Chips & Salsa, Presses, and Machinery?

Well maybe not the salsa part but the chips are definitely there! Casa Herrera is a third generation family owned company that has been manufacturing food machinery equipment since 1951. It all started with a vision and dream by the late Frank L.Herrera.

Pass The Cheese Dip!

Have you ever walked into a machinery facility and smelled deliciousness? Very rarely do I walk into a manufacturing facility and have the sudden urge for some chips and cheese dip, but in this case I just couldn't help it. 

Welcome to Casa Herrera manufacturing and testing facility. They were running testing on a tortilla chip or pita bread line, my taste buds were in overdrive! This is the exact experience I received when I visited the company's massive 100,000 square foot facility in Pomona California. This place definitely appeals to the senses!

Relationships Run Deep

So, in addition to more than seventy years as a highly successful business, what makes Casa Herrera so special? 

“Being one hundred percent transparent and building lifelong relationships with our clients” says company president, Mark Herrera. Sometimes it’s the little things that can help you build trust and develop great client relationships. For example, Mark tells me that he remembers sending homemade cookies to the company’s clients at one point. Yet, while cookies may help to establish lasting client relationships, they probably won’t help to successfully build a food production line. That’s where Casa Herrera’s ability to adapt their machinery, engineering, and expertise to their clients’ specific requirements comes in. As Mark states, “We do a lot of detailed work that tailors to our customers specific products. It’s all part of the business building process.”

What's Cooking?

Today, Casa Herrera is the country’s leading designer and manufacturer of custom machinery for the production of corn and flour tortillas, corn and tortilla chips, tostadas, taco shells, quesadillas, burritos, pita bread, pizzas, arepas, chapattis, and other ethnic food items from all around the world. Their customer base ranges from large multinational corporations to single line in-store producers.

Expanding Capabilities

Casa Herrera recently partnered with Acrolab Ltd. to provide their isothermal Isoplaten technology for a flour tortilla press line that required very high thermal uniformity and high speed thermal recovery. Isoplatens provided that vital high speed Isothermal ingredient that was required for this particular pita press line recipe to be successful.

President Mark Herrera also gave us some insight into the ingenuity Casa Herrera possesses, describing a tandem press line that required feeding 2 dividers, 1 proofer, and 2 presses into 1 oven, which all had to be in perfect synchronization; this is no easy feat. Another challenging project Mark mentioned was a local client who directly requested that Casa Herrera build a frying system for chicken. This company manufactures the ever so popular chicken nuggets we all love and enjoy. 

And do you know what the best part is about taking on all these challenges? The samples! You get to eat the samples! What better way is there to test your equipment?

Casa Herrera has deep roots, solid client relationships, and manufactures a variety of top of the line food processing machines. Do you have a new food processing line that requires support? Check out Casa Herrera’s wide range of food processing equipment HERE.

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Special thanks too:

• Featured Company: Casa Herrera
• Featured Charity: St. Columbkille School (California) - Donate HERE
• Total Donation Amount: $300
• Acrolab Isoplaten Technology