New Mexican Chips ‘Takis’ Coming To A Theater Near You

Since before the 1930s, a bag of popcorn has been the most prominent companion of a movie, but as times change and the populations shift so do the old-school ways.

Slowly but surely it’s been hitting the movie industry that Latino is the way to go, so lo and behold, diversified concessions offerings.   According to Deadline, a new vendor has hit the CinemaCon floor this year, a popular Mexican corn chip snack called Takis, made by Barcel USA, looking to be the pioneer of a new movie experience. 

A representative of the product stated that due of to the snack’s popularity and brand recognition in the Hispanic market, the interest of exhibitors is high. And high they should be since Latinos account for 25% of all movies seen last year, the publication added.

I for one have never heard of Takis nor would be interested in trying them since flavors like Habanero & Lime, BBQ Picante and Fuego don’t really appeal to my taste buds, but interestingly enough the snack did trickle its way down the hands of a crew of rapping children whose video “Hot Cheetos & Takis” went viral last year.

So why is it important that Takis have appeared in CinemaCon? The popular convention is The National Association of Theatre Owners, the White House of movie theaters. If they decide that Takis will sit next the Sour Patch Kids at the stand then that is the law. I think this is a great opportunity for theaters nationwide because the Mexican population in the U.S., especially in California and New York, is greater than that of any other Latin American country and represents nearly two-thirds (65%) of the Hispanic population, according to the Pew Research Center.

Although I am happy that my fellow Mexicans might be represented in the snack section I hope that theaters don’t forget that not all Latinos are Mexican, or like spicy food for that matter. I’m not asking for beef empanadas or rice and beans, but how about a Bom Bom Bum lollipop or a Jet chocolate bar? I was born in Colombia, and when I came to live in the United States seeing and eating those Colombian brands made me feel closer to home, even though I was paying more than their worth. That experience remains true for me now 13 years later and I know it is similar for many of my Latino friends.

Tell us what you think about Takis becoming a possible movie theater snack and share with us what popular snacks from your country should make it into the list.