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Elsy Ocejo , Vice President of Supply Chain at ILLES , elaborates on this journey : “ The business started in 1927 as an innovative company , and we have remained true to that DNA to this day . The largest team within ILLES is the product development team . That ’ s what really differentiates us from other players – the almost 200 years of combined experience within that team and the people that are a part of it . Our leadership is also a particular strength , and we are proud to have Cristin Illes , who represents the fourth generation and is the company ’ s first female CEO .

“ Cristin took over the company in 2020 , just before Covid ,” Elsy continues . “ She has a clear and ambitious vision for the company , with goals to expand the beverage section of the business . There is also a big focus on keeping up with the food industry as it evolves and on staying on top of the global cultural elements of flavor as well as food safety which always remains paramount .”

Elsy goes on to highlight the company ’ s product ranges . “ One thing that helps set us apart is that we are remarkably good at both savory and sweet ; where the majority of competitors focus on one or the other , we can do both . We ’ re also good with liquid as well as dry products . We focus on marinades , seasonings , syrups , and beverage solutions . We have two plants in Texas where products emerge in one of seven packaging formats . Keeping innovation in mind we also have an archive of over 25,000 formulas . We also collaborate closely with our customers who do not always know what they want

to do to enhance the product and elevate their offering , so we work them to either boost the flavor , increase visual appeal or adapt the texture .”

Collaborative environment

Elsy moves on to highlight a key partnership with Grupo Arancia , based in Guadalajara , Mexico . “ We initially met Grupo Arancia at the American Spice Trade Association conference ; the relationship began with conversations about what a supplier relationship would look like and what it will mean for us to do nearshoring of key ingredients for spices and flavors . I needed to leverage my Hispanic upbringing and my international commerce background . One of the things I asked them for was a full list of their capabilities rather than a list of products they could produce . This really opened things up , being able to look at a supplier from all points of view , specifically their growth strategies and how these integrate with ILLES ’ growth

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