New tenant at Wahluke Industrial Park

MATTAWA — A new tenant has set up shop in the Wahluke Industrial Park. Azteca Products Corporation opened its operation in town last week.

The industrial park is owned and operated by the Port of Mattawa.

The company packages and distributes dried chili peppers, dried corn husks, ground spices, nuts and seeds and other agricultural products. Port Director Lars Leland said Azteca owners Joe and Judy Ramos talked with port officials last year about possible expansion. “They’ve really been trying to find the right spot,” Leland said.

The Mattawa location, 5,000 square feet, will be used for packaging and distributing the company’s products, Leland said. Azteca will employ six people, with the potential to add up to five jobs in the next year, he said.

The industrial park was full when the Ramoses inquired about renting space last year, Leland said. Space became available when the previous tenant, Mattawa Tire, moved to a new location in the industrial park.

The company sells 15 varieties of dried chili peppers, classic spices like oregano and cinnamon, dried spices and some dried fruit, specialty spices like menudo mix (menudo is a classic Mexican soup), dried corn husks and pumpkin and sesame seeds, among other products. Many of its customers are located in the Puget Sound region.

The company has been growing and outgrew its Kent facility, Leland said, and the owners wanted a more central location for some operations.

With Azteca’s arrival the port’s available facilities are full. “We’re out of space,” Leland said.

While port officials are looking for more land, they’re also looking to build. “Our next big thing is a building,” Leland said. A bigger building will allow the port to attract more and bigger tenants, and over time that will allow the port to qualify for more substantial grant funding.