The Tosty Truck – Near Poas, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica

In 1979 the Central American subsidiary of Mexico’s GRUMA corporation (whose original product was corn tortillas) launched a range of snack products under the Tosty brand in the Costa Rican market. Its first offering was a roasted potatoes confection marketed under the brand Papitosty. The company has since diversified to a wide range of fried and extruded products made with corn flour and potatoes such as Tronaditas, Bravos, Chirulitos, Quesitos, Bolitas de Queso, Papiolas and Papitosty. These snack foods have become cultural icons for Costa Rican consumers.