ORANGE, Calif. — Utz Quality Foods is partnering with Herdez to bring more Mexican snacks to the United States.
Utz will manufacture, market and distribute several varieties of Herdez products, including regular, chili lime and hot and spicy pork rinds, and white, yellow and blue corn tortilla chips.
The agreement between Utz and MegaMex Foods—a joint venture between Hormel Foods and Mexico City-based Herdez del Fuerte—was effective July 22.
"The vision of MegaMex Foods is to bring the spirit of Mexico to every table," said Ryan Michaelis, president and CEO of MegaMex Foods. "Our licensing agreement with Utz Quality Foods will create unique and authentic Herdez branded snack foods available to U.S. consumers; this is yet another step forward in making this vision a reality."
MegaMex Foods and Utz formed a master distributor agreement in 2018 for the distribution of Chi-Chi’s tortilla chips and Chi-Chi’s and Herdez salsas and dips across Utz’s markets.
Orange, Calif.-based MegaMex Foods is a provider of many leading Mexican food brands in the United States in the retail, foodservice and convenience-store channels. Its brands include Herdez, Don Miguel, La Victoria, Embasa and Wholly Guacamole.
Hanover, Pa.-based Utz was founded in 1921. The family-managed, privately held salty-snack company produces products including chips, pretzels, cheese snacks, corn chips, tortillas, veggie straws, popcorn and more. Its products are distributed nationally and internationally in grocery, mass merchant, club, drug and convenience stores.
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