Tag Archives: tortilla

Business, Food & Beverage

Mi Rancho® Celebrates 80 Years of Pure Tortilla Joy

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Third-Generation, Family-owned Tortilla Manufacturer Celebrates Eight Decades of Success Delivering High-Quality Tortilla Products for Customers Across the United States.

San Leandro, CA, USA — Mi Rancho® (http://www.mirancho.com), the Bay Area innovator in the production and global distribution of premium tortillas and Mexican foods, is celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2019. The family-owned tortilla company was started in 1939 in the back of an Oakland grocery store. In 1954, Robert Berber, Sr., and Robert Berber Jr., purchased the store and began to focus on making tortillas using traditional methods. Today, the third and fourth generation of Berbers continue to operate Mi Rancho, continuing to expand and prepare the company for continued success and growth.

After 80 years, Mi Rancho is producing more tortillas than ever and shipping a variety of organic, non-GMO and simply authentic flour and corn tortillas worldwide. Even though the company is producing more tortillas, the Berber family remains committed to age-old tortilla-making techniques and a philosophy of farm-to-table food production. Mi Rancho uses non-GMO, California-grown whole grain corn that is cooked, steeped, washed, and ground using an ancient Aztec process called nixtamalization. Mi Rancho continues to use traditional production methods such as nixtamalization to enhance the flavor and preserve the authenticity of its tortillas. For example, the corn masa is created by grinding the corn using hand-carved lava stones, just as tortillas have been produced for centuries. The company prides itself on their ability to combine old world authenticity and new world innovation to produce the premium and great tasting tortillas with efficiency, consistency and quality you can rely on.

While Mi Rancho continues to create tortillas in the time-honored way, the company also embraces innovation. Mi Rancho continues to work with retailers, restauranteurs, and industrial customers to meet their needs, and the evolving tastes of their customers. Mi Rancho also has an expanding research and development department that develops new products and works with new ingredients.

Mi Rancho has more than doubled in size over the past decade as they continue to cultivate new segments. After many years producing consistent, premium tortillas to discerning chefs, restaurants, and service outlets, Mi Rancho decided to expand further and make the same high-quality tortillas available to consumers in 2010. Today, Mi Rancho tortillas are stocked on grocery shelves across the United States. To keep up with the growing demand for Mi Rancho products, the company added a second manufacturing facility in Elk Grove, California, in 2018.

“We have seen Mi Rancho flourish since my grandfather started making tortillas on Seventh Street in Oakland. But no matter how we grow, we know that our success is rooted in our commitment to quality ingredients and traditional production methods to deliver a quality product,” said Manuel Berber, President of Mi Rancho. “Everyone who works for us is part of the Mi Rancho family so we all take personal pride in the company and its tortilla products.”

Manuel Berber has served as president of the company since 1992 and is the third generation to manage Mi Rancho. He is grooming his sons, Andrew and Alex, to take over as the fourth generation. Andrew Berber is currently working as Director of Business Development and Alex Berber is serving as Director of Foodservice Sales.

“We are extremely proud that Mi Rancho is celebrating 80 years of success as a family-owned company,” said Manuel Berber. “We have ambitious plans for the future, and I am confident that Andrew and Alex will continue the family tradition and our commitment to excellence for another 80 years.

Mi Rancho is already implementing plans for the next stage in the company’s growth. Over the next five years the company plans to build on its legacy of success with the introduction of new products and expansion into new markets.

For more information, visit Mi Rancho on the web at http://www.mirancho.com.

Contact:
Tom Woolf
Director of PR, Gumas Advertising
415-621-7575
twoolf@gumas.com

Business, Food & Beverage

Mi Rancho® Names Dennis Cole Director of Retail Sales

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Industry Veteran with 30 Years of Food Sales and Distribution Experience Selected to Expand Mi Rancho’s Retail Channel.

San Leandro, CA, USA — Mi Rancho® (http://www.mirancho.com), a Bay Area food innovator in the production and global distribution of tortillas and Mexican foods, today announced the appointment of Dennis Cole to the position of Director of Retail Sales. Cole will replace the retired Frank Palladino, who launched Mi Rancho’s retail expansion in 2010. Cole brings 30 years of retail sales and distribution experience to Mi Rancho, mostly in the food and grocery business, and will assume responsibility for Mi Rancho’s expanding retail sales channel.

Cole comes to Mi Rancho from Peet’s Coffee, where he served as Operations Manager – DSD/CPG Grocery Division. Over the past three decades, Cole has worked for a variety of name brands such as Pepsi Cola and Kraft Foods. He also has extensive experience in tortilla sales and distribution having managed retail sales for one of the largest tortilla suppliers in the United States.

“We are delighted to welcome Dennis to the Mi Rancho family,” said Manuel Berber, owner and President of Mi Rancho. “Dennis knows the tortilla business and has the expertise we need to build sales through retail outlets across California and the western US. His tenure in the business also means he has the contacts and expertise to help us expand to other regions when the time comes. Mi Rancho maintains a high standard, both in the quality of our products and in our business relationships, and we know Dennis has what it takes to open the right doors for the Mi Rancho brand.”

“When I was approached about the opportunity with Mi Rancho, I recognized the opportunity to promote an amazing product line,” said Cole. “The Berbers have a real passion for the business and for the quality of their tortillas, and I welcome the challenge of helping promote Mi Rancho as a premium tortilla brand up and down the west coast.”

Mi Rancho has been producing high-quality specialty foods since 1939 and has always used the finest ingredients and centuries-old production methods to make authentic tortillas.

About Mi Rancho
Mi Rancho® is an innovator in the specialty foods market specializing in tortillas and Mexican food products. Founded as a family-run Mexican bakery and grocery store in Oakland in 1939, Mi Rancho started to expand in the 1950s, providing tortillas to local restaurants. Today the company remains family owned and operated by the third generation of the Berber family, with plans of succession to the fourth generation currently working within the company. Mi Rancho produces 4.5 million tortillas each day or 1.3 billion tortillas each year, serving various segments including foodservice, retail, industrial, and international. Despite Mi Rancho’s growth, the company is still operated with a passion for excellence and a commitment to produce the best quality tortillas made from local California ingredients.

For more information, visit Mi Rancho on the web at http://www.mirancho.com.

Contact:
Tom Woolf
Director of PR, Gumas Advertising
415-621-7575
twoolf@gumas.com

Business, Food & Beverage

Tortilla Industry Association Inducts Mi Rancho®’s Robert Berber Jr. Into TIA Hall of Fame

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Late President of Mi Rancho Honored for Contribution to the Tortilla Industry.

San Leandro, CA, USA — Mi Rancho® (http://www.mirancho.com), a Bay Area food innovator in the production and global distribution of tortillas and Mexican foods, is pleased to announce that the late president of the company, Robert Berber Jr., has been inducted into the Tortilla Industry Association’s Hall of Fame. Berber, who passed away in January, was honored at the TIA’s 26th Annual Convention and Trade Expo held in Valley Center, California, last week.

Robert Berber Jr. was singled out for his legacy as a pioneer in the tortilla industry. Berber inherited the leadership of Mi Rancho from his father, Robert Berber Sr., who purchased the business in 1954 when it was an Oakland Mexican grocery store noted for making exceptional tortillas. Robert Berber Jr. assumed ownership of the store in 1974 and built Mi Rancho into a Bay Area tortilla brand noted for the superior quality and consistency of its food products, and the purity of its ingredients. Today, under the guidance of the current president, Manuel Berber, Mi Rancho has become a national brand.

“I am honored to accept the TIA’s Hall of Fame plaque on behalf of my grandfather,” said Alex Berber, Business Development Manager for Mi Rancho. “He was an extremely hard working man with a strong work ethic, treating every employee with respect and gratitude. His greatest pride was seeing the success my father, Manuel, has brought to Mi Rancho and knowing that my brother, Andrew, and I would one day run this company that he loved so much.”

Today Mi Rancho makes more than 1.3 billion tortillas each year. The company continues to make tortillas applying the same traditional methods used by Robert Berber Sr. and Robert Berber Jr. Mi Rancho’s corn tortillas are made from whole kernel corn that is carefully cooked and steeped with lime for up to 10-12 hours. The corn is then stone-ground with lava stones for a unique texture and flavor. Mi Rancho also uses local ingredients grown in California, and it offers organic, Non-GMO corn and flour tortillas.

About Mi Rancho
Mi Rancho® is an innovator in the specialty foods market specializing in tortillas and Mexican food products. Founded as a family-run Mexican bakery and grocery store in Oakland in 1939, Mi Rancho started to expand in the 1950s, providing tortillas to local restaurants. Today the company remains family owned and operated by the third generation of the Berber family, with plans of succession to the fourth generation currently working within the company. Mi Rancho produces 4.5 million tortillas each day or 1.3 billion tortillas each year, serving various segments including food service, retail, industrial, and international. Despite Mi Rancho’s growth, the company is still operated with a passion for excellence and a commitment to produce the best quality tortillas made from local California ingredients.

For more information, visit Mi Rancho on the web at http://www.mirancho.com.

Contact:
Tom Woolf
Director of PR, Gumas Advertising
415-621-7575
twoolf@gumas.com

Media

Mi Rancho® Announces Passing of Patriarch Robert Berber Jr.

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Bay Area Tortilla Company Now in Its Third Berber Generation with Ongoing Commitment to Founders’ Legacy of Traditional Methods, Food Purity and Quality.

San Leandro, CA, USA — Mi Rancho® (http://www.mirancho.com), a Bay Area food innovator in the production and global distribution of tortillas and Mexican foods, today announced the passing of Robert Berber Jr. after losing his battle with cancer. Robert Berber Jr. leaves a legacy as a successful businessman and philanthropist as well as a family company, Mi Rancho, which has become a national brand. Mi Rancho is now managed by Robert’s son, Manuel Berber, who has served as president of the company since 1992.

Robert Berber Jr. is responsible for building Mi Rancho into the company it is today, manufacturing more than 1.3 billion tortillas each year. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Robert Berber Jr. moved to the Bay Area where in 1954 he and his father, Robert Berber Sr. purchased an Oakland Mexican grocery and panaderia noted for making delicious corn and flour tortillas and breads. Robert assumed sole ownership of the store in 1974 and through hard work and vision built Mi Rancho into a national tortilla brand that is respected for its quality, consistency and purity of ingredients.

The traditional methods of making tortillas used by Robert Berber Sr. and Robert Berber Jr. are still the foundation for the making of Mi Rancho products. Mi Rancho’s corn tortillas are made from whole kernel corn that is carefully cooked and steeped with lime for up to 10 hours. The corn is then stone-ground with lava stones for a unique texture and flavor. Mi Rancho also uses local ingredients grown in California, and it offers organic, non-GMO corn and flour tortillas.

“My father will be sorely missed by the Mi Rancho family and in the community,” said Manuel Berber, owner and President of Mi Rancho. “However, we intend to keep his legacy alive by continuing to use the same time-honored methods and whole ingredients we have used for the past 60 years, when my father and grandfather established the family business. We will continue to maintain our commitment to superior quality and exquisite taste as the company passes into the hands of my two sons, the fourth generation of Berbers.”

Robert Berber Jr. also was an active participant in the Bay Area community. He served on the Board of Directors for City Center Federal Savings, was active in the Orinda Rotary Club, and delivered food to those in need through Meals on Wheels. He also established a scholarship for underserved families at his alma mater, Cathedral High School in Los Angeles.

The Berber family has requested that those who wish to honor Robert Berber Jr.’s memory do so by making a donation to the John Muir Health Foundation, 1400 Treat Blvd., Walnut Creek, CA 94597 or online: https://www.johnmuirhealth.com/secure/make-a-donation.html.

About Mi Rancho
Mi Rancho® is an innovator in the specialty foods market specializing in tortillas and Mexican food products. Founded as a family-run Mexican bakery and grocery store in Oakland in 1939, Mi Rancho started to expand in the 1950s, providing tortillas to local restaurants. Today the company is now in its third generation and is still family owned and operated. Mi Rancho produces 4.5 million tortillas each day or 1.3 billion tortillas each year, serving various segments including food service, retail, industrial, and international. Despite Mi Rancho’s growth, the company is still operated with a passion for excellence and a commitment to produce the best quality tortillas made from local California ingredients.

For more information, visit Mi Rancho on the web at http://www.mirancho.com.

Photos available

Contact:
Tom Woolf
Director of PR, Gumas Advertising
415-621-7575
twoolf@gumas.com

Business

Mi Rancho(R) Names Joe Trummer as Head of Research and Development

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Culinary Innovator Brings Expertise from Fortune 500 Food Brands to Enhance Mi Rancho’s Tortilla Business.

San Leandro, CA, USA (March 4, 2015) — Mi Rancho®, a Bay Area leader in the production and global distribution of tortillas and Mexican foods, announced the appointment of Joe Trummer to the position of Director of Research and Development. In his new role, Trummer will be responsible for new product innovation, process optimization, margin enhancement and renovation projects.

Trummer has more than 20 years of experience in the food industry including both new product development and food service operations. In his new position, Trummer will add a commercialization process, culinary and food science discipline and infrastructure to the R&D department to help build a sustainable pipeline of new innovations. He will also be responsible for refining Mi Rancho’s existing products to meet the changing needs of food service, retail grocers, and industrial customers with a particular focus on clean label and organic tortillas.

“I am thrilled to have Joe join the Mi Rancho family,” said Fernando Alvear, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Mi Rancho. “He brings the leadership, skills, and knowledge that we need to take the company to the next level. Joe has a solid technical background and does a great job building long-lasting business relationships with customers and cross-functional partners. He is a real team player and we are glad to have him on our team.”

Prior to joining Mi Rancho, Trummer was Director of Research and Development for Aryzta responsible for new product innovation and product renovation for brands such as Otis Spunkmeyer and La Brea. Trummer also has a long professional history with Sara Lee, where he held a variety of bakery management positions, as well as the Kellogg Company. Trummer began his career as a pastry chef and chocolatier working at landmark San Francisco restaurants Campton Place and Palio d’Asti. In addition, he served as a Chef’s Council Consultant for the Center for Culinary Development in San Francisco.

“I am excited to be part of the Mi Rancho family bringing new innovation to a rapidly growing market,” said Joe. “Everyone has been extremely welcoming and I look forward to working with all team members to help sustain Mi Rancho as a leader of premium tortillas.”

Trummer holds a Culinary Degree from the French Culinary Institute in New York, a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor of Science from Michigan State University.

About Mi Rancho
Mi Rancho® is an innovator in the specialty foods market specializing in tortillas and Mexican food products. Founded as a family-run Mexican bakery and grocery store in Oakland in 1939, Mi Rancho started to expand in the 1950s, providing tortillas to local restaurants. Today the company is now in its third generation and is still family owned and operated. Mi Rancho produces 4.5 million tortillas each day or 1.3 billion tortillas each year with international distribution. Despite Mi Rancho’s growth, the company is still operated with a passion for excellence and a commitment to produce the best quality tortillas made from local California ingredients.

For more information, visit Mi Rancho on the web at http://www.mirancho.com.

Contact:
Tom Woolf, Director of PR
Gumas Advertising
415-621-7575
twoolf@gumas.com