El Encanto Products
El Encanto Products is a private Midwest wholesale distributor of more than 4,000 Mexican and Central American SKUs from 150-plus brands, operating its own delivery fleet across 11-plus U.S. states to serve 1,000-plus independent grocers, restaurants, taquerías, and convenience retailers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What El Encanto Products does
El Encanto Products, Inc. is a private wholesale distributor of Mexican and Central American grocery and foodservice products headquartered in Bedford Park, Illinois (Chicago area), founded in 2003 under the name Import and Export Del Sur and rebranded to its current name in 2009 when it expanded from cheese/mole imports into broad-line Hispanic grocery distribution. The company carries more than 4,000 SKUs from over 150 brands — including both national Hispanic brands it distributes on a wholesale basis (Goya, V&V Supremo, Chef Merito, Jarritos, Lala, La Costeña, Jumex, Coca-Cola) and four registered private-label brands it owns outright (Quesos El Encanto, Jugos Encanto, La Siembra, Queso Campestre) — and serves over 1,000 customers across a fragmented mix of large chain stores, independent grocery stores, restaurants, taquerías, convenience stores, liquor stores, gas stations, ice cream parlors, and laundromats.
The company's operating model is built on its own fleet of trucks and trailers, an in-house logistics team, and a field-sales force with dedicated sales representatives covering specific Midwest territories. Distribution is direct across 11–12 Midwest states and reaches additional US states (Colorado, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina) plus Canada through sub-distributors. Underlying technology consists of a transactional wholesale distribution platform with a bilingual (English/Spanish) e-commerce supplier interface, digital product guides, brand-catalog access, an online new-customer application, and supporting channels including a Constant Contact email newsletter, WhatsApp business contact, and active social-media presence across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn; the company has no public API or disclosed AI/ML capabilities.
El Encanto monetizes through wholesale margin on product resale on a quote-based, transaction-by-transaction pricing model (not publicly disclosed), supplemented by monthly promotional specials, free in-store delivery on qualifying orders, and Will-Call pickup. The company is led by founder/CEO Horacio Rodriguez, reports 11-50 employees, and has not raised outside funding rounds. Its core differentiator versus competing distributors is the combination of owned distribution assets, deep Hispanic-brand vendor relationships, and private-label depth serving underserved Hispanic retail communities across the Midwest.
El Encanto Products firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- El Encanto Products
- Legal name
- El Encanto Products Inc
- Website
- https://encantoproducts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- El Encanto Products is a private Midwest wholesale distributor of more than 4,000 Mexican and Central American SKUs from 150-plus brands, operating its own delivery fleet across 11-plus U.S. states to serve 1,000-plus independent grocers, restaurants, taquerías, and convenience retailers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where El Encanto Products is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
El Encanto Products business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Wholesale Product Distribution: Revenue generated through the sale and distribution of Mexican and Central American wholesale grocery products to retailers, restaurants, convenience stores, and other businesses. Products include grocery goods, dairy, household products, and foodservice products sold at wholesale prices.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Wholesale pricing for retailers and businesses |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
El Encanto Products product offering
Product offeringCore offering
El Encanto Products is a wholesale distributor of Mexican and Central American grocery, dairy, foodservice, beverage, and household products, selling more than 4,000 SKUs from over 150 brands (including Goya, V&V Supremo, Jarritos, and Lala) to retailers, restaurants, and convenience stores across the Midwest. The company operates its own delivery fleet, employs territory-based field sales reps who take orders in-store, and complements the distributed brands with four private-label lines (Quesos El Encanto, Jugos Encanto, La Siembra, Queso Campestre) that offer retailers higher-margin, competitively priced alternatives.
Product overview
El Encanto Products is a wholesale grocery distribution company serving the Hispanic market in the Midwest United States, offering over 4,000 products from more than 150 brands. The company operates a two-tier product strategy consisting of private-label brands (Quesos El Encanto, Jugos Encanto, La Siembra, Queso Campestre) and distributed national/international brands (GOYA, V&V Supremo, JARRITOS, Lala, La Costeña, and many others covering grocery goods, dairy, household products, and foodservice). The company provides wholesale distribution services including in-store delivery, e-commerce supplier solutions, and product guides, with distribution coverage across 11 Midwest states.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Quesos El Encanto: Own brand cheese products designed to increase profits with competitive pricing.
- Jugos Encanto
- La Siembra
- Queso Campestre
Products and services
- Wholesale Hispanic Grocery Distribution
- Quesos El Encanto (Private-Label Cheese)
- Jugos Encanto (Private-Label Juice)
- La Siembra (Private-Label Brand)
- Queso Campestre (Private-Label Cheese)
Companies that use El Encanto Products
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
El Encanto Products technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
El Encanto Products partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Chef MeritocoreFeatured brand distributed by El Encanto. Chef Merito is a recognized Hispanic food brand with El Encanto providing product distribution across the Midwest region. The company offers a dedicated product guide for Chef Merito products.
- V&V SupremocoreMajor featured brand of Mexican food products distributed by El Encanto across 11 Midwest states.
- Goya FoodscoreLeading Hispanic food brand with products distributed by El Encanto. One of the most recognized Hispanic brands in the market.
- JarritoscorePopular Mexican soda brand distributed by El Encanto across the Midwest region.
- BocadeliminorFeatured Hispanic snack brand distributed by El Encanto Products.
- MahlerminorFeatured brand distributed by El Encanto Products.
- Hispanic Vendors (Various)coreEl Encanto partners with Hispanic suppliers to bring quality products to the US market. The company introduces new products from Hispanic vendors to the market each year and offers brand evaluation and planning services for vendors seeking to expand their reach.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
El Encanto Products competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- McLane Company: Leading distributor to convenience stores, gas stations, and small-format retailers nationwide. Directly competes with El Encanto's convenience-store and gas-station customer segment and is increasingly adding Hispanic SKUs.
- US Foods: Major broadline foodservice distributor with growing ethnic and Hispanic assortment. Overlaps with El Encanto in the restaurant and convenience foodservice channels across overlapping Midwest geographies.
- Performance Food Group: Large-scale foodservice and convenience distributor (including Vistar). Comparable to El Encanto on foodservice and convenience-store distribution channels, with broader geographic and category reach.
- Goya Foods: Largest Hispanic food company in the U.S., acting as both manufacturer and distributor. Comparable as a partner/competitor because Goya is both a key supplier to El Encanto and an alternative distribution channel for retailers.
- Sysco Corporation: Largest U.S. broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, including Hispanic-format operators. Competes with El Encanto in the foodservice/taquería segment and is steadily expanding Hispanic SKU coverage.
Emerging players
- El Rancho Distribution: Hispanic grocery wholesale distributor serving independent retailers. Comparable in product mix and customer base to El Encanto's SMB grocery segment, though typically smaller-scale and narrower in geographic coverage.
Direct peers
- Marquez Brothers International: Hispanic-focused wholesale distributor and dairy manufacturer serving U.S. retailers with Mexican and Latin American products. Closely comparable to El Encanto as a specialty Hispanic broadline distributor, though larger and West Coast-anchored.
- La Fiesta Foodservice Distribution: Hispanic-specialty broadline foodservice distributor focused on Mexican and Latin American products to restaurants. Comparable to El Encanto's foodservice segment by category and customer type, though Texas-centric in geographic focus.
Regional players
- Ben E. Keith Foods: Regional broadline foodservice distributor serving the South Central U.S. Comparable to El Encanto on broadline distribution model and customer mix, with overlapping Midwest/South reach but no Hispanic-specialty depth.
- Labatt Food Service: Regional broadline foodservice distributor covering the Southwest and South Central U.S. Comparable to El Encanto on broadline distribution to restaurants and retailers, with limited overlap in Midwest geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
El Encanto Products social profiles
Digital presenceEl Encanto Products financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
El Encanto Products leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
El Encanto Products funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
El Encanto Products M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about El Encanto Products
What does El Encanto Products do?
El Encanto Products is a wholesale distributor of Mexican and Central American grocery, dairy, foodservice, beverage, and household products, selling more than 4,000 SKUs from over 150 brands (including Goya, V&V Supremo, Jarritos, and Lala) to retailers, restaurants, and convenience stores across the Midwest. The company operates its own delivery fleet, employs territory-based field sales reps who take orders in-store, and complements the distributed brands with four private-label lines (Quesos El Encanto, Jugos Encanto, La Siembra, Queso Campestre) that offer retailers higher-margin, competitively priced alternatives.
Is El Encanto Products a public or private company?
El Encanto Products is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was El Encanto Products founded?
El Encanto Products was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is El Encanto Products based?
El Encanto Products is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does El Encanto Products make money?
One revenue line is on record: wholesale Product Distribution.
Who are El Encanto Products's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are McLane Company, US Foods, Performance Food Group, Goya Foods and Sysco Corporation. El Rancho Distribution is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Marquez Brothers International and La Fiesta Foodservice Distribution. Regional players are Ben E. Keith Foods and Labatt Food Service.
Does El Encanto Products have an API?
No public API is recorded for El Encanto Products.