Mexican Chips Explained: Sabritas vs. Barcel, Mexico-Only Flavors, and Tostilocos

Walk into any tiendita in Mexico and the chip rack looks familiar at first. You will see Doritos, Cheetos, Ruffles, and Tostitos. Look closer and the flavors are different, the shapes are different, and half the bags are brands most Americans have never heard of: Sabritas, Barcel, Rancheritos, Churrumais, Pake-Taxo. This guide explains who makes Mexican chips, why they taste different from the US versions, which flavors you can only get from Mexico, and how people in Mexico actually eat them.

Who Makes Mexican Chips? Sabritas and Barcel

Almost every bag on a Mexican chip rack comes from one of two companies.

Sabritas

Sabritas was founded in Mexico City in 1943 by Pedro Marcos Noriega. The name is a blend of sabrosas (tasty) and fritas (fried). PepsiCo bought the company in 1966, and today Sabritas is the Mexican arm of Frito-Lay and by far the largest snack maker in Mexico.

That is why so many American brand names show up in Mexico under the Sabritas banner. Doritos, Cheetos, Ruffles, Tostitos, and Fritos are all sold by Sabritas in Mexico, alongside brands that exist only there, like Rancheritos, Crujitos, Churrumais, and the Pake-Taxo snack mixes.

Barcel

Barcel is the other big name. It started in 1977 in Querétaro and belongs to Grupo Bimbo, the Mexican company best known for its bread. In Mexico it makes a full line of potato chips and corn snacks, including Chipotles, Chips Fuego, Chips Jalapeño, and Runners.

Why Do Mexican Chips Taste Different?

A bag of Doritos bought in Mexico and a bag bought in the US carry the same logo, but they are not the same product. Each country's version is made for its own market, so the seasoning blends are different. Mexican versions tend to lean harder into chile, lime, and tang, and many shoppers find the cheese flavors sharper as well.

The bigger difference is the flavors themselves. Many of the most popular chips in Mexico are simply not sold in the US:

• Rancheritos: tortilla chips with a tangy red salsa seasoning.
• Sabritas Adobadas: potato chips with an adobo seasoning built on dried chiles and spices.
• Churrumais: crunchy fried corn sticks, in lime or Flamin' Hot.
• Fritos Chorizo: the classic corn chip with a smoky chorizo seasoning.
• Cheetos Colmillos and Torciditos: fang shaped and twisted Cheetos that are only made for Mexico.
• Doritos Incógnita: a smoky, spicy Doritos flavor that is sold in Mexico, not the US.
• Pake-Taxo: Sabritas' corn snack mixes, in flavors like Botanero, Quexo, Mezcladito, Dark, and Flamin' Hot.

Spicy Mexican Chips

If you like heat, the Flamin' Hot versions of Mexican chips are the place to start. Mexican Flamin' Hot seasoning leans more chili forward than most US versions. Good picks include Doritos Flamin' Hot, Cheetos XTRA Flamin' Hot, Sabritas Crujientes Flamin' Hot, and Barcel Chips Fuego. For tangy heat instead of pure burn, try Runners Chile Limón or Rancheritos.

How Mexico Eats Chips: Preparados and Tostilocos

In Mexico, a bag of chips is often the start of a snack, not the whole thing. Street vendors and families turn chips into botanas preparadas by opening the bag and loading it with toppings.

The most famous version is Tostilocos, which started with street vendors in Tijuana in the 1990s. The name combines Tostitos and loco (crazy). Made with Doritos instead, the same snack is called Dorilocos. In other parts of Mexico you will hear Tostitos preparados or papitas preparadas.

How to Make Tostilocos at Home

1. Cut the bag open along the side so it lies flat, and use the bag as your bowl. Tostitos Salsa Verde or Doritos Nacho are classic bases.
2. Add diced cucumber and jícama for crunch and freshness.
3. Add Japanese peanuts (cacahuates japoneses). Some people also add cueritos (pickled pork skin) or gummy candies.
4. Squeeze fresh lime over everything.
5. Drizzle with chamoy sauce and your favorite hot sauce.
6. Finish with Tajín or Miguelito chili powder, then eat it right out of the bag with a fork.

There are no rules. Vendors and families build their own versions, so try different chips, candies, and salsas until you find your favorite. If chamoy is new to you, our guide to chamoy explains where it comes from and how to use it.

Simple Ways to Dress Up Any Bag

• Chile and lime: a squeeze of lime and a shake of Limón 7 salt and lemon powder on Ruffles Queso or Sabritas Crujientes.
• Hot sauce: a few drops of Mexican hot sauce on Crujitos or Cheetos Bolitas.
• A full botana plate: a mix of chips, peanuts, and carne seca with lime and salsa, the kind of spread you see at carne asadas and game days.

Where to Buy Mexican Chips

We carry imported Mexican chips from Sabritas, Barcel, Doritos, Cheetos, Pake-Taxo, and more, brought in from Mexico rather than the US versions of the same brands. You can see every flavor we stock, with notes on which ones are mild and which are hot, in our Mexican Chips collection. We ship worldwide, US orders over $50 ship free, and if you are in El Paso you can shop them at our store at 3465 Lee Blvd, Suite 251.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who makes Sabritas?

Sabritas was founded in Mexico City in 1943 and has been owned by PepsiCo since 1966. It is the Mexican arm of Frito-Lay and sells Doritos, Cheetos, Ruffles, Tostitos, and Fritos in Mexico, along with Mexico-only brands like Rancheritos, Crujitos, and Churrumais.

What is the difference between Sabritas and Barcel?

They are the two biggest chip makers in Mexico. Sabritas belongs to PepsiCo, while Barcel belongs to the Mexican company Grupo Bimbo. Barcel makes Runners and potato chips like Chipotles, Chips Fuego, and Chips Jalapeño.

Why do Mexican chips taste different from American chips?

Chips sold in Mexico are made for the Mexican market, so the seasoning blends are different even when the brand is the same. Many popular Mexican flavors, like Rancheritos, Adobadas, and Fritos Chorizo, are not sold in the US at all.

What are the spiciest Mexican chips?

The Flamin' Hot lines are the hottest, including Doritos Flamin' Hot, Cheetos XTRA Flamin' Hot, Sabritas Crujientes Flamin' Hot, and Barcel Chips Fuego.

What are Tostilocos?

Tostilocos are a Mexican street snack that started in Tijuana. A bag of Tostitos is opened and topped with cucumber, jícama, Japanese peanuts, lime, chamoy, hot sauce, and chili powder. Made with Doritos, the same snack is called Dorilocos.