Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Paulita's New Mexico principal Alan Porter shows one of the production lines for the company's seasonings in the armory building at Mesalands Community College.
A Tucumcari-based food company recently received funding from the Job Training Incentive Program with the New Mexico Economic Development Department.
Tajin International, dba Paulita's Ne Mexico, received a total award of $40,864.40 for three trainees at an average wage of $18.34 an hour.
Paulita's provides custom dehydrated New Mexico green chile to customers worldwide. Tajin is the world's largest consumer of chile and manufactures chile products in Mexico. Paulita's is the vehicle Tajin has chosen to expand its operations into the United States by reaching a broader flavor and taste base. This is its first Job Training Incentive Program application.
Paulita's, previously based in Rio Rancho, moved its operations to Tucumcari last year and is using a Mesalands Community College's building a a pilot manufacturing and worker-training facility. It is looking for a more permanent site to relocate in Tucumcari.
The Job Training Incentive Program board in April approved more than $768,000 in funding to train a total of 48 employees for nine companies. The other companies were based in Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Las Vegas, Santa Fe and Taos.
The program assists businesses to expand their workforces by reimbursing them a percentage of employees' training costs. Companies are responsible for hiring and training the workers and for meeting certain benchmark requirements before receiving the funds.
