• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking On The Weekends
  • About Valentina
    • Press
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • "How To"
  • Work with Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Valentina
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Collaborate
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Valentina
      • Contact
    • Recipe Index
    • Collaborate
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Product, Book & Restaurant Reviews » Cacique: Family-Quality-Integrity-Authenticity

    Cacique: Family-Quality-Integrity-Authenticity

    Mar 19, 2015 · by Valentina · 8 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    The success of Cacique Inc. is due greatly in part to their four pillars logo that represents family, quality, integrity and authenticity. This is their foundation, and their products are absolutely wonderful!

    This is a sponsored post by Cacique Inc. and Society Culinaria. And as always, all opinions are my own.Cacique Logo

    One of my Cacique creations are Potato Chorizo Hand Pies, and they are incredibly delicious!

    Who knew there could possibly be so many delicious products – and so much family love – behind this awning in a building in La Puente, CA?

    Last month I had the unique opportunity to spend some time at the Cacique headquarters, along with a few other food bloggers.

    CACIQUE Inc. building

    How Cacique Began

    It all began a little over 40 years ago, when Jennie and Gilbert de Cardenas Sr. immigrated to the U.S. hoping to provide for their family. Shortly thereafter, de Cardenas Sr. saw an opportunity to to make cheese.

    When he first tasted others' Queso Fresco in the U.S., he knew he could do better.  And so he did. Very early on he began selling the cheese out of coolers in the trunk of his teal green Pontiac, store to store in downtown Los Angeles.

    Today

    Now it's this very cheese that is the number one Queso Fresco in the U.S. and it's in the top ten of all cheeses here!  Cacique is also the largest fresh cheese maker and the number one brand of Mexican-style cheeses, chorizos, and cremas.

    Its success is due greatly in part to their four pillars logo that represents family, quality, integrity and authenticity.

    Cacique is still owned and run by the de Cardenas family -- Jennie and Gilbert's four children: Gil, Ana, Maria, and Antonio.

    CACIQUE Menu

    We were greeted with an incredibly warm welcome from the family and several of the delightful team of Cacique employees.

    All of them are unbelievably passionate about what they do -- it's the epitome of "a labor of love" at the Cacique headquarters.

    CACIQUE Inc employees
    Ana de Cardenas-Raptis and Gilbert B. de Cardenas

    Cacique Products

    While I have been eating Cacique Cotija and Queso Fresco for years, I had no idea there were so many different products. From  the cheeses and chorizos, to the cremas and yogurt smoothies -- we learned about all of them.

    Their history, the flavors, textures, the best ways to enjoy them, and more.  (Below are only some of their products.  You can see and learn about all of them here.)

    collage of CACIQUE Products

    One of the highlights was hearing from Enrique Botello, the director of marketing.

    He opened by telling us that you can taste the quality in their cheeses. "You have to use the best milk for the best cheese," he said.  He the read the ingredients on one of the packages, "milk, sea salt, and enzymes." That's it!

    How awesome is this . . . it only takes two to four days to get from the cow to the store! That's how fresh it is.

    Enrique Botella at Cacique Inc.
    Enrique Botello

    Queso Oaxaca

    Above, Botello is demonstrating how to take apart a "knot" of Queso Oaxaca, which tastes similar to Mozzarella and behaves like American string cheese. He told us how kids love doing this and that the big thing is to see "how thin you can go." 🙂

    CACIQUE Food Bloggers
    Top row, left to right: Valerie of Mama Likes to Cook, Dorothy of Shockingly Delicious, Art of Latino Foodie, and Gerry of Foodness Gracious.  Bottom row, left to right: Jeanne of The Jolly Tomato, Caryn of Rockin' Mama, the two amazing women how planned this event -- Nicole of Presley's Pantry and Ericka of Nibbles & Feasts, and yep, that's me on the end.

    We were able to walk through the plant to see the products being made and packaged, where they follow the very strict rules regarding sanitation to a T.

    After the plant tour we were treated to an amazingly delicious lunch prepared by Chef Claud Beltran. So I had my second scrumptious six-course cheese meal from him. California milk = quality cheese. And it all comes together.

    CACIQUE Inc. lunch event

    You can find fantastic recipes using Cacique products here, and you can find out where to get the products near you, here.  Enjoy!

    Oh and here are some wonderful descriptions of each product.

    CACIQUE Cheese and cutting board

    A big thank you to everyone at Cacique for a truly lovely event, and to Nicole and Ericka for orchestrating all of it so beautifully.

    Save

    More Reviews

    • Persimmons on a cutting board with text that says 2022 Holiday Gift Guide.
      2022 Holiday Gift Guide for Cooks & Foodies
    • Curried Smashed Potato Stewin red pot with lid behind it
      Curry Smashed Potato Stew
    • Olive Oil Poached Fish (Salmon) on a white platter.
      Olive Oil Poached Salmon
    • Yellow rimmed bowl full with Air Fryer Gluten Free Lemon Fried Chicken breasts, with lemons in background.
      Air Fryer Fried Chicken (Gluten-Free)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. christina

      March 20, 2015 at 3:47 pm

      Great post! Thanks for the tour! Wished I'd been there!

      Reply
      • valentina

        March 22, 2015 at 8:03 pm

        Christina, you'd love it! Hopefully we'll be touring somewhere awesome together soon.

        Reply
    2. Ericka @NibblesNFeasts

      March 21, 2015 at 1:51 am

      Thank you so much for joining us, Valentina. So glad to hear it was informative, delicious and very enjoyable!

      Reply
      • valentina

        March 22, 2015 at 8:02 pm

        Thank YOU, Ericka for orchestrating all of it so beautifully. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

      March 21, 2015 at 7:11 am

      We rocked those hairnets, didn't we!

      Reply
      • valentina

        March 22, 2015 at 8:02 pm

        You know it, Dorothy!

        Reply
    4. David

      March 21, 2015 at 8:42 am

      Love the tour - and love their products. I buy them quite often, and they are really wonderful!

      Reply
      • valentina

        March 22, 2015 at 8:01 pm

        Thanks David! Glad you are a Cacique supporter. 😀

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

    More about me →

    Spring & Summer Favorites

    • Strawberry Avocado Salsa recipe in a yellow-green bowl with half of a whole strawberry on top
      Strawberry Avocado Salsa
    • Steamed artichoke with lemons slices between the leaves on a white plate
      Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Beurre Blanc
    • Clear drinking glass with several creamy coffee ice cubes in it.
      Creamy and Sweet Coffee Ice Cubes
    • white platter with grilled watermelon and lime
      Grilled Watermelon with Chile and Lime

    Popular Salads

    • Asian slaw in a bright blue ceramic bowl painted with colorful flowers.
      Spicy Asian Slaw with Basil
    • Large ceramic serving bowl full with Watermelon Basil Salad with feta, avocado, and balsamic reduction.
      Watermelon Basil Salad with Avocado
    • Cream-colored ceramic bowl filled to the top with Peach Caprese Salad with drops of balsamic glaze and fresh sun flowers behind it.
      Peach Caprese Salad
    • Tropical Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp in a dark ceramic bowl on a sushi mat
      Quinoa Salad Bowl with Shrimp

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Press

    Newsletter

    Get new recipes you’ll love!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me

    Review the privacy policy for Cooking on the Weekends

    Copyright © 2023 Cooking On The Weekends, All Rights Reserved