El Monterey

Ruiz Foods, Inc. is a food processing company that specializes in the production of frozen Mexican foods. The company is based in California in the U.S. and manufactures around 200 varieties of enchiladas, burritos, taquitos, chimichangas, and tamales.

History
The history of Ruiz Foods, Inc. dates back to the 1950s, when Louis Ruiz, the founder of the company, opened a small grocery store in California. During the Second World War, he left his business to serve his country. After the war, he opened a small clothing store to sell sweaters. During this period, Mexican food was becoming very popular among Californians. So, Ruiz started a tortilla business with his four brothers, though the business would later close.  In 1960, he started to deliver groceries to the San Joaquin Valley. He was helped by his son, Fred.

In 1964, he once again attempted to start a Mexican food business.  The company’s first products were manufactured in his garage with the help of his family. The use of beans instead of meat in the enchiladas gave it a different taste, and the company became quite popular. In 1967, he bought a manufacturing plant with a large freezer to keep his products. The idea was to provide delicious frozen Mexican food, and thus Ruiz Food Products was born.  Initially, the company had 5 employees.  The products themselves were sold under the name El Monterey.

Ruiz started selling hot tamales, which became a hit among customers. It also introduced meat enchiladas. By 1975, the sales of the company reached $500,000. A new manufacturing plant was opened in Tulare in 1977, when the sales peaked to $700,000. With this, Ruiz decided to export his products to other parts of the U.S. The production capacity was increased and more employees were hired. By 1983, sales reached $15 million. Two new production facilities were built, one in Dinuba, California and one in Denison, Texas.

In 1996, Ricardo Alverez became the President of the company and implemented new measures to increase sales, including the introduction of stuffed wraps. In 1999, annual sales hit $100 million. Over the next few years, the company focused on expanding its business internationally. The year 2000 saw the expansion of the production facility in Dinuba. Later, Alvarez resigned and Bryce Ruiz became President and CEO. During his time, the sales of the company reached $500 million.

Stats
Company headquarters: 501 South Alta Avenue, Dinuba, CA, USA
Ownership: Private
Annual revenue: $212 million
Number of employees: 2500
Geography: United States and 20 other countries.
Demography: Natural and Organic

Brands
El Monterey

Important Links
Corporate Home Page
Products
Jobs and Careers
Management
Store Locations
Contact Information