A Fresno tortilla chip factory burned. Here’s what it means for the global business
La Tapatia Tortilleria’s chip-making operation was destroyed by fire Sunday morning at the company’s property at Belmont Avenue and H Street.
The rest of the property, which includes several other buildings and the tortilla-making line, did not burn.
The family-run business that sells its products worldwide is now figuring out how to continue making chips and what to do with the 15 to 17 employees who worked in the building that burned.
The fire likely started at around 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning. The chip-making line, which normally runs with three shifts, was not running at the time, said Yvette Cuellar, who is the director of public relations and marketing. She’s also the daughter of CEO and president Helen Chavez-Hansen, and co-owner of the business, along with her three sisters.
The 40,000-square-foot building housed two chip-making lines and a chip warehouse.
No one was injured in the fire and the cause is still under investigation.
“We’re so grateful for all the support we’ve received so far, especially (for) the fire department,” she said. “Things could have been so much worse and gotten out of control. We’re extremely grateful and blessed.”
Tortillas and more
The business is continuing to make flour and corn tortillas and wraps and restarted production Sunday night.
“That’s one thing we want all of our customers to know,” she said. “Our offices and our warehouse and all of our raw materials — none of that was damaged, so we’re still producing flour and corn tortillas like normal.”
The products are sold under several brand names, including La Tapatia, Sol de Oro and Golden Sun. In addition to selling in the United States, the company exports its products to Asia and other countries. It normally employs about 130 people.
La Tapatia store
Locally, many Fresno-area Mexican restaurants and taco trucks buy directly from the retail outlet that’s open to the public, Cuellar noted.
“We’re open,” she said. “Things look a little different around the block.”
As the company is figuring out how to continue producing tortilla chips, it also wants to keep workers employed. Many have been with the company for years, Cuellar said. Some are already filling in vacant positions in other departments.
“That’s the plan, to retain as many as we possibly can,” she said. “We always say we’re the La Tapatia family, and that’s how we feel about them. They’re really good employees. We want to be able to keep them.”
