Food startup signs distribution deal with Houston firm

A Baldwin-based food and beverage distribution startup announced it has entered into a partnership agreement with a Houston-area firm.

The 2-year-old Hispanica International Delights of America made the deal with Janco Foods of Houston, a distributor of food service products, including beverages, frozen foods, meats, dry groceries, refrigerated foods, paper goods, janitorial supplies and equipment to restaurants.

To finance the deal and future partnerships, Hispanica International raised $112,000 and is seeking $1.5 million in equity financing, chief operating officer Robert Gunther said.

Hispanica’s chief executive officer, Fernando “Oswaldo” Leonzo, said in a statement, “We are excited about this new partnership and confident that Janco’s excellence in brand distribution will successfully close the distribution void in this region. We hope to expand our brand presence to at least several hundred off- and on-premise retail accounts throughout the Houston Metro Region.”

He added, “Janco is well known for their service into the food service sector of the industry where brand loyalties are created. We will look to grow this relationship with other products as we take on new brands and other food item products.” 


Hispanica distributes Hispanic and other ethnic food and beverages in 10 states plus the District of Columbia.

“We’re pleased to begin working with Hispanica and their flagship beverage product Gran Nevada,” Janco president Nick Mousoukakis said in a news release. “We have been following some of the food service accounts, here in Houston, where it’s done really well, and we think we can take it to another level by expanding it into our existing distribution accounts.” 


Besides Texas, Hispanica has begun to distribute its products in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, California and New York, and Washington, D.C.

One of Hispanica’s first products is Gran Nevada’s Aqua Fresca line of beverages. The Aqua Fresca line includes the company’s version of Mexican horchata, a rice-based drink that is mixed with milk, water and spices, according to Gran Nevada’s website.

Hispanica also has begun efforts to distribute fruit juices and milk-based products and plans to expand to teas, carbonated drinks, dry goods, preserves, frozen foods and bakery products.