Category Captains: Sushi and Tamales

Sushi

Advanced Fresh Concepts (AFC) is a leading North American franchisor of supermarket-based food service counters specializing in fresh Asian cuisine. Established nearly 40 years ago, the company offers convenient, grab-and-go meals prepared daily with high-quality ingredients. Their presence extends beyond supermarkets to military, university and corporate food courts, reflecting their commitment to quality, freshness and convenience. 

The last couple of years have been filled with key milestones, starting with the acquisition of The Snowfox Group, a multi-channel and international Japanese food business, in 2023 for $621 million. Zensho and Snowfox formed a complementary partnership, with Snowfox’s international reach supporting Zensho’s expansion beyond Japan. Another noteworthy accomplishment for the company was the launch of its first consumer facing brand, ZENSHI™ Handcrafted Sushi, at the IDDBA tradeshow also in 2023. “We attribute our success to the dedication of our entire team, who have worked tirelessly to make this brand come to life and resonate with our core audience,” Marketing Director Deborah Bush previously said. “AFC is guided by its founding core values and principles of legacy, pioneers, pride and honor. Our core values are what set us apart from our competitors and guide our strategic decisions, from our innovation pipeline to our commitment to operations excellence to the dedication of our HQ and Field teams. Everything we do stems from these principles.”

AFC has been gaining traction at retail and has forged an impressive presence in grocery stores while creating an enticing and inviting destination for shoppers who are familiar and are new to sushi. “Sushi enthusiasts across the nation will recognize our sushi case when they go grocery shopping, whether at their local grocery store or when traveling,” Bush said. “Sushi consumers will realize that the great sushi they have been enjoying all this time has been made by chefs trained by the pioneers of the American grab-and-go sushi industry with the highest level of quality standards.”

Bush believes there are several key areas of the sushi category that the industry needs to focus on. 

“Looking beyond the brand and our newly designed sushi case, our core focus has always been on the quality of product that we offer and the innovative recipes we develop,” she elaborated. “The AFC R&D team works incredibly hard to come up with unique flavors and textures that will satisfy our customers’ cravings.”

Our distribution team works around-the-clock with our extensive supply chain network to source only the best, highest-of-quality ingredients. Together, our teams work harmoniously to offer our customers craveable dishes while meeting the expectations of our HQ team.”

Tamales

A labor of love, the tamale category has shed its misperceived image of being a time-consuming, painstaking meal that families treat themselves to during the holidays or for special occasions. Leaders like Texas Tamale Company have defied this limited point of view. The company has restored consumers’ perception of tamales and has proven to families that they can enjoy this savory, flavorful comfort food year-round without going through multiple steps to prepare this dish.

“The tamale category is evolving quickly and in a good way,” said Loralie Holly, VP Sales and Marketing. “What was once a niche, seasonal item is becoming a year-round solution for consumers looking for convenience, authentic flavor and—with ours—clean-label proteins. We’re seeing more shoppers view tamales not just as a holiday tradition, but as an everyday ‘heat-and-eat’ meal that fits their lifestyle.”

The tamale category is experiencing notable growth, driven by rising consumer demand, retailers devoting more space and strong sales. Consumers have been delighted to realize frozen tamales don’t require losing out on robust flavors or visual appeal. “The category stands at an exciting inflection point,” Holly said. “Consumer demand continues to rise, retailers are expanding space and velocity per store is growing—especially in frozen and ready-to-eat formats. Inflation has driven shoppers to seek more value per dollar, and tamales deliver: portion control, protein, cultural relevance and comfort food all in one item.”

When it comes to collaborating with retailers, Texas Tamale brings actionable market research, signage and display ideas to pique shoppers’ curiosity and the tools to expand their presence in key areas of the store. “We definitely try and bring support,” Holly said. “We help retailers grow the tamale category through: Data and insights; Merchandising tools like shelf signage, display ideas, and secondary placement support like freezer units or shelf pushers; Demo programs to drive trial and conversion; Marketing campaigns that tie directly to store listings and seasonal moments; Operational ease with proven logistics and case-ready formats, and our goal is simple: make tamales easy to stock, easy to sell and easy for shoppers to love!”

Texas Tamale is devoted to supporting retailers in their joint effort of showing consumers that tamales are a versatile, mainstream meal solution that can be savored year-round. “We help retailers merchandise, cross-promote, and tell the story of tamales as a meal solution, not just a niche item,” Holly said. “That’s why our partners see stronger velocity and repeat purchases.”

Texas Tamale aims to promote tamales by demonstrating to consumers how easily they fit into daily routines, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner. By associating tamales to comforting Tex-Mex flavors and encouraging consumers to see them as both accessible and convenient, Texas Tamale is helping to shift consumers’ perceptions while accelerating category growth. 

“We’re not here to reinvent the wheel of what a tamale is—we’re here to ‘share the wheel’ with more shoppers and show them just how easily tamales fit into everyday life and can be such a versatile option!” Holly said. “Add an egg for breakfast, heat up with chili and queso for a full experience. Once consumers experience how Texas Tamales slip into a weekly routine—not just a holiday tradition—they see it as a real meal solution, not an occasional purchase. Tex-Mex is truly America’s version of Mexican food, so if you enjoy Tex-Mex, our tamales are a natural next step. We help shoppers realize that they already have a place for tamales on their shopping list—they just haven’t discovered it yet. That mindset shift is where category growth begins.”

Texas Tamale believes there is a tamale for every occasion. With their convenient offerings, strong retail partnerships, and savory flavors, they are paving the way for a bright, tamale-filled future for the category.