We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Daniella Altamirano a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Daniella, appreciate you joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

Coming up with a name for my business was a total headache! I had this one picked out, but it was a total flop. People kept thinking it was some kind of adult business, or they just didn’t like it. So, I spent like two weeks stuck, trying to find something that felt right for me and the brand.

I was listening heavy to my favorite artists and producers during that time. Then, boom! I was listening to ‘Food Villain’ by The Alchemist and thought, ‘Grape Villain, that’d be kinda cool!’ It just clicked. I mean, it’s fun and different, and it stands out from all the other people doing the same thing.

I’m stoked you asked how I came up with it, because nobody else knows! Big thanks to The Alchemist for the inspiration. Maybe I can send him some grapes as a thank you, haha.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hey everyone, I’m Daniella, the brains behind The Grape a Villain. So, this whole thing started during the crazy pandemic days. My bestie and I were bored and decided to dip fruit. I was all about grapes, and when I tried them with chocolate, I was like, ‘Whoa, this is amazing!’ I shared them with friends, and they were totally obsessed. They’re the ones who pushed me to turn this into a business, so shoutout to them!

Basically, I sell fancy grapes covered in the best Belgian chocolate and topped with cookies or cereal. It’s a super easy, yummy snack that’s actually good for you!

What makes us different? Well, you can totally create your own crazy grape combo! Just give it a name and we’ll make it happen. I’m also super proud of my own flavor ideas. I wanted to do something totally different from the rest, and I think I nailed it!

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Meeting new people at day and night markets has been amazing! It’s a great way to get to know my customers and keep in touch with them online.

Have you ever had to pivot?

So, 2021 was a total rollercoaster for me. I had to focus on my personal life, which meant putting The Grape Villain on hold. I was totally lost and unsure if I even wanted to keep going with the business. But hey, I pulled through! I landed a new job that actually helped me grow The Grape Villain. Now, I’m juggling both, but my ultimate goal is to make it my full-time gig.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @TheGrapeVillain

Image Credits

Portrait by @guichopalma
Assist @monicazulemma