Industry Food Founder Robert Sanchez, Sr. Owner Sanchez family Founded 1924 | Predecessor R. Sanchez & Co. Key people Robert Sanchez, Jr. Headquarters San Francisco Type of business Privately held company | |
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Products Mexican-style sauces and tortilla chips | ||
Casa Sanchez is a Mexican-style salsa and tortilla chip company based in San Francisco, California. Beginning in the 1920s as a tortilla manufacturer in the Mission District of San Francisco, then evolving into a salsa company in the 1960s. Casa Sanchez has grown to become one of the leaders in the Mexican-style snacks market.
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Original company
Roberto and Isabel Sanchez, from Acaponeta, Mexico, came to San Francisco in 1923. The family established one of the first mechanized tortilla factories in Northern California, then named R. Sanchez & Co. Tortillas were sold by the pound and wrapped in paper and string. They had three children. After Roberto's death, his children took over the business along with their mother when they were 9, 10, and 11 years old. As other tortilla factories popped up in San Francisco's Mission District, Robert and Martha Sanchez decided to manufacture the first fresh packaged salsa in the country.
Later developments
Casa Sanchez is one of the highest selling salsas in California based on Neilson reports and are a San Francisco staple. The company’s logo is a drawing called "Jimmy the Cornman", inspired by Jimmy Sanchez, the youngest of the third generation. It depicts a man in a sombrero riding an ear of corn like a rocket, inspired by the landing of the first man on the moon. One of the company's slogans was "flavor out of this world".
Present history
Today, the 3rd and 4th generation family members are 16 and counting. They have developed a line of over a dozen Mexican food products and have expanded to the surrounding six states. Casa Sanchez has contributed over $100,000 to charity.
Promotional gimmicks
In 1999, Casa Sanchez attracted national attention, including that of Forbes magazine, when it unveiled its new marketing campaign: get a tattoo of "Jimmy the Cornman" and get free lunch for life. The promotion returned March, 2010.