In September of 2022, El Popular, Inc. from East Chicago, Indiana attended Food Export-Midwest’s Focused Trade Mission to Toronto, Canada. For the event the Indiana supplier traveled to Toronto to see the retail market environment, attend a market update seminar that included an overview of package compliance regulations for the Canadian market, and participate in private, pre-scheduled one-on-one buyer meetings.

Through their attendance and meetings, El Popular created a broker relationship that has led to several new distributor relationships. El Popular has made over $100,000 in sales and is expected to double this within the next year due to success at this Focused Trade Mission.

This minority, family-owned; Nationally Certified Minority company creates high quality Mexican food products. The Garza family has almost 100 years of experience in making authentic Mexican food and ingredients.  El Popular is the oldest Mexican owned business in the United States. Other products that El Popular produces besides chorizo are chocolate, spices, mole paste & powder, and traditional longaniza.

El Popular has been a Food Export-Midwest participant since 2018. They have taken part in the Online Product Catalog, Export Essentials, Market Builder and attended the Midwest Buyers Mission.

Food Export uses funding from the Market Access Program (MAP) to help America’s small businesses increase their exports of food and agricultural products. As these exports increase, these small businesses are creating jobs and improving the strength and stability of our agricultural economy. Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are non-profit organizations that work in collaboration with their member state departments of agriculture and the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. They offer a wide range of programs and services that help boost America’s agricultural exports.