Via Latinometrics, a look at Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo – a global baked goods multinational that has seen accelerated growth with its launch of an addictively delicious snack called Takis Fuego in the last decade:

The average US citizen has never heard of Grupo Bimbo. And yet, it’s the largest bakery in the country through its operation of big bread brands like Sarah Lee, Thomas, and Oroweat; it commanded nearly a third of the overall market last year.

Baking tells only one part of the company’s story, especially recently: In the past decade, an addictively delicious snack called Takis Fuego has taken spice lovers in the US by storm. Sales of the now iconic purple bag have skyrocketed and positioned Bimbo’s subsidiary, Barcel, which invented the fiery taco-shaped chip, into 3rd place in chip sales nationwide.

We were a little disappointed that the word “Takis” only appears once in Bimbo’s yearly report, in its Recognitions section:

“Best New Product Award – Takis Dragon Sweet Chili”

You can count on us to try out Takis Dragon Sweet Chili shortly. The US Takis mania manifests itself in many forms. A quick search on walmart.com reveals a Takis universe of flavors and products, from popcorn to neon-blue colored chips and even meat sticks. Another on tiktok.com shows a universe of teenagers that, through intense and daring challenges, seem determined to test the limits of their taste buds and digestive systems.

The 76-year-old company began with the mission of baking “truly good, nutritious, tasty, and fresh bread” in Mexico City. The bread immediately became a hit and its demand spread nationwide.

Over the next few decades, Bimbo expanded its product line to bread-based treats through Marinela and potato/tortilla chips through Barcel, two of its most noteworthy brands today. The company officially became a multinational corporation 40 years after its inception, in 1984, by exporting to the US. That was just the beginning of a massive expansion across the globe. In the 90s, Grupo Bimbo acquired a series of companies that enabled it to enter markets like Chile, Brazil, and China.