Manuel Aragon leads Aragon Distribution LLC, the Colorado company behind the next chapter of Select New Mexico. His connection to the brand goes back to May 2015, when he joined the company under founder Robert J. Gallegos. After the brand became part of Flagship Food Group and 505 Southwestern in 2018, Manuel Aragon continued in several leadership roles for seven years. That experience gave him a broad view of food operations, distribution, and regional retail.
Building on a Southwestern Food Legacy
In September 2025, Manuel Aragon purchased Select New Mexico with continued support from Flagship Food Group. The move launched Aragon Distribution LLC while keeping Select New Mexico’s identity tied to Southwestern food culture.
The model has a practical advantage. Manuel Aragon knows the brand from the inside, while his years with 505 Southwestern gave him experience in a larger food business. That background helps connect established brands, local producers, retailers, and consumers through one distribution platform.
The 21 Select New Mexico Spice Products
Select New Mexico’s current spice category contains 21 products. The range covers everyday cooking staples, whole spices, chile pods, crushed peppers, and chile powders. Several products are offered in different sizes, giving shoppers options for home kitchens and different cooking needs.
The current 21-product selection includes SNM Piloncillo, SNM Cinnamon Sticks, SNM Crushed Caribe, SNM Bay Leaves, SNM Manzanilla, SNM Whole Oregano, SNM Ground Comino, SNM Cilantro, SNM Chile Arbol, SNM Chile Ancho, SNM Mild Chile Pods, SNM Hot Chile Pods, SNM Crushed Pequin, SNM Whole Pequin, SNM Mild Chile Powder, and SNM Hot Chile Powder.
This catalog gives Manuel Aragon a focused product foundation. The chile products are especially suited to Southwestern cooking, while items such as oregano, cumin, cilantro, bay leaves, and cinnamon extend the range into everyday recipes. Select New Mexico also groups its broader catalog into spices, salsas, frozen products, and tortillas.
From Select New Mexico to Aragon Distribution
For Manuel Aragon, distribution is central to the business. Aragon Distribution describes its work as providing food and beverage brands with infrastructure, operational guidance, and a distribution network. Its current services include manufacturer and supplier pickup, temperature-controlled handling, retail and foodservice fulfillment, transportation, and distribution across Colorado.
That structure matters for regional food companies. A strong product still needs dependable movement from producer to warehouse, retailer, restaurant, or foodservice account. Manuel Aragon’s approach brings those functions together under one operation.
The company currently reports 40 years of combined experience, temperature-controlled handling from dock to door, and movement of approximately five million pounds of product annually. Those figures point to a distribution operation designed to handle more than a single brand.
Connecting Local Brands With 505 Southwestern
Manuel Aragon’s history with 505 Southwestern is especially relevant to Aragon Distribution’s current direction. In 2018, Flagship Food Group acquired certain assets of Select New Mexico. At the time, Flagship described the deal as bringing together two companies focused on New Mexico flavors and Hatch Valley green chile.
That relationship continues to shape the company’s current network. Aragon Distribution’s partner-brand portfolio lists Select New Mexico alongside 505 Southwestern, Santiago’s Green Chile, and La Tortilla Factory. This creates a broader platform for products with Southwestern and regional food connections.
For Manuel Aragon, the connection is grounded in experience. He understands Select New Mexico’s history, has worked in the 505 Southwestern environment, and now runs the distribution company that carries the brand forward.
A Focused Platform for Southwestern Food
Select New Mexico began in 1986 under Robert J. Gallegos, originally starting with two pegs of dry spices in a Denver grocery store. The company has since developed a wider range of spices and Southwestern food products.
Today, Manuel Aragon is building on that foundation through Aragon Distribution LLC. The strategy centers on keeping Select New Mexico available while creating distribution capacity for other food brands. That makes the business broader than a spice company. It is becoming a Colorado-based platform for regional food products.
The 21-spice catalog gives that strategy a clear consumer-facing starting point. It keeps the focus on recognizable ingredients while the wider distribution operation handles the work required to move food products through the market.
The Next Chapter for Manuel Aragon
Manuel Aragon’s role places him at the intersection of brand ownership and distribution. His history with Select New Mexico gives him continuity with the company’s earlier years, while his experience with Flagship Food Group and 505 Southwestern adds operational perspective.
The next stage for Aragon Distribution LLC is therefore centered on two connected goals: maintaining Select New Mexico’s Southwestern food identity and expanding the infrastructure available to other food and beverage brands in Colorado.
For consumers, that work shows up in a straightforward way: chile powders, pods, herbs, spices, and other Southwestern staples. For food producers, it represents a distribution partner with experience across retail and foodservice.
Aragon shares more about his professional background on his LinkedIn profile.
