Food Chain - Issue 195 - August 2023 | Page 81

___________________________________________________________________________________________ Olé Mexican Foods
35 calories per serving . The La Banderita Comalera tortillas are another new addition , which replicate the ingredients used in the family ’ s hometown – which is what the company is really all about .
“ It ’ s a true family operation ,” Veronica continues , “ and I ’ m so lucky to have had my two sons working this closely with me for such a long time . Eduardo Jr lives very close to me , so we ’ re neighbors in our home lives too . I feel very fortunate that he and Edgar enjoy being a part of the business , and that we have such strong relationships .”
“ When it comes to procurement ,” Eduardo Jr adds , “ we always like to partner up with other family-owned establishments . Being from the same background , we understand the struggles that they face , and how much the opportunities mean , when somebody gives you a chance to prove yourself . By involving these small companies and local organizations , we feel as if we are inviting them into our family , as they get the chance to grow alongside us .
Set for success
“ Olé celebrated its 35th anniversary earlier this year ,” Veronica says , changing topic . “ We celebrate it on Cinco de Mayo , as a highlight among the daily celebrations we have for being blessed with this business . Usually , we bring out cakes for everybody across all of our locations , but this year we wanted to make things a little extra special . We arranged for mariachis to come in and play through the production floors , and it made everybody so happy . There were people crying because they were so excited and surprised by it !”
“ At 35 , we ’ re now two years into an adventurous five-year goal we established in 2021 ,” Eduardo Jr concludes . “ We are aiming to double our size , to be a $ 1 billion company by 2026 . In anticipation of this growth , we have purchased a facility in Dallas and preordered the necessary machinery ahead of time , something we don ’ t usually do . So , we ’ re definitely committed to it . Thus far , we ’ ve not only been hitting our targets , but actually surpassing them , so I ’ m fully confident that we ’ re on the right track for success .” ■
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