Old El Paso

History and products

In 1917, the Mountain Pass Canning Company in New Mexico was bought from a local in El Paso, Texas. Old El Paso originally started by selling canned tomatoes and pinto beans. By 1938, Old El Paso was registered as a trade mark. The company relocated to many locations around the United States before finally settling in Texas in 1958. In 1969, Old El Paso became the first national brand to offer a full line of Mexican meals in supermarkets and the first to advertise Mexican cuisine in the United States. In the 1970s, American supermarkets created a Mexican food section in their stores for the first time, due to the influence of Old El Paso and other Mexican food products. Also in the '70s, Old El Paso introduced a taco dinner globally, where many international markets were unfamiliar with Mexican cuisine. In 2010, Old El Paso released products under the "Smart Fiesta" line, also known as "Healthy Fiesta" in some regions, featuring healthier alternatives like whole-grain tortillas and reduced-sodium seasonings. A commercial aired primarily in Australia in the mid/late 2000s featured a young girl asking in Spanish, "¿Por qué no los dos?" ("Why not both"), which became an Internet meme. In 2013, Old El Paso introduced a frozen entrees line, only available in the United States, with ready-made burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, and fajitas in chicken, ground beef, or steak, with no vegan or vegetarian options. In 2019, Old El Paso introduced a new shredded cheese line in partnership with Crystal Farms Dairy Company. Today, Old El Paso is sold in the United States, Canada, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, among other countries.