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Sed ut perspiciatis unde.
SubscribeWe caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maria Pacheco a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Maria, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
After moving to the United States, while loving my new home, I was feeling homesick and craving the traditional food from my country, Mexico, and from my family. When I turned to grocery stores for a Mexican Salsa, I couldn’t find that fresh, authentic flavor that I was craving so I decided to fill that gap, and create my own line of traditional, authentic, and fresh salsas to share my traditions to honor my roots.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Cilantro Artisan foods is a unique company that offers traditional Mexican food catering, along with a range of handcrafted, traditional salsas. We bring the rich and spicy flavors from homestyle Mexican food, combined with warm and genuine hospitality to our customers’ special occasions. At the heart of Cilantro Artisan Foods we stay true to original Mexican recipes using fresh ingredients and traditional cooking methods.
Our handcrafted salsas are made with meticulous attention to detail and a passion for sharing the best of Mexico. Staying true to our roots, we represent the rich and diverse culinary and crafting heritage of different regions of Mexico. Sharing our culture through our food, products, and the way we conduct business, we share the vibrant and colorful spirit of Mexico.
Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?
It was a longer than expected journey and learning process, taking my product from my table directly to the public and to retail has been a challenging and rewarding process. The most important part for me was to preserve the quality, freshness and flavor, so when I learned that I could produce my salsas without having to add any additives or preservatives that could modify the flavor. I am pleased to deliver excellent products that preserve the original recipes. This was the ultimate result. Being able to fill the gap with the wonderful support and recognition of my customers, filled my heart and made me realize I had accomplished my mission.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Current customers are one of the best sources for new customers. In my case, referrals from my satisfied customers, friends and family has been a great resource, especially at the Durham Farmer’s Market. I’ve been very lucky and grateful to have the opportunity to sell directly to customers and share my story and traditions, with local grocery stores such as the Weaver Street Market and the Durham Co-oP. I receive constant requests from all over the country, and even from other countries to ship salsa that someone gave to them as a gift or that they purchased while visiting and then recommended it to others.
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