Milling & Baking News - June 14, 2022 - 26

TUES | 06 14 2022
Sweet and street
Tortilla category sees street taco options expand, Hawaiian flavors debut
T
he bread category has seen a number
of companies introduce their
takes on the sweet Hawaiian flavor
profile in recent years. Now it's time
for the tortilla category to say " Aloha. "
Mission Foods, Inc., the Irving, Texas-based
subsidiary of Gruma Corp.,
recently expanded its street tacos portfolio
with the launch of sweet Hawaiian
flour tortillas. The 4.5-inch tortillas are
part of Mission's " super soft " line and
come in a 10-count package.
" Why should bread have all the fun? "
Mission said in promotions for the new
product. " Our new sweet Hawaiian
street tacos pack big island flavor
in a small street taco size.
These tasty flour tortillas are
perfectly sweet and super
soft. Try with some pulled
pork and pineapple for a tropical-twist
on taco night. Bring
a little aloha to your table
tonight. "
The sweet Hawaiian tortillas
contain 140 calories, 4
grams of protein, 26 grams
of carbohydrates, 3.5 grams of
fat and 360 mg of sodium per
two-tortilla serving.
Mission Foods will be
hoping the new tortillas can
reverse some declining volume
trends in the category.
With dollar sales of $1.3 billion
and unit sales of 397 million in
the 52 weeks ended May 15,
Mission is the largest manufacturer
in the hard/soft
tortillas/taco kits category
tracked by IRI, a Chicago-based
26
MILLING & BAKING NEWS
market research firm. While dollar
sales at Mission were up nearly 5% in the
period, unit sales were down 2.1%, which
contributed to an overall volume decline
of 3.4% in the hard/soft tortillas/taco kits
category, according to IRI.
Adolfo Fritz, investor relations officer
at Gruma, said during an April 21 conference
call with analysts that retail tortilla
sales have maintained strong momentum
since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,
buoyed in large part to demand
for the company's " better-for-you " tortillas,
specifically gluten-free and Carb
Balance product lines.
Street tacos also were at the core
of a new product launch at Orange,
Calif.-based Chi-Chi's. Part of MexaMex
Foods, Chi-Chi's late last year debuted
street taco-style tortillas in 10-count
packages at a suggested retail price of
$1.59 at major supermarkets in the eastern
United States.
" Perfectly portioned to hold all your
favorite fillings, our new Chi-Chi's street
taco-style tortillas offer the versatility
and deliciousness of our beloved ChiChi's
flour tortillas in a compact size
just like the trendy taquerias and taco
trucks, " said Selena Husted, associate
brand manager of the Chi-Chi's brand.
Ms. Husted said the street taco-style
tortillas are perfect for on-the-go snacking,
school lunches, appetizers and
for experimenting in the kitchen with
children.
" Because they are only 4.5 inches,
they're also a great option for
health-conscious individuals looking to
enjoy tacos with smaller portion sizes, "
Ms. Husted said.
La Banderita, the No. 4 ranked hard/
soft tortillas/taco kit brand with dollar
sales of $305.6 million in the 52 weeks
ended May 15, according to IRI, introduced
the first zero net carb tortilla last
summer. Manufactured by Norcross,
Ga.-based Ole Mexican Foods, La Banderita
Carb Counter street tacos feature 20
calories and 5 grams of fiber per one-tortilla
serving, but they contain no sugar,
carbohydrates, cholesterol or trans fat,
according to the company.
Meanwhile, a new take on the street
taco tortilla is taking place at Sana
Foods, Los Angeles. The plant-based
gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free
packaged food company earlier this
year partnered with Sprouts Farmers
Market to introduce Sana street taco
tortillas, which the company said is the
first-ever street taco-sized grain-free
tortilla on the market.
The new street taco tortillas are made
from organic coconut flour and contain
120 calories, 8 grams of fiber, 3 grams of
fat and 3 grams of protein per four tortilla
serving.
" There has been a lot of progress in
the market for ingredient substitutes
for tacos - vegan cheeses, meatless
proteins and more, " said Camille Gibson,
chief executive officer of Sana
Foods. " What's been missing is a tortilla
that is free of gluten and grains, that
doesn't fall apart and tastes great when
loaded with the other good stuff. We
are excited to be the industry leader in
this space, providing consumers with a
healthy option that truly allows them to
enjoy taco night. " MBN
- Eric Schroeder
bakingbusiness.com
TORTILLA update
©FAHRWASSER - STOCK.ADOBE.COM, MISSION FOODS, MEXAMEX FOODS, LA BANDERITA AND SANA FOODS
http://www.bakingbusiness.com
Milling & Baking News - June 14, 2022

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