Real Mex Foods has a long history of working with such early California Restaurant concepts as El Torito (1954) and Acapulco Restaurants (developed around 1960). As these restaurants grew in number, both companies developed their own commissaries in an effort to maintain the consistency and quality of their menu offerings, unit to unit.

Acapulco added the Los Arcos group of Restaurants in the late 70’s, developing a commissary and distribution center in Pasadena called ALA Foods Distributing (short for Acapulco Los Arcos). In 1988, Acapulco moved the manufacturing and distribution center to Santa Fe Springs, California. During the 90’s, Acapulco restaurants grew to 90 units and ALA Foods Distributing flourished.

Acapulco purchased the 95-unit chain of El Torito Restaurants in 2000 and the combined companies were renamed Real Mex Restaurants.  ALA Foods Distributing merged the manufacturing and distribution operations of both concepts and continued to service their combined needs. In 2003, ALA Foods Distributing was renamed Real Mex Foods.

Growth of the manufacturing and distribution business to include other food service accounts resulted in Real Mex Foods moving its Distribution operations to a new warehouse in Buena Park in 2004.  That same year, Real Mex Restaurants acquired Chevy’s Fresh Mex Restaurants, adding even more volume to the distribution operations. Real Mex Foods also launched their own branded retail product into the marketplace with authentic enchiladas, burritos and tamales.

In 2007, Real Mex Foods significantly expanded its manufacturing operations into a newly constructed facility located in Vernon, CA, where they continue to produce both food service products and consumer packaged goods for any number of ethnic and non-ethnic restaurant operations, retail brands and private label customers.

Real Mex Foods continues to grow year over year and currently realizes over $150 million in annual distribution and manufacturing sales volume with about 350 employees. We have a dedicated Quality Assurance staff to ensure all aspects of food safety and a quality commitment to our customers. We are currently certified USDA and SQF Level 2.