The new year will bring new opportunities, jobs and plenty of cheese to Amarillo, with Cacique Foods expecting to open their 200,000 sq. ft. facility in April.
With a growing demand for their authentic Hispanic cheeses, cremas and chorizo, the company had to expand. Gil de Cardenas, Chief Executive Officer of Cacique Foods, said there were many reasons that led to their decision to open a facility in Amarillo. The main reason was due to the community.
"Cacique specifically chose Amarillo for this new plant location because, from our first visit, we knew this community was special," de Cardenas said. "It’s a vibrant, thriving and diverse melting pot of cultures, and thanks to the hospitality, work and support of everyone from the Governor’s office, Randall County, the city of Amarillo and the Amarillo Economic Development Council, Amarillo was an easy choice."
The Amarillo facility will handle dairy processing, using locally sourced dairy, to make Mexican-style cheeses and creams. It will bring 200 jobs to the area and hopes to open in mid-April.
Though the facility is a few months away from opening, Cacique Foods has already started to ingrain itself into the community, joining the Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and supporting local organizations. It has partnered with AmTech Career Academy and Amarillo College, and sponsored the Sod Poodles.
"First and foremost, we’d like to say that it’s been our honor to plant roots in Amarillo," de Cardenas said. "We’re not just a leading Hispanic foods company and the #1 brand of authentic Mexican-style cheeses, cremas and chorizos in the United States. We’re certainly proud of those accomplishments but, above all else, we’re proud to be a family business that has stayed true to our core values of Family, Quality, Integrity and Authenticity that our founders – my parents – set 50 years ago."
Cacique has more than 100 positions open, as of Dec. 19. People can apply online at caciquefoods.com/careers.
"We cannot wait to work alongside so many of you as we form an excellent team at our new facility," de Cardenas said.
Alana Edgin is a journalist covering Business News in the South Plains and surrounding areas. Send her a news tip at aedgin@lubbockonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Cacique Foods details plans to open dairy facility in Amarillo in 2023