In a palpable sign of the public's growing appetite for
tortilla chips and burritos made with fresh corn tortillas, next week
the Ann Arbor Tortilla Factory is moving into a new space at the Oxford Commerce Park that, at
8,000 square feet, is double the size of its former headquarters.
Guadalupe Quetglas, who co-owns the company with her sister Andrea, says the new facility will allow for production increases of up to three or four times what the company could produce in its old quarters.
The sisters launched the company in 2007 because they couldn't get fresh tortillas, Quetglas explains. The chips and tortillas are chemical and preservative-free and made with 100% corn. Also on offer is salsa (seasonally), and a new gluten-free corn breading in April.
"At this point most of the places that make tortillas, they use corn flour. Everything [we do] is with corn," Quetglas says. "We use a traditional method of the tortilla and the flavor is quite different. Good for your bones!"
The larger space will allow for the purchase of a second industrial-sized kettle to aid in the time consuming preparation process. The non-GMO corn has to be cooked and steeped for 12-14 hours, Quetglas says. Tortillas are distributed the day they are made. At the end of 2011, the company will apply for a $250,000 Small Business Administration loan for the purchase of a new fryer.
Ann Arbor Tortilla Factory foods are available in outlets including all of Michigan's Whole Foods and Plum Market stores, Arbor Farms, Zingerman's, and Ann Arbor Kroger locations. The new capacity will allow its goods to be sold in Whole Foods markets in Chicago and Indiana, plus more Krogers and specialty food stores. One New York City store, the Bklyn Larder, carries the chips, and Quetglas hopes to find a New York-area distributor to reach that market as well.
Source: Guadalupe Quetglas, co-owner of Ann Arbor Tortilla Factory
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
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