About Us

Rosario "Frank" Liberto is born.

Rosario Liberto, son of Salvatore Liberto and Venera Serio Liberto, is born.

Rosario Liberto immigrates to the United States.

Rosario Liberto immigrates to the United States (New Orleans, LA) from the city of Cefalu, a province of Palermo located on the northern coast of Sicily, Italy at the age of 16.

Crescent Market is established in Beaumont, TX.

The family business, known as Crescent Market, is established on Magnolia Street in Beaumont, TX and run by Rosario Liberto.

Frank Liberto's Store in Bayou, LA

The family business expands to Bayou, LA.

Liberto house in Paloma, TX.

Rosario moves to San Antonio.

Rosario Liberto contracts malaria and moves temporarily to San Antonio, TX to recover from his illness. After contracting malaria for a third time and on the recommendation of his doctor, Rosario moves permanently to San Antonio. The mosquitos commonly associated with the Beaumont area makes it impossible for him to remain in that city.

Enrico Liberto, son of Rosario Liberto and Angelina Rinando Liberto is born.

Rosario Liberto and brother-in-law Joseph Barranco run Crescent Market in Beaumont, TX.

Liberto Market and Grocery starts in San Antonio.

Rosario Liberto moves his business to San Antonio, TX and renames it Liberto Market and Grocery, a retail grocery with a butcher market. There he sells, among other things, roasted coffee and roasted peanuts. Rosario’s son, Enrico (nicknamed Rico) works at his father’s side after completing the 8th grade in order to help put his six brothers and two sisters through school. Enrico delivers coffee on horse (Billy) and buggy. The Liberto family starts producing and selling peanuts to circus goers.

The Liberto building.

The Liberto building on S. Presa. Notice the family's 2nd floor balcony.

The company shifts from coffee to peanuts.

As competition grows, coffee is no longer lucrative to sell. Owning one of the few coffee roasters in the city of San Antonio, the Liberto family becomes famous for roasted Virginia peanuts (the JUMBOs). The business, located near a train station, begins to sell peanuts on all the trains on the route and at the circuses which come to town. In a short time, the business becomes one of the first “concession supply jobbers” in the United States.

The Liberto building at 701 N. Flores in San Antonio. Left to right: Sam Liberto, Enrico Liberto, and Angelina Rinando Liberto.

The first delivery truck.

Frank Liberto & Co. delivery truck decorated for Trades Day Parade during Fiesta San Jacinto. The business sells 400,000 lbs of roasted peanuts. (First distribution truck).

Liberto building on Durango St. and Flores St.

The Great Depression.

Stock market crashes in 1929 and the era of the Great Depression begins hitting San Antonio in 1931.

Rosario Liberto struggles with the Great Depression and eventually files for bankruptcy. Rosario later pays all his suppliers back to the penny.

Frank Liberto is born.

Frank G. Liberto, son of Enrico and Antoinette Liberto, is born.

Liberto Specialty Co. grocery store continues.

Enrico “Rico” Liberto restarts the tradition of running a family grocery store and sells institutional wholesale foods and imported spices, peanuts, and sno-cones under the name Liberto Specialty Co. in San Antonio, TX.

Rosario Liberto (1874-1940)

Rosario Liberto passes away. He paid all his debts before he died. In the process, he created a fine reputation for himself as being a man of his word.

Frank Liberto continues the tradition.

Frank G. Liberto continues to assist his father, Enrico, while attending college at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX. He is commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army’s Field Artillery while attending college and he received a degree in marketing.

Frank returns from service.

Frank spends six months on active duty at Fort Sill, OK. However, his military career is shortened. He returns to assist in the business when his father becomes blind. He completes 12 years in the active reserve as a Captain.

Liberto Specialty Co. moves.

Business moves to 113 West Military Plaza, San Antonio, TX, selling popcorn, peanuts, cotton candy, and sno-cones.

Frank becomes President of Liberto Specialty Co.

He establishes Dine-A-Mite Foods, a chain of snack bars and concessions operating in malls, shopping centers and discount stores. First concession stand opens in North Star Mall which is the third enclosed mall in North America. Hot dogs sell for 15 cents and popcorn sells for 10 cents. Frank soon sets up 17 snack bars across Texas. He sells more concessions, designs stands, installs popcorn machines, services equipment, and sells products. He designs some of the most profitable drive-in theatre concessions and installs and sells equipment for fast food concession stands.

Fire at the Liberto Specialty building

Twenty days before the World’s Fair held at Hemisfair in San Antonio, TX, a four alarm fire destroys the Liberto Specialty building at 113 West Military Plaza. The building is restored and business continues at that location for another two years.

The 1970 move.

Liberto business headquarters is moved to 830 S. Presa, San Antonio, TX. Liberto distribution located on S. Staples St. in Corpus Christi, TX.

Liberto adds Corpus Christi Concessions.

Liberto purchases Corpus Christi Concessions. The offices moved to 514 Powers St. across from the Corpus Christi courthouse.

Liberto adds to the company.

Liberto Distribution bought Houston Popcorn. There was currently no theatre business before this. Liberto distribution gained a location in Harlingen after this purchase. The first theatre business was Henry Hall Theatres. At this time, United Artists Theatres were opening up 3 locations in Corpus Christi. With the purchase of Houston Popcorn, Liberto’s was able to handle all the distribution in these theatres. They carried 2,000 line-items and were truly a one-stop-shop for anyone’s concession needs. Liberto’s also gained the Tower Theatre business in Corpus Christi.

The Original Concession Nachos are born.

The company introduces Concession Nachos at Arlington Stadium in Arlington, TX. Baseball fans are treated to a new taste – a delicious dish consisting of fried tortilla chips with cheddar cheese sauce and jalapeño peppers.

Late 1977

Nachos are actively promoted in tradeshows and fairs across the United States to get the nacho craze started. The biggest challenge is to convince people that nachos are not just a southwestern item, but an item that will increase stadium concession profits across the country. It is proven that nachos will not cannibalize sales from other products. In fact, it has the opposite effect – it increases sales. Drink sales skyrocket due mainly to the spiced right formula of the jalapeño peppers and cheese sauce, and popcorn and other concession items maintain their profitable positions. It is quickly determined that nachos create “new found money," not previously spent by the concession customer. Movie theatres, however, have yet to taste the spice. It doesn’t happen until John Rowley, president of United Artist Theatres, discovers the magic of the spicy snack. Having tasted nachos in one of the drive-in theatres conventions where the snack was being promoted, he instantly places an order for 75 set ups for his theatres. Still a little skeptical about the snack’s match with “cinematic” ambience, and not prepared to “spoil a relationship with Rowley just over a few cans of cheese,” Frank Liberto cancels the order. On Rowley’s insistence, they decide to try it for 60 days at three of the United Artist Theatres cinemas. After a few months, Rowley’s son-in-law, John Treadwell, calls up Frank telling him, “You know how much money you are costing me by not putting nachos here? Now I want 100 set ups!” Nachos quickly spread across the US cinema exhibition community. Revenues start multiplying and profitability in cinemas are zooming up. A case of history is being made. For the next 18 months, Liberto is selling 100,000 orders per day. A 35mm film trailer is used in movie theatres during intermission to start nachos in that venue. The three stars of the film are Rico, Pepe, and Nacho with personalities you won’t forget, from “Rico” the enthusiastic cheerleader to “Pepe” the bashful pepper ring who would rather be anywhere other than in the film, to “Nacho” who has a lovable, affable personality. It is only a few seconds long but is remembered by all who see it. The animation of the three stars is done by Walt Disney Cartoon Animators for $25,000.

Frank Liberto closes Dine-A-Mite Foods in order to devote full time to Liberto Specialty Co., Inc. Liberto’s bought Associated Popcorn in Dallas – the main supplier in Texas for the theatre industry. All of the Associated Popcorn chains had regional headquarters which became new distribution points for Liberto’s. At the time, the major theatre chains were United Artist, Texas Cinema (now Cinemark), and General Cinemas. The first multiplex was is Dallas, TX. Frank Liberto held regional training seminars, which were done at the multiplex. He served nachos during the training seminars as a way to get people to know about the new snack while they were listening to what else he had to offer. He had no idea nachos would become as big as they are now.

Liberto Distribution gained United Artist Theatres southeastern business. Shortly after they opened locations in Charlotte, NC and Tampa, FL.

Liberto Distribution purchases Blevins Popcorn, headquartered is in Memphis, TN. There were also locations in Florida, the Carolinas, and Oklahoma. There was a very small location in Miami, FL where Liberto’s began their international shipping.

As the spicy snack becomes a “hot cake” and tops the revenue charts in theatres’ concessions, Liberto earns the title “Father of Nachos” and wins recognition from the National Association of Concessionaires for creating the “fourth greatest concession item.” #1: Popcorn – 1885 – Henry Cretors – Chicago #2: Hot dogs – 1901 – Harry M. Stevens – New York #3: Pressurized cold drinks – 1950 – Pepsi Cola - North Carolina #4: Nachos – 1976 – Frank G. Liberto – Ricos – San Antonio

Ricos is introduced to Sam’s Club in Dallas. Popcorn plant opens in Dallas, TX.

HEB grocery stores begin buying Ricos products.

The business’ headquarters is moved to 621 S. Flores, San Antonio, TX.

Frank Liberto named “Man of the Year” by the National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) in recognition of introducing Nachos to the industry.

Frank Liberto establishes and develops the Associated Network of Distributors, Inc. This computer-based service bureau allows theatre chains to buy from several non-related distributors yet feel they are doing business with a national distributor.

A new concept for nachos is introduced to the marketplace. Portion pack cheese for nachos, a portion controlled cheese cup, designed to offer benefits never before associated with concession nachos. This came about because Bob Valone, with United Artist, challenged Ricos to come up with a product that requires no mixing. Since Ricos recommended using 3oz of cheese for each nacho serving, they decided to use the same amount in a user friendly option – a pudding cup. Frank was insistent on a certain shelf life for this product so Ricos went with the hot pack, which gave him that. The item was introduced at ShoWest and customers could not sign up fast enough. It was a hit from the beginning. Ricos, and Frank Liberto, pioneered this new item. Frank was very instrumental in the design and development of the first cheese dispensing equipment introduced into the market. An aseptically packaged pouch cheese served through an automatic dispenser pump gains in popularity in many theatre and stadium concession stands throughout the world.

Ricos gets their first international customer, Mexico. As theatres invested in business in the international markets, Ricos expanded with them. International expansion continued into the European Union, Korea, Dubai, and Mexico. Frank Liberto named Entrepreneur of the Year.

Tony Liberto, fourth generation and son of Frank and Patricia Liberto, named President of Ricos Products Co., Inc.

Liberto Distribution sold.

The company opens a tortilla chip and popcorn plant in Lewisville, TX. Ricos popcorn is introduced to schools. Nachos continue to be a universal phenomenon for movie theatres (and non-cinema entertainment places). Practically every theatre in the U.S. and many cinemas in advanced markets internationally boast of nachos as one of the main menu items in their snack bars. South Korea and Dubai are some of the top international customers. Tom Cruise even made a comment about how good the nachos are in Dubai.

The Liberto Family business celebrates 100 years!

Ricos Products Co., Inc. and Liberto Cash & Carry move back to 830 S. Presa, San Antonio, TX in a completely remodeled building.

Ricos is introduced to the European Retail Market. Ricos reaches distribution in 57 countries around the world.

Ricos.com launches its all new website. The new site features its core Ricos brand plus the newly introduced Texan Original brand in a responsive design. New features include an expanded, interactive recipe section, newsletter sign-up, product information pages with nutrition facts, a news blog, a visual timeline of the company history, as well as a new section for Business to Business customers.

Ricos creates and introduces their first Fiesta medal in San Antonio, TX commemorating the 40th anniversary of the creation of concession nachos. The medal beat local favorites Whataburger and the San Antonio Spurs for the Larger Business Medals contest. As Ricos looks into the future, the company continues striving to be innovative and bring their loyal consumers authentic, quality, fun foods with service, value, and integrity.