The Sinaloa brand has established itself firmly enough the past 25 years that its claim of being “Hawaii’s tortillas” has some validity (although Arturo’s Tortillas may dispute that).

They’re hot sellers in retail markets, as well as to Mexican restaurants. Many Hawaii schoolchildren have had Sinaloa tortillas without knowing it, as the company has a contract with the Department of Education.

Now, the Macias family hopes it can generate similar success with tortilla chips. The chips — thinner and crunchier than many national brands — have been available in local stores since May.

“Tortillas and tortilla chips, they’re two different ball games, like hockey and football,” Sinaloa CEO Cuauhtemoc Macias said, lamenting that sales of the chips has been sluggish so far.

Speaking of football, Macias is cautiously optimistic that a spike in sales will come due to Sunday’s Super Bowl — and later this year from Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

“But we don’t want to take anything for granted,” Macias said. “I’m sure national brands are slamming the shelves full, too. We’re going up against these mainland monsters.”

Sinaloa products are available at Foodland, Safeway and Times locations, commissaries on Oahu, and the Don Quijote store on Kaheka Street.

Macias said the company has plans to introduce “The Ultimate Hawaiian Pupu Chip” and a salted egg flavored tortilla chip.

“We don’t want to be the 30th company doing barbecue-flavored chips,” Macia said. “We want to create new local or Asian flavors.”

— Dave Reardon, Star-Advertiser

STAFF SERGEANT HEADED FOR OLYMPICS

Pearl City High School graduate Marc Susa is on his way to an international culinary competition as part of the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team.

Susa, a staff sergeant, is team captain of USACAT 2020, which will compete at the 25th IKA Culinary Olympics, Feb. 14 to 19 in Stuttgart, Germany. The team, made up of members from across the Armed Forces, is training at Fort Lee in Virginia.

Susa — who won the Military Master Chef of the Year award in 2018 — has been a member of the culinary team for a decade. Members are selected through military competitions and qualifying events.

The IKA Culinary Olympics, organized by the German Chefs Association, is held every four years and bills itself as the world’s oldest and largest exhibition of culinary art. This year’s event brings together military and civilian teams from 59 countries.

Susa, in an Army public affairs article, said he learned from a young age that the culinary arts allow him to showcase his passion and personality through his cooking.

“My mother and grandmother are my inspiration. They have always been my biggest supports,” he said. “As I was growing up, I was fortunate enough for them to be able to show me what good food tastes like.”