Baking & Snack - March 2023 - 19

OPERATIONS
Benestar Brands
by Charlotte Atchley
B
Benestar Brands has its sights on being the largest privately
held provider of salty snacks, and it's well on its
way. Founded in 1947, the Chicago-based company
has grown through acquisitions, co-manufacturing
and developing new products to enter new snack
categories.
Over the decades, Benestar's growth has been guided
by four core values: safety, quality, customer service and
cost, in that order. Every decision the company makes
from acquisitions to investments to workforce has been
made based on its impact on employee and food safety,
product quality, customer service and the cost of doing
business. By staying true to its core values, Benestar has
maintained momentum, with a focus on high-quality,
low-carb snacks.
Benestar Brands produces seven brands under two
subsidiaries: Evans Food Group and Pretzilla. Evans
Food Group was acquired in 2019, which came with
Gaytan Foods and Turkey Creek brands and facilities as
well as the PORQ brand, which was in development at
the time. Benestar purchased Chicas Chips in 2019. And
in 2022, the company bought 4505 Meats. Benestar had
helped the emerging brand develop products and comanufactured
them since 4505 Meats' founding seven
years ago. All of the company's pork rinds, tortilla chips
and puffed snacks are produced under the Evans Food
Group umbrella: Chicas, 4505, Mac's, Cazo de Oro,
PORQ and Turkey Creek.
In 2020, Benestar also acquired the Pretzilla brand
from Miller Baking Co., Milwaukee, bringing Benestar
into a new snacking space of soft pretzel bites and pretzel
buns. Pretzilla operations are independent from
Evans Food Group with Benestar President Bruce Myers
and Pretzilla's President Hanno Holm at the helm.
" With chicharrones,
tortilla chips, puffed wheat,
corn and potato snacks and soft pretzel bites and buns,
Benestar has a broad portfolio of snacks that appeal to
many consumers, " said Shundrikka Owens, chief marketing
officer, Benestar. " Our attention to producing
quality, delicious snacks drives high consumer loyalty,
and our nimble cross-functional team makes us strong
and reliable partners to the retail community. "
Growing through values
Benestar's broad portfolio, with multiple brands in single
categories like pork rinds and tortilla chips, enables the
company to hit a wide range of consumers across multiple
channels. PORQ and 4505 provide premium pork
rinds made with premium pellets and feature restaurantinspired
flavors. Mac's is the workhorse pork rind brand
and Benestar's moneymaker. Turkey Creek reaches the
convenience store customer. Likewise, Cazo de Oro is
the conventional tortilla chip brand, and Chicas is the
non-GMO brand for the discerning consumer.
" Chicas Corn Tortilla Chips and 4505 Meats are acquisitions
that broadened our portfolio to include better-for-you
snacks with unique cooking methods and
product attributes that appeal to consumers with the
spending power that is important to our retail partners, "
Ms. Owens explained. " That coupled with our deep experience
in creating tasty, delicious snacks have further
positioned those brands toward growth. "
The quality piece is just one of the ways in which
Benestar separates its products from the competition.
The company's tortilla chips are made not from a masa
sheet but from cutting and frying tortillas. This mimics
the authentic process found in Mexican restaurants
across North America and creates a thicker chip for
dipping. The company's premium pork rind brands -
PORQ and 4505 - both start with higher quality pork.
More control over frying and seasoning helps provide a
consistently high-quality finished product.
Another way Benestar Brands differentiates itself
is through its customer service. With its many brands,
Ms. Owens said the company can be a one-stop solution
for its retail customers, a point for the customer service
value.
" Our market data supports that for loyal consumers of
www.bakingbusiness.com / March 2023 Baking & Snack 19
The team at
Benestar Brands'
City of Industry,
Calif., facility: (front
row, from left) Ray
Montes, Sarah
Chaidez, Adeline
Meza, Ladi Limon,
Alicia Zacarias;
(back row, from left)
Gabriel Mijares,
Juan Barriga, Jose
Luis Genchi, Moises
Hernandez, Eder
Garcia, Gustavo
Silva, Dan Robin and
Juan Zacarias.
Photography by Edward Carreon
http://www.bakingbusiness.com
Baking & Snack - March 2023

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