RW Garcia Creates New Category of Salty Snacks with Tortatos Chips

Inspired by a young member of the Garcia family, RW Garcia, the Northern California-based family-owned-and-operated maker of artisan and all-natural corn-based snacks, has introduced a new kind of chip: Tortatos. Tortatos combine white corn and red potatoes in one chip, creating a half tortilla chip, half potato chip. “For more than 30 years, RW Garcia has focused on innovating great tasting new products that are anything but ordinary, and Tortatos certainly deliver on that mission,” says Margaret Garcia, RW Garcia’s co-founder and vice president of sales and marketing. “There is literally nothing like Tortatos, so they provide retailers the opportunity to offer their shoppers something entirely new and unexpected.” The idea for Tortatos began with a simple question from the founders’ grandson: Why isn’t there a tortilla chip that tastes like a potato chip? The family’s response? “There should be!” So Margaret, who also oversees research and development for the company, worked with her husband Robert, RW Garcia co-founder and CEO, to make the idea a reality. For two years, the company’s recipe specialists conceived of and tested different formulations, trying to find the perfect balance between the corn and potatoes, along with just the right seasonings. Ultimately, they settled on a stone-ground white corn and red potato blend – the company found the combination of the white corn’s inherent sweetness and the excellent flavor of red potatoes provided the best tasting and lightest chip. The end result is a chip that has the crunch of a tortilla chip with the finish of a potato chip. Tortatos also have 25% less fat than traditional potato chips. RW Garcia Tortatos are available in four flavors: Original, Salt & Pepper, Salt & Vinegar and Barbecue The Tortatos varieties join the company’s already established family of unique products, including Dippers, Mixtbag, Classic, Flaxseed and Veggie tortilla chips, as well as gluten-free crackers. As with all RW Garcia products, Tortatos are all natural, Non-GMO Project verified and gluten-free certified, and they contain no additives or preservatives. The company anticipates Tortatos to be especially popular with kids. In fact, the Kid Kritics program recently awarded RW Garcia Tortatos its Kid Kritics Seal of Approval, meaning Tortatos are now a part of the Kid Kritics list of approved foods and beverages that offer families healthier grocery store options. Tortatos earned the distinction after being evaluated by a panel of children aged five to 14, who rated the chips based on appearance, taste, smell and if their families should buy them. For more information on the Kid Kritics Seal of Approval, please visit the Kids Kritics website. All four varieties of RW Garcia Tortatos are available now to retailers across the country, and they carry an MSRP of $3.49. RW Garcia will formally unveil its Tortatos at Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore, Maryland, September 26-28, at booth #1534. Visitors to the booth will be able to sample Tortatos for themselves.