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Hector Saldívar is the Founder and Owner of Tia Lupita Foods, a better-for-you, healthy Mexican-inspired food brand that uses clean and simple ingredients in all its products. Tia Lupita is also the first brand to introduce the nopal cactus as an alternative, functional, and sustainable ingredient in the US market.
Hector was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and later earned a bachelor's degree in international business and a master's in European business administration. He moved to the US in 2005 as a territory manager for a Mexican startup and climbed the ranks working for companies like Nestlé USA and Diamond Foods. He has also been an integral part of the Pop Secret team that became the best-selling microwave popcorn brand in the USA.
Hector explains what Tia Lupita means and how Tia Lupita Foods was formed
Hector's background in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) business
How Hector used his mother's hot sauce recipe to produce his product
The current product lineup for Tia Lupita and how the company has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
Hector talks about his decision to go retail and the regions he serves
How Hector got funding to start his hot sauce business and his future expansion plans
The biggest challenge Hector faced growing Tia Lupita Foods
Similar to material things, family recipes can be inherited and passed down from generation to generation. This is very common in Mexico and many delicious secret recipes have been passed down to younger people as a result.
When Hector Saldívar saw a business opportunity in his mother’s recipes, he flew her down to San Francisco so she could teach him how to make her special hot sauce. He then started small, crafting the products in a commercial kitchen and bringing the business to a slow simmer, eventually reaching independent stores to promote and sell his product.
In this week’s episode of the NexxtLevel Podcast, Steve Cleere is joined by Hector Saldívar, Founder and Owner of Tia Lupita Foods, to find out how Hector used his mother's recipe to create a healthy hot sauce business. They also talk about Hector's background in the CPG industry, how his company has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the current and future product line for Tia Lupita Foods.
2-Do Tuesdays by Kitchen2Shelf
Our podcast today is sponsored by Kitchen2Shelf, the educational arm of NexxtLevel Brands. Kitchen-2-Shelf provides online and in-person courses and workshops for CPG entrepreneurs at any stage of growth.
Whether you're an early-stage startup, a local growing business, or if you want to just expand your distribution to a national level, Kitchen-2-Shelf can help you learn what you need to know to grow.
Visit their website to get access to some free tools that can help you understand where your business stands.
Contact them today to find out how they can help you grow your brand and expand your business to reach its full potential.
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