Walking down the streets of many Latin American countries, the smell of mouthwatering warm empanadas is welcoming and irresistible. These half-moon-shaped delights are made with light, crusty pastries filled with rich and delicious fillings. Empanadas can be enjoyed as a simple snack with some tea or served with salsa as part of a proper meal. A humble Empanada captures the taste and authenticity of Latin American culture, similar to Dumplings in many Asian countries. When President Salvador Allende was elected as the President of Chile in 1970, in his inauguration speech, he announced, "It is not violence, but red wine and empanadas that are important in celebrating our revolution." The importance of these simple and delicious pastries is deeply rooted in many Latin American countries.

Empanadas were first mentioned in a Catalonian recipe in 1520. The name originated from the Spanish word "empanar," meaning to wrap and enclose, and eventually, the word "Empanada" was used for these pastries. Empanadas are considered a national delicacy in Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and many Latin American countries; there are regional specialty recipes that many countries are proud to claim as their own creations. There are family traditions, secret recipes, and classic combinations that contribute to the great tastes of these half-moon-shaped pastries. Chicken Empanadas are popular in the Dominican Republic, Argentina is known for its traditional Beef Empanadas, and Seafood Empanadas can be found all along the coast of Latin American countries.

Empanadas can be made into savory and sweet varieties; they are delicious and even more convenient to eat and travel with than Pizzas. Depending on the size of the Empanada, it can be sold as a mouthwatering street food, an excellent appetizer for a bar or restaurant, and it can be simply enjoyed as a homemade meal. Frozen Empanadas are usually made to be 100g per piece, so they easily be stored and reheated. For most Empanada manufacturers, it is crucial to have suitable recipes to prevent the Empanada pastry from cracking during the freezing process. This also ensures the products can be baked or fried into specific desired flavors and textures while complying with different countries' health rules and regulations.

Travelers and immigrants from Latin America have introduced Empanadas to consumers in the United States, and these vibrant flavors have captured many Millennial and Generation Z customers. In 2021 Grubhub's annual state of the plate report, Beef Empanadas ranked top 8 on the list. National Empanada Day was announced in the US on April 8th, celebrating the rich history of this food in the United States. According to Newswire's report, the Latin American fast-food market was at 64.5 billion US Dollars in 2021 and is estimated to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.5% from 2022 to 2027.

Latin American cuisines are rich, flavorful, and exotic, and it is trending around the world, of which Mexican cuisine and food products are the most popular. The Latin American food cultures have greatly influenced consumers in the United States, especially in their choice of snacks and desserts. The impression that Latin American cuisine is fast and casual makes it even more attractive to the general public and their willingness to try something new in this cooking style.

Empanadas and some Latin American foods are recognized as fast, rich, and convenient snacks that are often thought of as unhealthy. Hence many manufacturers and producers are researching and developing products that are more nutritious and utilizing flavorful and healthy local ingredients from different regions. Many gluten-free ingredients such as the root vegetables like yuca, different types of corn, and quinoa are being used in the dough and/or mixed into the fillings to create traditional flavors that are delicious and healthy.

There is an increasing emphasis on nutrition and health concerns of various food products, as well as a focus on trending plant-based diets. In 2022, tastewise statistics reported that 6% of vegan consumers would consider Empanadas a primary food choice, showing its great potential for growth. In the future, we expect different manufacturers and brands to create more delicious, sweet, or savory Vegan or meat-lovers Empanadas that are more health-conscious to provide tastier and better products to the Global Marketplace.

ANKO's EMP-900 Empanada Machine is designed to handle high-fat content dough for making golden and flaky puff pastries, with a maximum weight of the water and fat mixture reaching up to 75% of the total dry ingredients. ANKO's HLT-700 Series machines are used for manufacturing large quantities of Empanadas; they have many rotary molds to choose from. These interchangeable molds can be customized to produce a variety of filled pastries. ANKO also offers professional recipe consultation, production technical support, and market insights. If you plan to produce Empanadas, don't hesitate to get in touch with us.