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Two decades ago, two brothers sold their first handmade, authentic Mexican paletas from a pushcart in California. Today, they have built a growing company and established themselves in the frozen novelty items industry. The secret to their success? Fresh cream, fresh fruit, cane sugar and dried fruits and nuts.
For over 20 years, Tropicale Foods, the leading manufacturer of authentic Hispanic-inspired frozen novelty treats under the Helados Mexico and La Michoacana brands, has been serving up delicious Mexican frozen treats, becoming the no. 1 Hispanic Frozen Novelty Company in the U.S. The company recently announced its expansion into Lubbock, Texas.
“We are very excited about the new facility and are grateful to the town of Lubbock for welcoming us into the community. This factory will support the production and distribution capabilities needed to excite and delight our customers and consumers all over the country for years to come,” said Steven Schiller, CEO of Tropicale Foods.
Due to its continued growth, Tropicale is investing $66.8 million into the Lubbock economy through building renovations and retrofitting in addition to the creation of over 500 jobs. The company will be expanding into an already existing 227,00-square-foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Construction on the facility renovations is underway and the company projects production to begin in the second quarter of 2023. The renovation of the former food manufacturing facility is welcomed by the community, including the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance (LEDA) as a significant boost to the local economy and workforce. In fact, the factory has already began hiring for positions such as the Corporate Project Process Engineer.
The facility will manufacture a variety of Tropicale Foods’ products, both under the Helados Mexico and La Michoacana brands, including consumer favorites such as Fruit and Cream Paletas.
John Osborne, CEO and president of LEDA, is pleased with the developments taking place across the city that are creating opportunities for good paying jobs for the citizens of Lubbock.
“This sweet announcement comes at an exciting time of continued growth across the “Hub City,” said Osborne. “With the investments being made not only into our local economy, but also our food production industry, Lubbock continues to establish itself as a reputable location for CEOs and working professionals to consider when looking to relocate or expand their operations into a pro-business community.”