01 | BRAND FOUNDATION
Vision & Mission
VISION
The Most Craved Hot Sauce in America
To be on every table, every pantry and every sauce retail shelf.
Grow the brand to be the undisputed #1 hot sauce in retail & foodservice. Define the Tapatio brand with authentic, bold flavor—earned through cultural authenticity, culinary credibility, and an unbreakable relationship with our community, both Hispanic and General Market.
MISSION
Flavor That Earns Its Place at Every Table
We exist to make great food taste undeniably better.
Tapatío is not a condiment—it's an experience. From a family kitchen to a stadium suite, Tapatío adds heat, flavor, and the spirit of celebration.
BRAND PROMISE
Authentic Heat. Every Time.
The flavor is never a compromise.
The recipe hasn't changed because it doesn't need to. That consistency—the same bottle, the same taste, the same Charro—is our promise to every consumer.
POSITIONING
For Food Lovers Who Don't Need Permission
Tapatío speaks to those who already know—who grew up with it, reach for it first, put it on everything.
We're not convincing anyone. We're speaking to a community that claims us as their own. For those who don’t know us, one taste will make you a believer.
To be on every table, every pantry and every sauce retail shelf.
Values & Personality
Four non-negotiables in everything Tapatío creates, says, or does.
AUTHENTIC
Born in Southern California. Real ingredients. Never trend-chasing, never compromising on what makes us who we are.
FESTIVE
We don't party — we fiesta.
Tapatío brings people together and turns ordinary meals into unforgettable moments.
BOLD
We have a point of view and we stand behind it.
Bold flavor, bold voice, bold presence on shelf and screen.
CULTURAL PRIDE
Rooted in Hispanic heritage. Recognized globally.
A source of pride for the communities that made us iconic.
02 | LOGO & TRADEMARK
Approved Logo Variations
Always request official vector files from Tapatio Brand Management, The ID Agency or Brand Central. Never recreate the logo from screenshots.
PRIMARY LOGO
Full lockup with Emilio (El Charro), ribbon & 'Hot Sauce'
PRIMARY — NO 'HOT SAUCE'
Requires written approval from Marketing Team
SECONDARY LOGO (WORDMARK)
Space-constrained layouts only
We exist to make great food taste undeniably better.
Logo Rules & Restrictions
The proportions of Emilio (aka El Charro) to the logotype must never be altered.
CLEAR SPACE
Maintain minimum clearance equal to the height of the 'H' in 'Hot Sauce' on all four sides. No other elements may enter this zone without written Brand Team approval.
MINIMUM SIZE
Primary logo: no smaller than 1.25" in print / 90px digital.
Secondary wordmark: no smaller than 0.75" in print / 54px digital.
APPROVED BACKGROUNDS
Full color on white. Full color on light neutrals. White reversed on dark backgrounds. Single color (red or black) when full color unavailable.
EMILIO — EL CHARRO, THE TAPATÍO MAN
Must only be shown from chest up as in the official logo. Never redrawn, reinterpreted, or modified in expression, clothing, or style. Chest-up only — always.
NEVER DO
• Never stretch, skew, distort, or rotate the logo
• Never separate elements (ribbon, Charro, wordmark)
• Never recolor with gradients, shadows, or off-brand colors
• Never place on complex, busy photo backgrounds
• Never recreate the wordmark in any other font
• Never alter proportions of man to logotype
• Never use low-resolution or JPEG-compressed files
• Never use screenshots — always request official vector files
03 | COLOR PALETTE
Use exact values only. Never approximate.
Off-brand colors dilute 50+ years of recognition.
Primary Color Palette
TAPATÍO RED
#E11A2B
RGB 225 / 26 / 43
CMYK 5C / 100M / 94Y / 0K
PMS 185 C
Primary brand color. Logo, headlines, accents, CTAs.
TAPATÍO YELLOW
#FCC726
RGB 252 / 199 / 38
CMYK 5C / 22M / 94Y / 0K
PMS 116 C
Secondary color. Highlights, secondary CTAs, energy.
TAPATÍO BLACK
#0A0A0A
RGB 10 / 10 / 10
CMYK 0C / 0M / 0Y / 100K
PMS Black 6 C
Supporting role only. Never dominant. Text, rules, backgrounds.
⚠ NEVER APPROXIMATE: Always use exact HEX/RGB/CMYK values.
Never substitute Tapatío Red with any other red including Pantone 186, 187, or 'bright red.'
Supplemental Color Palette
Food and culture-inspired. Use to complement — never to replace — the primary palette.
GUACAMOLE
#AEC237
RGB 174 / 194 / 55
CMYK 37C/9M/100Y/0K
PMS 375 C
FIESTA
#F79220
RGB 247 / 146 / 30
CMYK 0C/51M/100Y/0K
PMS 144 C
SALSA
#7A1315
RGB 122 / 19 / 21
CMYK 30C/100M/100Y/40K
PMS 7622 C
TORTILLA
#FDD56B
RGB 253 / 213 / 107
CMYK 1C/15M/69Y/0K
PMS 1215 C
AGAVE
#366B7C
RGB 54 / 107 / 124
CMYK 82C/48M/40Y/13K
PMS 7697 C
PUTTY
#887468
RGB 136 / 116 / 106
CMYK 0C/18M/21Y/56K
Warm Gray 8
Tapatío Hot Sauce Color
What’s in the bottle. And in great food everywhere.
UNOPENED
#A9431E
RGB 169/ 67/ 30
CMYK 0C/60M/82Y/34K
PMS 1675 C
OPEN
#81312F
RGB 129/ 49/ 47
CMYK 0C/62M/64Y/49K
PMS 181 C
04 | TYPOGRAPHY
Type conveys personality. Our fonts carry a festive attitude with a bold, contemporary edge
Brand Typefaces
PRIMARY
GARAGE GOTHIC
Headlines · Campaigns · Brand Voice · Callouts
SECONDARY
Supporting Headlines & Accent Copy
SUPPLEMENTAL
Legal, captions, nutritional info only
05 | IMAGERY
Photographic Direction
Every image must feel like it belongs at a real table, in a real kitchen, at a real celebration.
DO
Show food in vivid, appetizing full color — never desaturated or filtered to look artisanal
Feature multicultural families, friends, communities in natural, warm settings
Use warm energetic light reflecting Southern California's culture and cuisine
Include the Tapatío bottle naturally — at the table, in the hand, mid-pour
Show the range: tacos, eggs, pizza, ramen, wings, soups. Tapatío goes everywhere
Use rustic natural backgrounds: wood, tile, craft paper, warm neutrals
Use original photography when possible; stock must be reviewed for cultural alignment
DON’T
Show food in vivid, appetizing full color — never desaturated or filtered to look artisanal
Use cold, clinical, or overly styled food photography that feels corporate or sterile
Use generic stock photography with no cultural specificity or authentic warmth
Filter, desaturate, or convert brand imagery to black-and-white — color is energ
Use dark, moody 'fine dining' aesthetics that conflict with our festive spirit
Show food that looks unappetizing, under-lit, or incomplete
Use imagery depicting excessive alcohol consumption in any context
Use culturally appropriative content — celebrate, never appropriate
06 | VOICE & TONE
Brand Voice in Action
Confident. Playful. Rooted. Never corporate, never trying too hard, always real.
SOCIAL MEDIA CAPTION
"Sunday morning. Eggs. Tapatío. No further questions."
Confident, brief, culturally understood. No hashtag overload. No forced energy.
CAMPAIGN HEADLINE
"You Had Me Hola."
Playful, culturally resonant pun that feels earned. Brief and highly memorable.
‘Fiesta' not 'party' ·
'Flavor' not 'taste' ·
WE SAY:
'Authentic' not 'artisanal' ·
Short. Punchy. Unforgettable.
FOODSERVICE TRADE COPY
"The hot sauce your guests already know — and ask for by name."
Operator-focused benefit statement. No fluff. Straight to the value proposition..
PRODUCT LAUNCH
"Same recipe. New reason to fiesta."
Honors the authentic unchanged recipe while creating new occasion-based excitement..
Approved Phrases & Restrictions
All new phrases require written approval from the Brand Team before use in any channel.
APPROVED BRAND PHRASES
RESPECT THE SAUCE
“
RESPECT THE STACHE
I PUT TAPATÍO ON MY TAPATÍO
KEEP CALM AND PASS THE TAPATÍO
YOU HAD ME AT HOLA
ADD SOME TAPATÍO FOR EXTRA FLAVOR
NEVER USE
✗ "Hotter Than Your Mom"
→ Crude humor violating family values — not approved for any channel or licensed product
✗ Unapproved regional slang or NSFW language
→ Submit all copy to Brand Team before posting. When in doubt, ask.
✗ Political statements or divisive cultural commentary
→ Tapatío is for everyone. We celebrate, we never divide.
✗ "Salsa Picante" as a standalone tagline
→ Protected logo element — appears only within the official ribbon lockup.
07 | BRAND APPLICATIONS
Real-World Brand Applications
How Tapatío shows up correctly — from restaurant tables to timelines.
FOODSERVICE
Table Tents & POS
Clean white with primary logo.
'Add Some Tapatío for Extra Flavor' lockup for menu callouts. Kraft Heinz Foodservice sales network.
APPAREL
Licensed Merchandise
Wordmark or full logo only.
Approved phrases only. Natural kraft hang tags. 'Authentic Product' tag required on all items. Tapatio brand approval required.
All branded apparel must be approved by Tapatio CBO. No stretching of logo. Vector logo preferred rather than heat transfer treatments. Preferred vendors with links will be identified.
CO-BRANDING
Collaborative Products
Partner brand leads hierarchy.
Tapatío in defined supporting role. Legal trademark line required on all co-branded items. Tapatio Brand approval required.
LICENSED PACKAGING
Marinated Meat Products
Primary logo on dark background.
Secondary palette by protein type. Ribbon graphics for callouts. 'Gluten Free & No MSG' approved.
DIGITAL — SOCIAL
Instagram & TikTok
Vibrant food photography leads.
Logo as watermark. Voice casual, punchy, brief. Food-first, always in color.
SOCCER 2026
On Site Activation
Full primary logo on brand red.
High-energy, legible at 50+ feet Tapatio Man as mascot with explicit approval.
Additional Icons & Graphics
When more information is needed or when expanded creative solutions would make us stand out.
FOOD PACKAGING
Spicy Icons
Often it is important to communicate the spice intensity on product packaging.
To make this easy, we have created a series of icons to quickly identify the level of spice. Please use the colors as indicated, but the icon may be reproduced as is or as a "stamp" with slight overlay and transparency for added visual interest. You may also create more icons , such as the example above, in order to better fit your overall design or indicate additional levels of spiciness.
Please refer to the packaging visuals for an example of how they may be used.
TAPATíO HOT
15C / 100M / 100Y / OK
210R / 35G / 42B
TAPATíO MEDIUM
OC / 50M / 100Y / OK
247R / 148G / 30B
TAPATíO MILD
70C / OM / 100Y /OK
80R/ 184G / 72B
GENERAL
Additional Elements
When creating graphics, more Tapatío elements can be used, such as the hat embroidered patterns —available in vector format— as well as brushed and rough edges to separate color blocks, in keeping with our authentic tone.
08 | WHAT NOT TO DO
Approved Logo Variations
Any unauthorized execution must be removed immediately. Partners who violate these rules risk loss of license.
NO STRETCHING
Never stretch, skew, squeeze, or distort the logo. Scale proportionally from corners only.
NO OFF-BRAND COLORS
Never recolor the logo with gradients, metallic effects, drop shadows, or any unapproved color.
NO ELEMENTS SEPARATION
Never use the ribbon, Charro, or wordmark as standalone elements without full approval.
NO MODIFIED TAPATIO MAN
Never redraw, animate, or reinterpret Emilio (El Charro). Full-body depictions never permitted.
NO FONT SUBSTITUTION
Never recreate the Tapatío wordmark in any other typeface. The logo is a trademark, not type.
Any unauthorized execution must be removed immediately.
NO COMPLEX BACKGROUNDS
Never place the logo on busy photos or patterns without an approved holding shape.
NO LOW-RES FILES
Never use pixelated or JPEG-compressed logos. Always request vector files from Brand Central.
NO UNLICENSED CO-BRANDING
Never associate Tapatío with another brand without a fully executed licensing agreement.
"HOTTER THAN YOUR MOM"
This phrase was found in an unauthorized execution. It violates family values and is strictly prohibited.
09 | CO-BRANDING
Co-Branding Examples
While we love these co-branded products, this list isn’t exhaustive and solely intended to show examples of our brand usage.
Fully Branded Tapatio Packaging
Co-Branded Tapatio Packaging
Co-Branding Rules & Requirements
All co-branded executions require a fully executed licensing agreement before any asset is produced or published.
BRAND HIERARCHY
01
The host brand leads their packaging hierarchy. Tapatío appears in a defined supporting role — typically as a flavor endorser. Logo must maintain approved proportions and clear space at all times.
APPROVED DESCRIPTORS
02
"Made with Tapatío Flavored Seasoning" · "Includes Tapatío Hot Sauce Inside" · "Coated with Tapatío Sauce" · "Tapatío Flavored." All descriptor text must use approved Tapatío fonts only.
MINIMUM LOGO SIZE
03
Tapatío must appear as no less than the secondary wordmark logo. Primary logo preferred. Must not appear smaller than any identifying logo element of the partner brand.
CATEGORY RESTRICTIONS
04
No co-branding with: tobacco/cannabis, political campaigns, or any brand conflicting with family values.
DIGITAL & SOCIAL
05
Partners must submit all social posts referencing Tapatío for approval before publishing. Tag @TapatioHotSauce correctly. Partner voice must align with Tapatío tone guidelines.
LEGAL LINE REQUIRED
06
"Tapatío and all associated logos are the Registered Trademarks of Tapatío Foods, LLC." — This line is required on ALL licensed and co-branded products. No exceptions.
Partner Program Tiers
Approval requirements by partnership level. All tiers require a fully executed licensing agreement.
LOGO REQUIRE-MENT
TIER
CATEGORY
APPROVAL
Primary logo · min 1.5" · Featured front-of-pack
FLAGSHIP
Major CPG co-brands (Chex Mix, taco kits, snack brands)
Tapatio CBO
Marinated meats, salsas, jerky, seasoned snack foods
LICENSED
Primary logo · minimum 1.25" wide
Tapatio CBO
Social collaborations, influencer co-posts
DIGITAL
Logo tag or secondary wordmark in-image
Tapatio CBO
Secondary logo acceptable · minimum 0.75"
FOOD SERVICE
Restaurant menu callouts, chain partnerships
Tapatio CBO
REQUIRED LEGAL LINE ON ALL LICENSED PRODUCTS: "Tapatío and all associated logos are the Registered Trademarks of Tapatío Foods, LLC."
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