New Mexico Salsa

Joe and Rosalie (Penny) Smith started Statewide Products in 1968 when they introduced Pepperidge Farm cookies to New Mexico. With a brand-new baby to care for, Penny stayed home and did the books while Joe headed out in his baby blue Econoline van to deliver the now very popular Pepperidge Farm cookies. Statewide Products soon expanded to include other food products – carrying brands such as Old London, Stella D' Oro, and Bigelow Tea. The need for salesmen and delivery trucks was soon realized as we began to expand into cities throughout New Mexico and into El Paso, Texas. Part of the expansion included becoming the first distributor to sell jarred New Mexico Chile and Salsa to grocery stores across New Mexico. The sale of local salsa and chile was not approved by Smith's grocery stores until the 1980's, an inspiring moment for our company as the passion and perseverance we put into developing a way to represent local products in retail stores had paid off – and New Mexicans could finally get their chile fix!