Bad Hambres: The frozen bean burritos that keep selling out in Phoenix
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Bad Hambres sells packages of frozen bean burritos. Photo: Jessica Boehm/Axios
A Phoenix man who quit his corporate job to develop "the world's most delicious" bean burrito has taken social media by storm and can't keep his tasty concoction in stock.
Why it matters: Bean burritos are a delicacy in Phoenix, and Hank Murphy of Bad Hambres has created a freezer-ready version that can stand up against any of the Valley's best.
State of play: Bad Hambres sells packages of six to 36 frozen burritos (priced at $5.50 each) for pickup each weekend in Arcadia or delivery across most of metro Phoenix.
- Bad Hambres drops a new batch every Monday — and they typically sell out within a few days.
- They're made of a wildly simple combination of ingredients: From-scratch whole beans, Monterey Jack cheese and house-made salsa wrapped in a tortilla from a local Mexican bakery and sprinkled with more cheese.
- They can be reheated via microwave, stovetop, oven or air fryer in 15 minutes or less.
Flashback: Murphy told us his love of bean burritos began as a child on regular pilgrimages to Los Dos Molinos in Mesa.
- He moved to Kentucky after college and was disappointed by the lack of Mexican food there, so he set out on a research and development mission to make his own.
- It took 10 years and a move back to Phoenix to perfect his bean recipe.
Zoom in: After years of selling burritos to friends out of his home kitchen, Murphy left his job with Walmart last year to go pro.
- He said he decided to offer the burritos frozen because even though there are plenty of high-quality bean and cheese burritos at Phoenix restaurants, there are few good at-home on-demand options.
The intrigue: Murphy's concept seems to have struck a chord with the Valley's burrito lovers.
- After acquiring space in a commercial kitchen last August, he was able to make 2,400 burritos per week and was consistently selling out.
- He upgraded his commercial freezer in December, allowing him to up his weekly output to 7,000 burritos — enough to meet demand for about three months.
What they're saying: "We're just continuously shocked by what's happening," he said.
Between the lines: The burritos are exceptional, but Murphy said he thinks it's the story behind them that has built the brand.
- "It really resonates with people who also have a hobby or a passion," he said.
What's next: Murphy said he hopes to be able to ship his burros nationwide soon, but for now, his team is focused on meeting the growing local demand.
The bottom line: "We've tapped into the bean and cheese fanatics. They're really out there," Murphy said.