Catallia Mexican Foods

The Catallia story begins and ends with food that reflects the heart of the home. Our success has been built on the innovative blending of modern technology with the traditions and love that a family puts into its food. 

Catallia Mexican Foods is a joint venture between Catalina Specialty Foods and Cargill Kitchen Solutions. Founded in 2005, it is built on the heritage and values of its founder, Cathy Cruz Gooch, a third-generation Mexican American, whose grandparents immigrated to Minnesota in the early 1900s.

Cruz Gooch started her entrepreneurial journey in 1985 when she launched Cruz Mexican Foods. Partnering with her husband, Harold, and her parents, she drew on her culinary background to create tortillas, burritos and tortilla chips for Minnesota retail stores and restaurants. By 1989, the company had expanded into 23 states.

A year later the company sold the Cruz brand and retail business to a public company. In 1993, Cathy Cruz Gooch launched Catalina Specialty Foods, and began building a successful foodservice tortilla brand. In 1997 the company was certified as a woman-owned minority business.

In 2005, Catalina Specialty Foods formed a strategic partnership with Cargill Kitchen Solutions to invest in a tortilla manufacturing operation, Catallia Mexican Foods. Recognizing her expertise in Mexican food processing, Cargill agreed to invest in the business, giving Cruz Gooch the resources to build a new, state-of-the-art production facility. This important milestone gave her more control over quality and greater flexibility to meet customers’ exact product specifications. In turn, it strengthened Catallia’s ability to support foodservice customers with access to Cargill’s world-class risk management, culinary, and product development resources.

Cruz Gooch grew up enjoying and creating the wonderful flavors of Mexico in her own kitchen. Catallia Mexican Foods represents the fruition of a 25-year career built on sharing that rich experience with others.