The Empanada Shop (TES) (http://the-empanadashop.com/), an organic authentic Mexican food producer, announced today that it is the only certified organic and USDA-inspected company that manufactures empanadas, raising the standards of prepared Mexican food in the U.S. Starting this week, TES's frozen organic empanadas will be available through Tony's Fine Foods, distribution experts in the Western U.S. and a subsidiary of United Natural Foods, Inc.(UNFI).

Slow Cook Family Recipes Are the Secret

TES combines treasured family recipes with locally sourced non-GMO food to craft authentic Mexican empanadas. TES is owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Ruben and Charlene Frias. TES features traditional tasty Mexican flavors with fresh ingredients. The handcrafted empanadas begin with organic meats slow-cooked in Mexican chiles, filled with organic vegetables and Mexican cheeses, and baked to a golden brown.

"The Empanada Shop is excited to join Tony's Fine Foods in bringing our delicious family recipes to the American table," Ruben Frias, chef of TES, said. "We slow cook our organic empanadas every day to cultivate the joy of sharing good food."

Committed to Healthy Organic Ingredients

TES was born from the idea that more people want to know how their food is grown or raised, according to Charlene Frias. Headquartered in Hermosa Beach, TES opened their kitchen in the LA Prep (http://www.laprep.la/#make-it-real) production center in the urban neighborhood of Lincoln Heights, becoming the first USDA certified organic plant within the facility. The USDA inspects the plant each day meat is prepared and TES has a management system which keeps food safety addressed at the highest standards.

Tony's Fine Foods (http://www.tonysfinefoods.com/) carries the full organic line of frozen single-serve empanadas, which includes chicken, beef, sweet potato and corn, two popular breakfast choices, Organic Red Lentil, Potato and Egg and Organic Huevos Rancheros and Smashed Bean and the Organic Chicken Empanaditas, translated as "little empanadas."

Tony's Fine Foods is proud to offer our stores the best tasting, frozen organic empanadas available," Shawn Matesen, Tony's category director, said. "On-the-go busy families will be impressed by the convenient, nutritious and delicious meals that The Empanada Shop sustainably prepares."

About The Empanada Shop

The Empanada Shop was created to elevate the prepared Mexican food market to delicious, sustainable and healthy standards. Using family recipes from many generations, TES crafts fresh and frozen Mexican empanadas using organic and local nutritious ingredients. The company's products are distributed regionally through Tony's Fine Foods and Albert's Organics to natural food grocers, including Erewhon, Vintage Grocers, Clark's Nutrition, Organic Roots, PC Greens and Jimbos. TES will expand its product offerings with organic blue corn tamales and Mexican soups this year.