Made in Yucatán: 100+ Years of Hot Sauce, Beer, Cookies and More

Yucatán has produced several well-known brands with long histories, many of which have been continuously operating for well over a century and have become staples across the world. Surely, while reading this list, readers will think to themselves, “How could they not mention X brand here?” So, let us know, and maybe it will make our next list.

El Yucateco

El Yucateco is a hot sauce brand headquartered in Mérida, Yucatán. The company was founded in 1968 by Priamo J. Gamboa as a small family business producing homemade habanero sauces based on family recipes. The sauces were initially sold only in supermarkets in central Mexico before expanding to the United States by the mid-1970s, making El Yucateco one of the first Mexican hot sauces available in the US market.

The brand produces a range of habanero-based sauces with Scoville levels ranging from 1,270 to 11,600 units. Unlike many hot sauces that rely heavily on vinegar, El Yucateco uses natural fermentation processes and traditional recipes that highlight the habanero’s natural flavor. The company operates its own habanero and annatto fields in Mexico, as well as a modern manufacturing facility. As of 2023, El Yucateco had approximately 300 full-time employees and 500 on-call staff. The brand is sold in North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, and claims to be the number one selling habanero hot sauce in the United States.

Galletas Dondé

Galletas Dondé is a cookie and pasta manufacturer founded in 1905 by Luis A. Dondé Quintero in Merida’s García Ginerés neighborhood. The company claims to have operated the first cookie factory in Yucatán.

In 1938, the family established Productos de Harina, S.A. de C.V. as the formal corporate entity. The company expanded significantly in the 1960s, opening a new factory at the intersection of Colón and Itzaes Avenues. In 1965, Dondé added a pasta production line.

In 1994, the company introduced two mascots: Globito and Bizcochito. In 1990, Dondé opened a new plant in the Merida-Umán industrial corridor with fully automated production lines. In 2017, the company began expanding into central Mexico. Its products are also found in Central America, especially in Belize. 

Cerveza Montejo

Cerveza Montejo is a Mexican lager brand with origins in Mérida, first established on January 19, 1900. The brand remained regional for over a century.

In 2014, Anheuser-Busch InBev acquired the brand and began distributing Montejo in the United States, marking the company’s first Mexican-style lager import. Initial US markets included California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. The beer contains 4.5% alcohol by volume and is sold in 12-ounce cans and bottles. 

Tere Cazola

Tere Cazola is a bakery and pastry chain founded on March 6, 1985, by María Teresa Cazola, a secondary school teacher in Merida. She started the business with 250 pesos, selling 12 apple pies baked in her home oven.

The company grew from a home kitchen to a rented house serving as the first production facility and point of sale. As of 2015, Tere Cazola employed 350 people and sold 4.3 million products that year alone.

The chain operates dozens of locations across four Mexican states: Yucatan, Campeche, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, and, most recently, Mexico City. Because Tere Cazola is a privately owned company, they do not publish official numbers regarding the number of stores, but one always feels within a stone’s throw, especially in Mérida. The company opened its first Mexico City location in 2021 and maintains an online store with nationwide shipping. The company’s signature products include Bolitas de Queso and Rosca Brioche. Recently, Tere Cazola made international news after refusing a multi-million-dollar buyout from Grupo Bimbo, a Mexican company valued in the billions of dollars with subsidiaries including Sara Lee, Harvest Gold, and Takis. 

Ki’Xocolatl

Ki’Xocolatl is a chocolate maker based in Ticul, southern Yucatan, founded by Belgian entrepreneurs. The company cultivates 600 hectares of cacao in the region and produces approximately 200 tons of cacao annually.

In 2021, Ki’Xocolatl won a gold medal for best origin chocolate in the world at the AVPA International Competition in Paris. The company produces chocolate bars, cookies, mole paste, and body care products made from cocoa butter. They operate seven retail locations in Mérida, but their products are easily found across Mexico. 

La Anita

Like El Yucateco, La Anita is famous for its chili sauces and seasonings. La Anita was founded in 1913 by Ana Sosa de Méndez, who began making achiote adobo in her home and selling it door-to-door. The company is headquartered in Mérida and operates three industrial plants across Mexico.

As of 2025, La Anita reports holding over 30% of the national market for habanero sauces in modern distribution channels and over 70% of the market for recados (seasoning pastes). The company produces achiote, habanero, marinade, vinegar, and creamy sauces. It exports to the United States, Canada, the European Union, and Dubai.

Botanas La Lupita

Botanas La Lupita is a Yucatán-based snack company best known for its Charritos, a popular regional snack. Charritos are inflated, hollow squares made from wheat flour with a light dusting of chili powder that provides a mild level of heat. They are described as crunchy and savory, not particularly spicy despite the chili addition. In recent years, mini-charritos have also become popular for their even crunchier texture.

The product is formally described as a wheat flour snack with chili (“Botana de harina de trigo con chile”). Charritos are marketed as a traditional Yucatecan snack, perfect for sharing with family and friends, and can be enjoyed plain or customized with additions like jalapeño, ham, and cheese. La Lupita, of course, has many competitors, including Picorey and Botanas Herrera, but for now, remains on top in sales thanks to its massive distribution network.

Grupo Tony

Grupo Tony is a clothing manufacturer based in Mérida, founded circa 1965. The company specializes in guayaberas, jackets, shirts, and vests. Guayabera production in Merida expanded significantly in the 1970s, partly due to President Luis Echeverria wearing the shirts during public duties. While Chinese competition has reduced local production, Merida remains a major center for guayabera manufacturing.

The “Hecho en Yucatán” Campaign

The “Hecho en Yucatán” (Made in Yucatán) campaign is a private-sector initiative launched in September 2018 by the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry (Canacintra) in Yucatan. The campaign’s primary function is to promote local products and brands through a distinctive logo that guarantees they are made with local inputs, processes, and Yucatecan ingenuity. By appealing to consumer pride and a sense of identity with “lo yucateco” (the Yucatecan), the campaign aims to increase loyalty to local brands and help them stand out against national and international competitors.