When I started selling corn tortillas on a street corner in Atlanta in 1988, I recognized the demand for authentic Mexican-style tortillas in our community. I knew that I had the skill and willpower to meet that demand, but I had no idea how far my ambition would take me.
Initially, I didn’t know much about manufacturing, marketing or distribution, but I knew I wanted to do something to prove myself as a woman – outside of being a good wife and mother – and so I dedicated myself to bringing my authentic Mexican tortillas to an eager market. With my family’s support, we worked together to buy a plant with simple equipment, develop a small list of clients and figure out the rest as demand for our product grew. My family has been a huge part of this journey and has sustained me through the many tough lessons and trying times we’ve faced along the way.
Walmart has also played a huge role in our business development. The access, job training and support the company has provided through its Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative has helped grow our business exponentially and allowed us to take our products to many new places. Today, I was thrilled to speak at Walmart’s Women’s Economic Empowerment Milestone Meeting to share my story.
I can say firsthand that the job training and market access I’ve received
by working with Walmart has allowed my business to grow beyond my wildest
dreams. I started out with one machine and a drive to bring authentic Mexican-style
tortillas to America. Today my company, OLÉ Mexican Foods, is one of the largest tortilla manufacturers in America.