All About Advanced Spice & Trading

Advanced Spice & Trading, Inc was formed in the late 1980’s by the Hanks and Bleckner families. After representing other spice companies for the prior 15 plus years, they struck out on their own and formed Advanced Spice, starting out purely as a trading company and then moving into importing of product and the processing of black pepper in 1991.
From a humble beginning in a 7,500 square foot space and the goal of being a service oriented company with local inventory, Advanced Spice has moved into their latest facility in the fall of 2015, a 93,000 square foot space, built from the ground up, with the same goal.
The Hanks family still owns and operates the company, as the last Bleckner retired in 1998. Despite our growth, we are still a family run and oriented company who pride ourselves in partnering with our customers and helping them grow their business.
The industry has changed of course, and we have stayed right there with it. We have gained the necessary certifications (Currently SQF Level II), provided certificates of analysis with each shipment, provided treated product to meet the stringent micro requirements needed today, streamlined our supplier partners and have stayed with or ahead of the industry when it comes to the new industry requirements. We are also proud members of the American Spice Trade Association.

Our History and Timeline

Hanks Brokerage was incorporated by Dale Hanks and started at the kitchen table of his house in Dallas, Texas

Dale Hanks begins a supporting partnership with Richard Bleckner of Bleckner Brokerage.  They share an 1,100 square foot space with their staffs in Farmers Branch, Texas.

Dale Hanks and Richard Bleckner partner with Glendy Valdez in a custom packing spice company, previously established in 1983 as Ainsele Spice,  under the new name, The Valdez Corporation, specializing in blends for the restaurant industry.

Dale Hanks and Richard Bleckner form Advanced Spice and Trading, Inc in a 7,500 square foot facility on Towerwood Drive, around the corner from the 1,100 square foot brokerage office.

As both the brokerage companies and the spice company grow, they move into the same facility on Towerwood Drive as they expand eventually to 29,000 square foot of space.

The last Bleckner involved in the business is bought out, and Bleckner and Hanks Brokerage are merged together, under the name Hanks Brokerage, Inc.

Hanks Brokerage, Advanced Spice and the Valdez Corporation, all move into a brand new corporate facility on Monetary Lane in Carrollton, Texas, expanding their combined footprint to 67,200 square feet.

Hanks, Valdez and Advanced Spice continue their growth and expansion into their new corporate facility on Senlac Drive in Dallas, Texas, expanding their combined footprint to 93,000 square feet, adding a large conference room meeting space, full commercial kitchen, additional processing and production capabilities.