Duane Roberts passed away this past week. He is credited with inventing the world’s first-ever mass-marketed frozen burrito. Roberts was just a teenager when he began his career, work-ing at his parents’ meat company, Butcher Boy Food Products Inc.
The company originally focused on frozen hamburger patties. But in the early 1950s, Roberts started tinkering with burritos, based on a suggestion from an employee.
On a roll…
The result was the world’s first com-mercially available frozen burrito, which débuted in 1956. Roberts would later become a billionaire…
By the 1960s, Butcher Boy was the largest producer of frozen ‘Mexican’ foods in the world. Robert’s was pres-ident of the company. And he had be-come a billionaire – largely thanks to the smash-hit success of his frozen burritos.
The company was producing over one million frozen burritos daily, and hitting $80 million in annual sales when the family sold it in 1980. But Roberts and his family remained active in their California community the rest of his busy life.
More than just a businessman…
Roberts was well-known as a philanthropist and entrepreneur who supported a number of charitable causes, and restored the historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in his hometown of Riverside, California. He was also major supporter of Pepperdine University, which praised his longtime, dedicated ‘friendship’ in a lengthy memorial.
Duane Roberts passed away on November 1, 2025, at the age of 88.
My take
What a guy! I just have to wonder out loud why the world is not as familiar with his name and fame as it is with folks such as Colonel Sanders, and McDonald’s founder, Ray Kroc?
My questions to you:
Have you ever eaten a frozen burrito?
If so…
How many frozen burritos would you calculate you’ve eaten in your lifetime to date?
Given the choice between frozen pizza, frozen wings and frozen burritos – which would you grab?
Muse on that…
~Maggie J.