El Monterey Taquitos Receive Highest Score for Texture, Flavor Balance, Snackability, Flavor Impact and Overall Taste

DINUBA, CA:  Ruiz Foods announces that El Monterey Chicken & Cheese Flour Taquitos 30 oz. and El Monterey Shredded Steak and Cheese Flour Taquitos 30 oz. have been awarded the American Culinary ‘ChefsBest™ Best Taste Award’ for 2006.  This award is presented only if a product secures the highest score in their category and meets certain standards in areas such as taste, texture, aroma, feel and freshness.

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“ChefsBest”™ not only utilizes the expertise of professional chefs,” said Bryce Ruiz, President & COO, Ruiz Foods, “but the taste tests are conducted by purchasing actual product from the stores and preparing them just as the consumer would at home.  It’s purposely ensured to be a very impartial and fair review and we are very pleased to learn that professional chefs wholeheartedly agree that we are manufacturing a product that our consumer truly wants and enjoys.”

Ranked the top 2 Flour Taquitos sku’s in the frozen Mexican food category (IRI, Frozen Mexican Food Category, total U.S., 52-weeks, January 29, 2006) El Monterey Taquitos are made with tortillas fresh from the Ruiz bakery.  They are then filled with robust and flavorful ingredients, real cheese and chunks of chicken or shredded steak.  El Monterey Taquitos are perfect for a quick snack, entertaining, or accompanied by salad, beans, rice or fruit for a full meal – offering convenience, ease of preparation and quality. For customer service call:  1-800-477-6474 or visit http://www.elmonterey.com.

The 2006 ‘ChefsBest Award’ seal is prominently placed on each package to easily identify the distinction received from the American Culinary ChefsBest judges.  After ChefsBest identifies the proper categories, products are judged only against true competitors.  Chefs judge the same product that is available on store shelves and all packaging is removed so that the chefs are unable to see the product or manufacturer name.  Each product is then prepared by the test kitchen staff following the manufacturer’s directions and served the same way the consumer would use it at home.  The chefs taste each product, enter comments and assign a numeric score for each taste criterion.  The judges consider the overall taste of the product but also evaluate the taste experience using more specific criterion such as texture, aroma, feel and freshness.

Ruiz Foods is a privately owned corporation with corporate offices in Dinuba, CA.  Third generation Kim Ruiz Beck, the elder daughter of Chairman and CEO Fred Ruiz, is Vice Chairman.  Bryce Ruiz, the elder son, is President and COO. 

Ruiz Foods is dedicated to premium quality, authentically prepared frozen Mexican foods selling to all channels of distribution:  retail, convenience store, clubs, vending, industrial and foodservice.  The signature brand is El Monterey®. Ruiz is the market leader within the frozen Mexican food category and manufactures the #1 Brand of frozen Mexican food in the U.S.  Ruiz has over 2,000 Team Members employed at three facilities in the United States.  ##