Amapola Market knows how to make masa the ‘ancestral way’

Every December, thousands of customers visit Amapola Market, with some arriving as early as four in the morning to purchase their signature masa. Many are willing to wait in lines for three to four hours to get their hands on this natural food product.

Rolando Pozos, president of Amapola Market said that the holiday season is the busiest month as Latinos celebrate Dia de La Virgen de Guadalupe, the posadas, Christmas and New Year’s. “The whole month of December, people are showing their love to their family members and food is our main way of doing that,” he said.

Earlier this month the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors honored Amapola Market for its premium masa and non-GMO corn products, as well as its wide variety of Latino cuisine. 

Supervisor Janice Hahn awarded the market a proclamation in recognition of its community contributions and dedication to helping underserved communities across Los Angeles County.

“At Amapola Market, the community is at the heart of everything we do. Whether it's providing masa for family celebrations, supporting scholarships for Latino students, or partnering with Supervisor Hahn on meal giveaways, we take pride in making a positive impact,” said Pozos. “We are honored to receive this recognition and will continue to serve the communities that have supported us for generations."

Amapola Market is a Latino-owned grocery store chain based in Los Angeles, serving Southern California for over 62 years. The company specializes in non-GMO corn items such as masa, tamales and tortillas, along with a variety of other specialty food offerings.

Pozos told CALÓ News that tamales are a significant contributor to making the holidays special. “It’s a way that we celebrate our traditions with our families by preparing one of the most nostalgic foods that our families have been preparing from generation to generation. Tamales are the way we bring families together, which is the purpose of our business.”

Amapola Market sells its products exclusively through three owned-and-operated grocery stores located in Los Angeles, Downey and Paramount. Pozos said that the market has a big responsibility to its community, which is why they never run out of masa at their stores .

“Even if we close the store at 9 p.m. we will make sure that by 9 p.m. everybody who was in line waiting for masa will receive the masa. We are prepared to produce enough masa for everyone. iI's a commitment that we have.”

Pozos also mentioned to CALÓ News that people have tried to imitate the Amapola masa but it’s nearly impossible for them because they do not have the key ingredient, which is their white non-GMO corn. “It’s a very specific type of corn that we source in the U.S.,” he said.

Another reason why the masa is so unique is because of the amount of components the masa has to make it flavorful and natural. “The corn has to be very specific, but we also cook the corn, grind it and add other ingredients, like the natural lard,” Pozos said. “It's a very simple combination of ingredients and that's why it's so good because it's just very few natural ingredients, but it's done in the right ancestral way.”