Sandwiches remain very popular with customers, and a key factor in any good sandwich is the bread. Panaderías look to provide their customers with top-quality breads that can not only be enjoyed on their own, but also as part of sandwiches.

A hearty sandwich is perfect for the colder weather of fall and winter, which is part of why bread sales for bakeries tend to be strong during those seasons. However, sandwich popularity continues throughout the year in the spring and summer months.

At Anakaren Bakery in Arlington, Texas, bolillos are a top-selling product for their use in sandwiches. The traditional bolillo has gained importance on the U.S. food scene in recent years. For that reason, bakeries enjoy profitable opportunities to reinvent the sandwich, both for breakfast and dinner, by using freshly baked bolillos more often as sandwich bread.

There is a French connection to traditional Hispanic breads like bolillos that traces back to the 19th century at a time when French bakers shared lessons for making crusty breads with Mexican bakers. This development helped lead to enormous popularity for the bolillo, which much like the French baguette, is crusty on the outside and chewy inside.

But today there is another French staple that is gaining widespread popularity at a growing number of panaderías. The French-style croissant has become a widespread hit, presenting panaderías with a wonderful opportunity to increase sales for the breakfast and lunch crowds.

Another fantastic option for sandwiches is teleras, Hispanic retailers are wise to create their own sandwich stations and use their own freshly baked teleras as the centerpiece for creative breakfast and lunch sandwich options.

At Guanajuato Bakery in Fort Worth, Texas, an item that always satisfies customers is the pigs in a blanket (hot dogs wrapped in fresh buns). Anna Orduno, the daughter of owner Gabby Orduno, says that many children will stop by for breakfast or a morning snack in the morning and grab a pig in a blanket and an energy drink before heading to school.

Tortillas are an essential part of meals in Hispanic culture, and several Texas bakeries are doing them right. At Panadería Celaya in Grand Prairie, Noe Orduno Jr. developed the bakery’s tortilla brand, called Donato’s Bakery, after tinkering with the recipe for a long time. The tortillas are sold both at Celaya and to other panaderías and restaurants.

Tortillas can be used for more unique wraps but the traditional options, such as burritos, are still very popular. Abuelito Bakery in Balch Springs, Texas offers breakfast items in the form of burritos served on freshly made tortillas. These burritos are filled with papas con huevo, chorizo con huevo, frijoles con chorizo, picadillo, or barbacoa.

Many panaderías focus much more on product and much less on marketing, which is why fresh, tasty breads and tortillas are necessary to bring in customers and get word-of-mouth promotion in their communities.