Vallarta Supermarkets

Christmas Tamales by the Dozen: How Mexican Businesses Prepare for Tamal Season | Eater

"A California-based chain that positions itself as a source of familiar products for first-generation customers who can’t travel home, the company develops tamale flavors in-house and produces them at a facility that supplies all 55 stores; each market has a rotisserie-style kiosk dedicated to keeping tamales warm. Offerings include chicken, pork, rajas, and hatch-chile tamales, and the chain has expanded into seasonal innovations such as pumpkin spice tamales (a flavor brought back for the 2024 season). The markets together sell more than 2.5 million tamales annually, with store managers coordinating to ensure shelves and kiosks don’t run out during the holiday season. “A lot of our products are catered to a first generation that can’t go home and get something, so we like to bring ‘home’ here,” says Lizette Gomez, Vallarta’s director of marketing." - Ella Cerón