Thursday, April 24, 2025

Modelo Especial lime cake: The ‘tangy-twist’ trend comes to Mexico

By
Deborah McCoy
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0
Image of a three-layer yellow cake with white frosting in between all the layers and on top, with grated lime zest on the top of the cake. The cake sits on a white plate, which is on a white tea towel. In front of the cake is half a lime and a tiny dipping bowl filled with honey. To screen left of the cake is an open can of Modelo Especial beer.
This recipe takes the tangy-twist trend in desserts and applies it to a classic lemon-beer cake — Mexican style, of course! (AI-generated image)

Dessert trends are impacting 2025, from culinary fusion to the effortless ease of dump cakes to even nostalgic desserts with a twist (adding new flavors to classic favorites).

In Mexico, dessert trends have also made their mark, including fusion desserts — innovative and unique flavor combinations like mole-flavored truffles and hibiscus-infused pastries — motivating Mexican chefs to blend the traditional with the modern. They also recognize that their consumers and patrons are more health-conscious, as exemplified by their desserts that are now incorporating healthier fruits and vegetables.

Hibiscus infued Tres leches cake with a glass of milk, all resting on a long, thin dessert plate.
A tres leches cake made with infused hibiscus, from food blogger Vianney Rodríguez.

These include the popular avocado ice-cream or dessert tacos, made by baking the shells (with a light coat of oil and cinnamon) and filling them with nonfat, fruit-flavored yogurt topped by fresh fruits, coconut flakes, nuts or chia seeds. 

But maybe Mexico has made more of a mark on international cuisine than international cuisine has made on it.

Mexican food restaurants abound, not only in the U.S. but also in Canada. And desserts made with cajeta or dulce de leche have become a part of English lingo — and who hasn’t enjoyed a slice of tres leches cake?

So, let’s look at the tangy-twist trend and how we can apply it to a lemon-beer cake (now transformed into a Modelo one; we’re in Mexico, after all!). Because when you think cake, you don’t often associate it with beer; the two don’t seem to meld, but pair it with fresh lime and Modelo, and a flavor transformation takes place — a burst of tangy but subdued excitement in the tastebuds!

It may be unique, but not a new concept. The Irish have been doing it for centuries with Guinness, since beer/stout was often used for taste and as a leavening agent (and still is). After all, who could celebrate St. Patrick’s Day without a rich slice of Guinness Chocolate Cake?  

So, in that spirit, let’s make a Mexican Modelo-Lime Cake, with Modelo Especial (the U.S.’s best-selling beer) and fresh Mexican limes and finish it off with a ricotta cheese and honey frosting, crowned by more tropical fruits like mangos and pineapple. Disfruta!

A slice of yellow cake with white frosting on top and diced mango and papaya on top.
This Mexican Lime cake’s decadent frosting is made with quark and ricotta cheese. (AI-generated image)

Mexican Modelo-Lime Cake with Ricotta Honey Frosting

Cake:

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 Cups (210 g): All-purpose flour*
    • * Mexican brands closest to American all-purpose: Espuma de Chapala or Selecta All-Purpose Flour
  • 3/4 Cup (150 g), Brown sugar (azúcar moreno) 
  • 2 Tbs. (25 g) Caster Sugar* (azúcar estándar)
    • * Caster sugar is superfine sugar. To make it, pulse granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until fine but not powdered. 
  • 3 Tbs. (42.6 g) Unsalted Butter (mantequilla sin sal)
  • 3 Eggs (huevos)
  • 1 Tbs. (15 ml) Honey (miel)
  • 2 Tbs. (30 ml) Fresh Lime Juice and Zest: Juice and zest of 1 lime (jugo de limón)
  • 3/4 Cup (180 ml) Modelo Especial® Beer
  • 2 Tbs. (30 ml) Virgin Olive Oil (aceite de oliva extra virgen)
  • ½ tsp. (2.4 g) Baking Powder (polvo de hornear)
  • ½ tsp. (2.8 g) Baking Soda (bicarbonato de sodio)
  • Pinch, Sea Salt (sal de mar)
  • Pinch, Cinnamon or cayenne pepper (canela molida o pimienta de cayena)

Instructions:

First:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). 
  • Grease an 8-inch loose-base cake tin (or springform pan that’s wrapped with aluminum foil to prevent leaks).

Next:

  • In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
  • Using a stand mixer, combine lime zest, brown sugar, caster sugar and butter. Beat until well combined.
  • Add eggs one at a time, incorporating well between additions.
  • Add lime juice, beer, honey and olive oil. Mix until combined.
  • Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Frosting:

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 Cup (220 g) Ricotta cheese (queso ricotta)
  • 1/3 Cup (100 g) Quark cheese (queso quark)
    • To substitute for quark cheese, use mascarpone cheese and add 1 – 2 Tbs. lime juice to increase tanginess, depending on your taste. 
  • 2 Tbs. (30 ml) Honey (miel) 
  • 2 Tbs. (30 ml) Demerara Sugar or Brown Sugar (azúcar moreno) 
    • A raw sugar minimally processed made from sugarcane and molasses. You can sub light-brown or dark-brown sugar for Demerara. 
  • 2 Tbs. (10 g) Lime Zest: Zest of one lime (ralladura de limón)
  • 1 tsp. (5 ml) Vanilla extract (extracto de vainilla)
    • Mexican brands noted for their intense flavor: Villa Vainilla; Vainilla Totonac’s; Molina Vainilla 
  • Additions: Pineapple and mangos, cinnamon (piña, mangos, canela)

Instructions:

  • Prepare the frosting by mixing ricotta, quark (or mascarpone), lime zest and honey. 
  • Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Once the cake is cooled, spread the frosting on top and decorate with fresh fruits and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.

Disfruta!

Deborah McCoy is the one-time author of mainstream, bridal-reference books who has turned her attention to food, particularly sweets, desserts and fruits. She is the founder of CakeChatter™ on FaceBook and X (Twitter), and the author of four baking books for “Dough Punchers” via CakeChatter (available @amazon.com). She is also the president of The American Academy of Wedding Professionals™ (aa-wp.com).

US clarifies that beer is not subject to aluminum tariffs — just the can

By
MND Staff
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2
A close up of the lids of aluminum beer cans
The confusion that reigned after the U.S. classified beer as an aluminum derivative has been resolved after that country's commerce department sent an email clarification to the publication Politico. (Shutterstock)

After a lot of confusion due to ambiguous and apparently incorrect official information, it has become clear that Mexican beer may, in fact, be shipped tariff-free to the United States provided it complies with the rules of the USMCA free trade pact.

However, consumers in the United States could still face higher prices when buying cans of Mexican beer as a 25% tariff on imported aluminum cans is in effect.

Citing information from the United States Department of Commerce, the El Economista newspaper reported on Sunday that while U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on beer cans (and empty aluminum cans), the duty doesn’t apply to the beer itself.

El Economista’s reporting comes after the digital newspaper Politico said earlier this month that it received an emailed statement from a Commerce Department official which clarified that “tariffs on imported beer only apply to the value of the aluminum content of the beer can, and not to the beer itself.”

On April 2, the Department of Commerce announced an expansion of 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum from all countries around the world to include “two additional aluminum derivative products: beer and empty aluminum cans.”

Mexico News Daily reported at the time that as beer itself isn’t an “aluminum derivative product,” it appeared that only canned beer — the beer and its receptacle — would be affected by the 25% tariff.

MND noted that CNBC had interpreted a Department of Commerce notice in that way, but also highlighted that Reuters had interpreted that the tariff would apply to “all beer imports.”

An example of the kind of confusion that reigned after the United States’ supposed imposition of a tariff on beer imported in cans came in an April 10 statement issued by the Brewers of Europe association.

“When beer has been part of our culture on both sides of the Atlantic for hundreds of years, it is disappointing to see it downgraded to the status of ‘aluminum derivative’!” the association said.

In addition to the reporting by El Economista and Politico, other sources — albeit not U.S. government ones — indicate that Mexican beer is not currently subject to a 25% tariff when shipped to the United States.

According to Hillebrand Gori, an international logistics company specializing in beer and other alcoholic beverages, “if the value of the can and the beer is separated, the 25% applies to the aluminum can, and the country tariff rate applies to the beer.”

According to Avalara, a company that makes tax compliance software, most Mexican beer, wine, and spirits are eligible for duty-free status under USMCA. Therefore USMCA compliant beer — made with Mexican water, U.S. hops and Canadian malt, for example — wouldn’t face a tariff when shipped to the United States as Trump lifted 25% tariffs on USMCA-compliant goods on March 6, two days after they were imposed.

In light of the U.S. communication with Politico, it appears the 25% tariff will apply to the value of the aluminum in imported beer cans, excluding the value of the cans’ contents. (Edgardo Moya/Shutterstock)

Beer shipped to the United States from many other countries, such as European nations, faces a 10% tariff.

On Monday, Mexico News Daily contacted U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Constellation Brands — a major exporter of beer from Mexico to the United States — to seek additional confirmation that tariffs did not apply to Mexican beer. Neither had responded by 2 p.m. Mexico City time.

Mexico hit hardest by tariff on cans 

Mexico is the biggest exporter of both beer and empty aluminum cans to the United States, meaning that that the 25% tariff on cans of Mexican lager, as well as unfilled cans, will affect it more than any other country.

Citing data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the El Universal newspaper reported on Sunday that Mexico exported 1.127 billion empty 355-milliliter cans to its northern neighbor last year. The export of the empty cans generated revenue of US $135 million, according to El Economista and other media outlets.

Foreign trade consultant Víctor Pacheco told El Universal that the 25% tariff on aluminum cans is aimed at increasing production of the product in the United States. Trump asserts that his protectionist policies will lead to increased production of a wide range of products in the United States, including cars, on which he has also placed tariffs.

With regard to beer, Mexico was easily the world’s largest exporter to the United States in 2024, selling product worth almost $6.3 billion to its northern neighbor to capture 82.5% of the market for imports of the beverage.

Two cans of Tecate beer and a glass bottle
Nearly 60% of Mexico’s beer export revenue came from bottled beer, with beer in cans and other packaging accounted for the remaining 40%. (Tecate)

Almost 60% of the revenue came from beer sent in glass bottles while beer in other packaging (mainly cans) generated just under 40% of the earnings.

Given that a 25% tariff is applicable to beer cans imported to the United States, cans of Corona, Modelo Especial, Tecate and other Mexican beers were expected to become more expensive in the U.S.

Constellation Brands, which brews Grupo Modelo beers in Mexico for export to the United States, is the company most affected by the can tariff, according to El Economista.

Earlier this month, Constellation Brands lowered its long-term earnings guidance for 2027 and 2028, citing in part “the anticipated impact of tariffs,” according to a CNBC report.

“The guidance that we have provided reflects the fact that there are a lot of unknowns today, including things like tariffs,” said CEO Bill Newlands.

Constellation Brands has two breweries in northern Mexico and is building another one in Veracruz.

With reports from El Economista and El Universal

Sheinbaum moves to ban foreign government propaganda after US anti-immigration ad airs on Mexican TV

By
MND Staff
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Kristi Noem in an anti-immigration ad from the U.S. government
In the ad, U.S. Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem begins her message by praising President Donald Trump before unleashing a series of threats against "criminal" migrants. (Screen capture)

The U.S. government took its anti-immigration message to Mexican airwaves over the weekend, prompting criticism from President Claudia Sheinbaum.

On Monday, Sheinbaum ordered television networks to remove the U.S. ad from circulation in Mexico and announced she is preparing legislation to prevent foreign governments from disseminating propaganda in the Mexican media. 

WARNING - International

During her Monday morning press conference, Sheinbaum said she sent a formal note to TV networks last week, calling on them to stop airing the ad, which announces that law enforcement officials will “hunt down” migrants who enter the United States illegally. The ad was aired during Mexican Soccer League matches over the weekend.

Critics — Sheinbaum among them — insist the ad is discriminatory, criminalizes migrants and violates the Mexican Constitution.

Sheinbaum said Noem’s ad is “an attack on human dignity and promotes acts of retaliation and violence” toward migrants. She said it contradicts her government’s objective — also embodied in the Constitution — to promote a society free of discrimination.

The reform bill will restore the clause (eliminated in 2014) that “prohibited radio and television networks from transmitting political, ideological or commercial propaganda sponsored by foreign governments and foreign agencies.” It will also reinstate the ban on “foreign” ads that attempt to influence Mexico’s domestic politics.

The ad in question is narrated by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem:

“Thank you, President Donald J. Trump, for securing our border and putting America first. President Trump has a clear message: if you are here illegally, we will find you and deport you. You will never return. But if you leave now, you may have an opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American Dream. If you are a criminal alien considering entering America illegally: Don’t even think about it. If you come here and break our laws, we will hunt you down. Criminals are not welcome in the United States.”

The ad became a hot topic over the weekend after it was seen by millions of viewers who tuned in to the soccer matches on TV Azteca and Televisa. 

The U.S. ad campaign, which features four other ads proclaiming that “criminals are not welcome in the United States,” first aired in Mexico in early April.

Shortly after, the National Council for the Prevention of Discrimination (Conapred) reportedly received a flood of complaints.

Citing violations of Article 1 of the Constitution — guaranteeing human rights and freedoms to all individuals in Mexico and prohibiting discrimination — Conapred sent a formal letter to media outlets last week, “inviting” them not to air such ads. The news that Conapred’s request was ignored prompted Sheinbaum’s follow-up response on Monday.

Dr. Ernesto Villanueva, an expert on digital rights, told the news site Animal Político that the U.S. message attacks human dignity by relying on stereotypes, victimizing migrants and violating basic human rights. Villanueva said the ad not only stigmatizes migrants but also brands the poor and dark-skinned as undesirable.

Jorge Bravo, president of the Mexican Association for the Right to Information (AMEDI), said that even though there is no law banning such ads in Mexico, domestic TV networks are “audacious” for airing them.

“Obviously, they are being paid for these ads,” Bravo said, “but the government has the right to intervene” to defend Mexico’s fundamental principles.

Noem recently met with Sheinbaum on March 28, saying Mexico still had work to do to stop the flow of drugs and migrants into the U.S. One of her requests was that Mexico share migrants’ biometric information with the United States, to which Sheinbaum has not yielded.

With reports from Animal Político, Reforma, El Economista and La Silla Rota

Acapulco boasts highest hotel occupancy among Easter holiday beach destinations

By
MND Staff
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0
A beach crowded with umbrellas and tourists in Acapulco
Tourists crowd the beaches of Caleta and Caletilla in Acapulco's Traditional Zone. (Carlos Alberto Carbajal/Cuartoscuro)

The resort city of Acapulco, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Otis in October 2023, led hotel occupancy during the Easter holiday season, with a 92% occupancy rate according to data from the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur).

These figures place the city as the destination with the highest Holy Week occupancy rate in the country, surpassing tourism destinations like Mazatlán, Cancún, Puerto Escondido and Puerto Vallarta.

Sectur reported that the high tourist influx was distributed across the port’s main areas. The Diamond Zone, known for housing the iconic hotel Princess Mundo Imperial, reported an occupancy rate of 92%. Meanwhile in the Golden Zone, at the foot of the Miguel Alemán coastline, 93% of rooms were booked.

Finally, the area known as Acapulco Tradicional reported 90% occupancy.

After Hurricane Otis hit Acapulco as a Category 5 storm in 2023, Guerrero’s top beach destination was decimated. The recovery was complicated by the arrival of Hurricane John just a year later. Acapulco continues to rebuild, and currently operates with 15,000 rooms distributed across 274 hotels — 76% of what its hospitality sector offered pre-Otis.

Booking.com data revealed that Acapulco was among the destinations with the highest number of reservations from April 17 to 20, along with Veracruz, Puerto Vallarta and Puerto Escondido.

“How wonderful! Long live Acapulco,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said after learning the hotel occupancy figures. “How great that the [Guerrero’s and Acapulco’s] governor and mayor are promoting the return of cruise ships to the port,” she said, while highlighting the importance of tourism as a driver of economic development.

Sheinbaum’s statement came in response to an article published by the newspaper El País, which contrasted the arrival of tourist cruise ships with the port’s recovery and escalating violence.

Meanwhile, the Hotel Association of Cancún, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres reported an average occupancy rate of between 65% and 70% in downtown and beach hotels. It also revealed that Cancún, historically one of the leading international destinations of the region, received an average of 485 daily flights — significantly below the 600 daily flights that the association had expected during Holy Week.

With reports from Milenio, Reportur and SPD Noticias

Cold front and heat wave collide, bringing high winds and hot temps

By
MND Staff
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0
Heat wave this week in Mexico
Michoacán, Morelos, Guerrero and Oaxaca could see maximum temperatures of 40 to 45 degrees Celsius this week. (Magdalena Montiel/Cuartoscuro)

Prepare your wardrobe for a variety of weather this week: Mexico is set to experience contrasting climates thanks to an overlapping cold front and heat wave. 

According to the National Meteorological Service (SMN), northern Mexico will see thunderstorms and strong winds, while the center and southern parts of the country could see some of the highest temperatures recorded so far this season.

Throughout the day, cold front no. 39 will remain stationary in the northeast, sending strong gusts of wind and rain to the Baja California peninsula and Sonora. 

By Tuesday, the cold front will extend over the northern border, bringing cold weather and possible frost to high elevation areas of Chihuahua, Durango, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora and Zacatecas.

Meanwhile, a heat wave is expected to bring scorching temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius in several areas of the country. The states affected include the following:

Maximum temperatures of 40 to 45 degrees Celsius: Michoacán, Morelos, Guerrero and Oaxaca.

Maximum temperatures of 35 to 40 degrees Celsius: Sonora, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Durango, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Hidalgo, southwest México state, Puebla, Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche and Yucatán.

Maximum temperatures of 30 to 35 degrees Celsius: low elevation areas of Baja California and Baja California Sur, Aguascalientes, Mexico City, Tlaxcala and Quintana Roo. 

Rain is also expected in some states due to low-pressure channels over the Yucatán Peninsula and northern and eastern Mexico. Here is the rain forecast by state:

Heavy rainfall (25 to 50 millimeters): Tamaulipas, Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas. 

Showers (5 to 25 millimeters): Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Hidalgo, México state and Tlaxcala.

Scattered showers (0.1 to 5 milliliters): Coahuila, Zacatecas, Mexico City, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.

Authorities have called on residents of these areas to stay well hydrated, wear long-sleeved, light-colored clothing, avoid extended exposure to the sun and pay special attention to children and the elderly.

With reports from El Financiero

Mexico mourns death of Pope Francis, Latin America’s first pontiff

By
MND Staff
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7
The Pope's 2016 visit to Mexico
The Pope's passing prompted memories of his 2016 visit to Mexico, during which he brought an entire nation closer together in the spirit of peace and brotherhood. (Archivo/Cuartoscuro)

Mexicans from all walks of life are mourning the death on Monday of Pope Francis, 88, after 12 years serving as the pontiff. 

The passing of the first Latin American Pope was felt deeply in Mexico, a nation that has the largest number of Catholics after Brazil.

pope in Mexican hat
The fact that Francis was a Spanish-speaking native of Latin America helped endear him to Mexicans, which was not lost on the Pope himself, who, like most visitors to the country, embraced the Mexican spirit. (Archivo/Cuartoscuro)

“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sorrow that we announce the death of our Holy Father, Pope Francis,” the Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM) wrote on its official social media channels. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of our Father.” 

Following confirmation of his passing by the Vatican, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City rang 100 funeral bells to signal the beginning of the tradition-laden transitional period known as sede vacante (vacant seat).

The Argentina-born Pope passed away after a long recovery from bilateral pneumonia, which kept him hospitalized for 38 days at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. He was discharged on March 23 and appeared visibly weak as he participated in yesterday’s Easter Sunday Mass from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. 

The Archdiocese of Mexico City announced the celebration of a solemn Mass at 12 p.m. at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in honor of Pope Francis. The Mass, the statement says, is to “thank God for the Pope’s life and pray for his eternal rest.” The service was streamed live from the Basilica’s official platforms.

The statement requested that all parishes in the Archdiocese celebrate Mass on Monday in honor of Pope Francis.

In the statement, Archbishop Primate of Mexico Carlos Cardenal Aguiar Retes noted the symbolism of the date of Francis’s death, which occurred in the middle of the Easter Octave, noting that the Pope “lived this Easter and left.” In Cardinal Aguiar’s words, the Pope was “a constant call to conversion, fraternity, hope and synodality.”

President Claudia Sheinbaum also expressed her condolences at her daily morning press conference. 

“Our condolences for Pope Francis’ passing,” Sheinbaum said. “Our condolences to all Catholics in Mexico, but also non-Catholics … May he rest in peace. 

On social media, Sheinbaum shared a message honoring the late Pope as a “humanist who stood for the poor, peace and equality. He left behind a great legacy of true love for humankind. For Catholics and non-Catholics alike, this is a great loss. Knowing him was a great honor and privilege.”

The Vatican has announced plans to transfer the Pope’s body to St. Peter’s on Wednesday for the final greeting of the faithful.

The papal visit to Mexico recalled

The news of the Pope’s passing reminded many Mexicans of the historic visit by Pope Francis to Mexico in February 2016, when he drew praise and stupor for refusing to use an armored car. During his trip, he visited Mexico City, México state, Chiapas, Michoacán and Chihuahua. 

His trip included a public Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and another before 400 observants in Ecatepec, México state. In San Cristóbal de las Casas, the Pope asked for forgiveness in the name of the Catholic Church for the abuses committed against Mexico’s Indigenous communities in the past. 

The Pope ended his visit at the Mexico-U.S. border, where he blessed a cross dedicated to migrants to the U.S.

With reports from Infobae

Chipotle Mexican Grill gets back to its roots with plans to open in Mexico

By
MND Staff
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1
A round sign reading "Chipotle Mexican Grill" with an illustration of a chile
Mexico's first Chipotle Mexican Grill is scheduled to open by early 2026. (Shutterstock)

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced Monday it will open its first restaurant in Mexico by early 2026, partnering with Alsea, which operates brands including Starbucks, Domino’s, Burger King and Chili’s across Latin America and Europe.

For the first time since its founding 32 years ago in Denver, Colorado, Chipotle will expand its operating model into the homeland of the cuisine that inspired its menu, with plans to explore additional markets in the region.

Some are speculating the expansion will begin in Mexico City, since that’s where Alsea is headquartered, but nothing official has been stated.

The fast-casual restaurant is named after the chipotle chili pepper, a smoke-dried version of a ripe jalapeño pepper that Mexico News Daily gave a 3 on the spiciness scale. In the Nahuatl (Aztec) language, chil means “chili pepper” and poctli means “smoked” — and it sure is good in many recipes.

But while Mexicans love chipotle peppers, will they love Chipotle the restaurant?

“We are confident that our responsibly sourced, classically-cooked real food will resonate with guests in Mexico,” Nate Lawton, Chipotle’s chief business development officer, said in a press release. “The country’s familiarity with our ingredients and affinity for fresh food make it an attractive growth market for our company.”

The move comes as U.S.-Mexico trade tensions remain high, with President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Mexican imports impacting supply chains.

Chipotle, which imports about half of its avocados from Mexico, has expanded its sourcing to countries such as Colombia, Peru and the Dominican Republic to mitigate risks, company officials said.

Adam Rymer, a chief financial officer for Chipotle, said 2% of the restaurant’s menu offerings are sourced from Mexico, including avocados, tomatoes, limes and peppers, with less than 0.5% sourced from Canada and China.

“If the recently announced tariffs go into full effect, it would have an ongoing impact of about 60 basis points on our cost of sales,” Rymer said during a Feb. 4 earnings call.

Chipotle currently operates more than 3,700 restaurants worldwide and plans to open between 315 and 345 new locations this year, with a long-term goal of 7,000 in the U.S. and Canada.

Chipotle’s international expansion has accelerated in recent years, with 58 restaurants in Canada, 20 in the United Kingdom, six in France, five in the Middle East and two in Germany.

Chipotle is betting Mexicans will like its massive Tex-Mex burritos as much as Americans. (Eric CC BY-NC 2.0)

However, analysts caution that American interpretations of Mexican cuisine have faced challenges in Mexico — as evidenced by two previous failed attempts by Taco Bell to expand into Mexico.

Nonetheless, Chipotle and Alsea are optimistic about the brand’s prospects in Mexico, betting on the appeal of fresh, high-quality ingredients and a strong operational partnership.

“Through this development agreement, we will continue to leverage our vast knowledge of the Mexican consumer and restaurant industry expertise to bring our customers the best food experiences and brands from around the world,” said Armando Torrado, Alsea’s chief executive officer.

With reports from Milenio, El Economista, Reuters and CNBC

Mexican peso hits 6-month high against weakening US dollar

By
MND Staff
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2
The peso has appreciated more than 5% since Trump took office in January, with about half of its gains happening in the last week.
The peso has appreciated more than 5% since Trump took office in January, with about half of its gains happening in the last week. (Roman Manshin/Unsplash)

The Mexican peso appreciated to its strongest position against the US dollar in six months on Monday morning as the greenback weakened amid tension between U.S. President Donald Trump and the Federal Reserve.

According to Yahoo! Finance, the peso appreciated to 19.58 to the dollar before weakening slightly. At 10.30 a.m. Mexico City time, the USD:MXN rate was 19.68.

The last time the peso was stronger was in October 2024.

The appreciation of the peso on Monday morning came after a strengthening of the currency late last week.

Compared to the Bank of Mexico’s closing rate last Wednesday — 19.96 pesos to the dollar before Mexican markets closed for the Easter break — the peso appreciated around 1.9% to reach its Monday morning peak.

The peso gained late last week after President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke to Trump last Wednesday. Both leaders described the call as “very productive.”

On Monday, the peso gained as the greenback lost ground. The DXY index, which measures the US dollar against a basket of foreign currencies, fell to its lowest level since March 2022 on Monday morning, according to a CNBC report.

Trump vs. the Fed 

CNBC reported that the dollar continued its slide on Monday as “global investors retreat from U.S. assets in the face of tension between President Donald Trump and the Federal Reserve.”

Trump again took aim at the Chair of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, in a Monday morning post to his Truth Social account.

“‘Preemptive Cuts’ in Interest Rates are being called for by many. With Energy Costs way down, food prices (including Biden’s egg disaster!) substantially lower, and most other ‘things’ trending down, there is virtually No Inflation. With these costs trending so nicely downward, just what I predicted they would do, there can almost be no inflation, but there can be a SLOWING of the economy unless Mr. Too Late, a major loser, lowers interest rates, NOW,” he wrote.

“Europe has already ‘lowered’ seven times. Powell has always been ‘To Late,’ [sic] except when it came to the Election period when he lowered in order to help Sleepy Joe Biden, later Kamala, get elected. How did that work out?” Trump said.

The U.S. president also criticized Powell last week, while White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said that the Trump administration was exploring whether they could remove the Fed’s top official.

Those remarks “appear to have put even more pressure on the greenback,” CNBC reported.

Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Mexican bank Banco Base, said on X on Monday morning that U.S. protectionism was also a factor in the depreciation of the dollar.

“The current weakness of the dollar is due to 1) Trump’s protectionist policies and 2) uncertainty about the autonomy of the Fed in the face of Trump’s attacks,” she wrote.

Peso has appreciated more than 5% since Trump took office 

On Friday, Jan. 17 — the last weekday before Trump began his second term as U.S. president — the peso closed at 20.77 to the dollar, according to the Bank of Mexico.

The currency’s appreciation to 19.58 on Monday morning represented a strengthening of just over 6% for the peso. Based on the USD:MXN rate of 19.68 at 10:30 a.m., the appreciation of the peso since Trump took office was 5.5%.

The newspaper El Economista reported on Sunday that the strengthening of the peso during the first 90 days of Trump’s second term was mainly due to Mexico getting an exemption from some U.S. tariffs (such as the “reciprocal tariffs” announced earlier this month), Mexico’s “high international reserves,” the expectation of lower interest rates in Mexico and “the weakness of the greenback.”

With reports from Expansión, El Economista and CNBC

GM: ‘No plans’ to move production of EV models out of Mexico

By
MND Staff
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2
GM EV
In 2024, GM doubled its share of the EV market in the United States and became the second-largest EV seller in the U.S., trailing only Tesla. (Chevrolet)

Although General Motors Co. stock has taken a hit as a result of U.S. tariffs, the Big Three automaker insists it will not move its successful electric vehicle (EV) operations out of Mexico.

“At this time, GM has no plans to halt or relocate production of any of our EV models made in Mexico,” the director of GM de México’s EV operations Adrián Enciso told the newspaper Milenio.

A photo of the General Motors manufacturing plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico
According to Mexico’s national statistics agency, INEGI, GM exported 186,368 light vehicles in the first quarter of 2025, a 6.2% decrease from Q1 of 2024. (GM de México)

Enciso, also the director of Brightdrop México (a GM subsidiary focused on developing a system of connected products for first- and last-mile delivery customers), said the success of the EV division makes it unlikely that changes will be made to production.

Production of 100% EV models as well as the assembly of Equinox, Blazer and Cadillac Optic models will continue at the company’s factory in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, Enciso said. 

Enciso conceded that the company is studying the impact of the U.S. tariffs and analyzing plans of action for all potential scenarios.

“But for now, instructions from HQ are to stay the course with regard to production,” he said, adding that demand for EVs in the U.S. is growing, making it likely that some production in Mexico will be exported to the U.S.  

Exposure to Mexico a concern

Shares of GM are down more than 17% in trading this year, and UBS downgraded the U.S. automaker’s stock to neutral on April 10, while also slashing the price target on the stock to US $51. As trading opened on April 21, GM’s stock had dipped under US $44.

Citing Deutsche Bank analysts, CNBC reported in late March that GM’s difficulties stem from the number of vehicles the automaker imports to the U.S. and its exposure to Mexico in particular. 

More than 16% of GM vehicles sold in the U.S. last year were assembled in Canada and Mexico, according to CNBC. That represents the largest share of any country in terms of import volume, about double the shares of South Korea and Japan, which ranked second and third, respectively, according to GlobalData.

(CNBC)

Barclays analyst Dan Levy told CNBC that GM relies heavily on Mexico and South Korea to produce some of its small crossovers, including its Equinox and Blazer vehicles. 

GM is scheduled to report its first-quarter results on April 29. 

Based on the tariffs already imposed, UBS foresees a troubling scenario for GM, projecting that the cost of GM cars made in Mexico or Canada and sold in the U.S. will go up by about US $4,300 each. 

With reports from Milenio, Market Watch and CNBC

Editor’s note: The statement from Adrián Enciso originally published by Milenio offered inaccurate information about future production plans for the Spark. Upon clarification from GM, we have removed the quote from the text.

More things I miss about Mexico when I’m not there

By
Ian Ostroff
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4
A man staring at airport departure boards.
Magical Mexico is a land like no other. It's only natural to miss it when you're away. (Anete Lusina)

How often do you go to Mexico and discover something new about it? 

Mexico is a vibe that is hard to define in a few words. Sometimes I miss a particular state or a small beach town where I met cool people. Sometimes, it’s the taqueria by my hotel. The surf trip where I fell off my board. The vendor who gave me a discount on a volcanic rock bracelet after I spoke to him in Spanish. But mostly, it’s the feeling I get when I’m immersed in Mexican culture. 

Immersing yourself in Mexican culture can be an intoxicating experience. (Ministry of Culture)

After I came home from Mexico in early 2025, I kept thinking about the differences I’ve noticed between the parts of Mexico I visited and where I live in Canada. 

I’ve been to Mexico so much that I consider myself a part-time local. A man between two worlds. And since my first article on this topic generated a lot of readers sending in their wonderful perspectives on Mexico, I thought why not keep the conversation going?

Neighborhood hubs that feel like a home away from home

Taqueria El Turix restaurant in Mexico City
Taco stands are more than just a feed stop: They’re a social hub for communities, too. (TasteAtlas)

In Canada, the dream for most entrepreneurs who open a café or a restaurant is to franchise. More volume obviously means more profits. But the problem with that is quality control. One franchisee might do your menu and concept justice, while another might fail a simple health inspection test. 

From McDonald’s to Pizza Hut, Subway, Burger King, and Tim Horton’s, you can’t go to any neighborhood in Montreal without seeing at least a handful of franchises. There’s only one Italian cafe in my area that has proven to be a unique neighborhood hub. And that made me think of all the cafes and taquerías I’ve been to in Mexico. 

When I was in Playa Del Carmen, I encountered so many great cafes and restaurants that I even wrote a piece on it last year. Mexico City, as I’ve learned on a food tour, is like a lot of places in Mexico – full of local food stalls, vibrant cafes and markets that sell just about everything you could possibly need. 

I’ve been to six Mexican States (and counting!), and everywhere I’ve gone has had enough cafés and restaurants to choose from that differ from each other. But, these places are also valued for their ambiance. You meet friends at these local neighborhood hubs. You can work remotely. You even go on dates, play card games, and watch sports. They’re places that know you by name or face and there’s comfort in that. It’s more than just a transactional exchange. 

Practicing my Spanish every day

Three people in a remote meeting
“Oye, what we need is to hablar español every day.” (Brooke Cagle/Unsplash)

When I’m not talking to my Mexican mom, family members, or my Latin American friends on WhatsApp, I speak mostly English in Canada. Every time I return from Mexico, it takes me some time to readjust to my normal routine. A part of that is mistakenly saying “buenos dias” to my coworkers when I meant to say “good morning” or “hola, que pedo wey?” to friends when I meant to say “hey, what’s up, bro?” 

But eventually, I start thinking in English or French again. Naturally, it gets harder to maintain that almost fluent Spanish level I achieved. For years, I’ve been taking one step forward and two steps back in my Spanish journey. 

I feel closer to my Mexican family whenever I’m speaking in their native tongue. It’s also empowering to get by in Mexico without speaking English. Taxi drivers and vendors at markets are more likely to respect you and less likely to rip you off. I’ve gotten discounts, befriended locals, and even almost got offered a job once in Puerto Escondido (if only I had a legit background as a bartender). 

Communicating in Spanish back home just isn’t the same. Even though Canada has welcomed plenty of people from Mexico and Latin America in the last decade, it’s a temporary fix for the fact I’m not in a Mexico City food stall eating tacos and talking about the Nations League. 

Watching sports with Mexican Commentators

Mexican commentator GOAL Germany vs Mexico

The last time I was in Mexico, it happened to be the NFL playoffs. And as I’ve watched a few games at bars and with my uncles, I was reminded of how much more fun professional sports are with Mexican commentators. 

On that trip, I also watched a few soccer matches, as I do whenever I’m in Mexico. I turn into a bigger soccer fan than I am at home. Over the years, I’ve cheered on Pumas, Pachuca and Club América when Guillermo Ochoa was there. 

I don’t know if it’s just me, but Mexican commentators seem more invested in the outcome of sports than American and Canadian analysts. Even if you’re not a sports fan, you feel their energy jump through the screen and get sucked into the emotions of the game like they are. 

National pride in holidays

A military rider on horseback bears a Mexico flag in a parade
There’s something about the way that Mexicans love Mexico that you can’t help but fall in love with. (Crisanta Espinoza Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)

I’ll never forget my first week in Oaxaca. Not because it was my first time experiencing its culture and food, but because I also happened to land there on Valentine’s Day weekend. 

In Canada, Valentine’s Day is an excuse for people to bring flowers and chocolates to their significant other. But in Oaxaca, it was also a great excuse to celebrate love for everyone. From the Cupid signage everywhere in Oaxaca’s downtown center to the street parties in the Zocalo, love was in the air whether you were single or married. 

If you also take into account Christmas, Day of the Dead, and Carnaval (particularly if you’re in Mazatlán or Veracruz), I’ve learned over the years that Mexicans are no strangers to dancing all night. But it’s also interesting to note that Mexico has 5000 other traditional holidays and events celebrated each year. 

That makes Mexico a little bit more wholesome and fun. Since being in Mexico for Day of the Dead is still on my bucket list, there’s no telling how many other holidays I’ll add to that list in the coming years. 

What do you miss about Mexico? 

Knowing that it may be a while until I return to Mexico, I daydream about the little and big things I miss about being in my second home. 

Is there something else about Mexico you think we should’ve included on this list? Let us know in the comments below!

Ian Ostroff is an indie author, journalist, and copywriter from Montreal, Canada. You can find his work in various outlets, including Map Happy and The Suburban. When he’s not writing, you can find Ian at the gym, a café, or anywhere within Mexico visiting family and friends.

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