The Tortilla Industry Trails White Bread Sales by Two Percent; Far Surpasses Wheat Bread Product Sales

DALLAS, TX - The Tortilla Industry Association (TIA) has announced the findings of its biennial market research study, the State of the Tortilla Industry Survey: 2002, conducted by Aspex Research. Findings show that the tortilla's popularity has reached record heights, making this staple literally the best thing since sliced bread. Having cornered 32 percent of the sales for the U.S. Bread Industry, tortillas trail white bread sales by only two percent - making them the second most popular bread type in America with sales that far surpass those of whole wheat bread, bagels and rolls. Over the past two years, annual growth for the tortilla industry has expanded nine percent, with 2002, U.S. tortilla industry sales reaching $5.2 billion.

The rapid growth of the tortilla industry is attributed not only to the growing Hispanic population, but to increasing tortilla consumption among Non-Hispanics as well.

In addition, tortillas are becoming more diversified, with innovative new sizes, packages and flavors. Tomato, spinach and jalapeno are some of the highest-selling varieties.

From traditional Hispanic cooking to inventive wraps (recipes using flour tortillas with a wide variety of non-Hispanic fillings), the uses for tortillas are endless, creating variety and taste for consumers and profits for tortilla makers.