Texas La Paletera Enters California Market

“It began as a migrant worker’s dream for creating a life with security. Now, a year since the once tiny paleta company announced its march to the Pacific, La Paletera has begun selling franchises in California.

Texas-based La Paletera is now interviewing prospective franchisees in Central and Southern California, officially launching its long-anticipated Westward Development Plan. The plan to take this hot industry concept outside the Texas borders for the first time was announced in April 18, 2006, when property for its first store in El Paso was obtained. That store is due to open this spring.

Clayton Johnson, president and CEO of La Paletera, and Keith Hudson, president and CEO of Houston-based Seaboard Services which handles franchise sales for the company, will made the announcement April 18, 2007, from Seaboard’s franchise sales offices in Houston. Off the drawing board and into reality, La Paletera is now set to expand all of central and southern California.

Franchise sales efforts have begun on the West Coast.

La Paletera, a Mexican concept which specializes in all-natural fruit products and fast-casual hot food service. It is best known for its paletas, popsicles made of mashed and cut fruit. In addition, La Paletera sells fresh fruit cups loaded with all kinds of local and tropical fruits then spiced with lime juice and chili powder. Freezes and top-of-the-line gourmet ice creams are also on the menu.

Hot lunch and dinner entrees include Tortas with ham, turkey and pork or Chicharrones with Cueritos, which is pork marinated in vinegar, fried and served on a wheat wafer with sour cream, tomato, avocado and shredded cabbage. These items are made to order in the stores.

In addition, La Paletera has added several fresh custards and puddings. These include Flan de Queso, a cheese custard; Flan de Napolitano, the classic caramel flan served pie-style; and Arroz con Leche, a sweet rice pudding. These join a dessert menu with some of the richest, creamiest, most flavorful designer ice creams on the market in Texas. The new designer ice cream flavors include Apple Dapple, ice cream made with fresh apples and packed with an apple pie base. Other new flavors are Mexican Chocolate with Cinnamon, Tequila, Rum Raisin and Orange Chocolate.

The fruit products contain no preservatives and are all made from fresh fruits – using no canned fruits or concentrates. While the Hispanic market has long been familiar with paletas and brought early success to the company, the all-natural ingredients and fresh fruits has caught the attention of consumers in other market bases with concerns for eating healthy, especially with snack and dessert foods. This cross-over customer base has propelled the growth far beyond original projections.

The company began in Corpus Christi in 1997 when founder and Guadalajara native Amy Salazar came up with the idea of exporting authentic paletas and fruit cups from Mexico into the United States. With very little available cash, however, she began using what fresh ingredients she had on hand. Unfamiliar with the product, consumers in Corpus Christi were slow to venture in, but eventually her customer base took off. By 1998, she opened a second store and during the next three years, opened five more. She later sold some of those stores to expand to other cities.

In 2002 Clayton Johnson, making a successful exit from the oil business, became fascinated with the concept and contacted Hudson. Johnson purchased majority ownership of the company from Salazar, who now operates as vice president in charge of business development. The company has been on a roll ever since with some 80 stores open or soon to open in Texas.

Check out La Paletera at its web site, www.lapaletera.com. For interviews or additional information, please contact Keith Hudson, 713-621-6200″

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