While tamales are traditionally saved for special occasions, Pete Hale, founder of Pedro’s Tamales, believed that food that good should be served year round. Since he was not able to find good tamales in the Lubbock area, beginning in 1977, he and his wife Sally began making tamales and sold them in the auto parts store they owned. Business grew so much that in 1981, the Hales officially opened Pedro’s Tamales for business.
Pedro’s Tamales is a local Co-op member and is located at 8207 Highway 87 in Lubbock. Pedro’s ships tamales all across the country, and they are sold at local grocery stores. These tamales are made with homegrown products— American corn and U.S.-raised beef, pork and chicken—but the exact recipe remains a secret, which is what makes them so special. In 1993, Pedro’s Tamales was named the Official Tamale of Texas.
Over the years, Pedro’s Tamales has grown and can now currently make 12,000 dozen tamales in one day in their manufacturing plant. With a variety of tamales available, ranging from pork to jalapeno popper, Pedro’s even offers vegan and vegetarian options to their customers, all of which are gluten free. Bryan Radney, current owner, purchased Pedro’s Tamales from Pete’s and Sally’s children in 2016. Radney came to Pedro’s with 43 years of experience in the food industry. While there may have been a change in ownership, the future of Pedro’s Tamales continues to be bright. This holiday season, make sure to check out Pedro’s Tamales. As Pete would say—“They may well be the best tamales you have ever eaten.”
