozoc. In Morelos, the sector council ties drought scarcity to maize near MX$9,000/t and some shops at MX$30/kg (to MX$32 with delivery). SADER still says inventories are adequate. Framed for U.S. trade readers as white-maize cost context.

Source: Cholula Digital
Companies: SADER, Cámara Masa y Tortilla Puebla-Tlaxcala-Veracruz, Consejo de la Masa y la Tortilla Morelos
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This week in tortillas

Plant

Mission Foods closing Pueblo tortilla plant

WARN filing; ~90 jobs; full close set for mid-October.

 Regulation

California folic acid rule for corn tortillas

Multi-state cascade and plant labeling implications.

 Equipment

PACK EXPO preview for film & coding

Chicago Oct. 18–21 walk list for tortilla plants.