WRITTEN BY CAITLIN M. DEWICKI
Woodward Corner Market is home to a variety of products. Each one is thoughtfully arranged to showcase ingredients, design labels, and brands. Although, these aspects are just small portions of what makes up a product. The story behind a business isn't always the first thought that comes to mind when buying a product. Despite this tendency, Woodward Corner Market has made it a top priority to represent local businesses with various ethnicities, genders, and heritages. For Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s dive into a few local businesses to learn more about the makers!
SOLDADERA COFFEE
The word, “Soldaderas” or “female soldiers”, is a way to describe a group of feminists in Mexico who display fierce grit while fighting for women's rights.
Having a connection to their heritage is what makes Soldadera Coffee a strong company.
Gabriela and Mario Rodriguez-Garcia lived in Mexico with their Grandmother, Cristina. After moving to West Michigan, Mario started work at Chrysler as an engineer and was sent on a business trip to Mexico. There, memories of his Grandmother and the coffees they shared, came rushing back. This trip was the jump-start for Soldadera Coffee, which was founded in 2018 after trying 70 recipe variations. Their fond memories and tireless trials led to the creation of a Mexican-style nitro-infused cold brew tea.
Soldadera Coffee works to support and build the community around them by bringing awareness to women’s rights, food health, buying natural ingredients, and sponsoring events. They have sponsored various types of events with West Michigan Grand Rapids Chamber, Women’s Marathon SheRun, Latina events such as Athena from the Grand Rapids Chamber, and Latina Women Network. Soldadera is “a welcoming and nurturing company where collaboration is a must”. Trial and error are expected in order to gain experience. Through these errors, community collaboration is their road to success!
SIMPLY SPANISH
Xavi Vitali, a Hispanic American from Valencia, Spain, founded Simply Spanish in 2012. This Michigan-based company started as a food truck/catering business. Since then, it has evolved into a refrigerated ready-to-heat and-eat packaged Paella in two varieties, Vegan and Chicken. Sharing Vitali’s Spanish Heritage has been the driving force of this business. Vitali’s passion has always been to, “provide a taste of Spain’s National Dish, the Paella,” with family, friends, and customers. This Paella is made from rice, herbs, saffron, and vegetables while incorporating natural, authentic flavors from Spain.
Simply Spanish supports the community whenever they get the chance. This is shown in their high-quality food that is affordable. They have also provided food to first responders, soup kitchens, and those less fortunate. Since the pandemic, they have continued their food truck/catering aspects and have grown to stock their Paella in various gourmet markets across Michigan and Texas. They are also expanding efforts to create additional new products!
“I am grateful to those who have tried our products and continue to support our family and company, which includes our Spanish culture.”
Support from both Woodward Corner Market and the community, for a humble company such as Simply Spanish, is their key to success.
DETROIT SALSA COMPANY
Detroit Salsa Company is a Detroit-based small business, centered entirely around family. Ray Gomez, the owner, made the company official after his son, Finn Gomez, completed a school assignment. While in the 7th grade, Finn Gomez knew his great-grandmother's salsa recipe was the perfect product for a business. He created an entire business plan, company name, and within a week Ray Gomez registered Detroit Salsa Co. as a business in 2016.
Each salsa batch is made with the customer in mind. As craftsmen, they make small batches in order to keep each salsa fresh. Ready for any family gathering, party, tailgate, or even camping!
Heritage, family, and community are just a few words to describe the basis of this company. Having a small business is hard work, but when your family is willing to help, anything is possible. These family values stretch to every single one of their customers. Ray Gomez said that when their family’s salsa recipe is purchased it allows them to share their culture and traditions with non-Hispanic communities which helps keep their culture alive.
HACIENDA MEXICAN FOODS
Hacienda is like a home to its employees and especially to Lydia Gutierrez. She started this company with her late-husband Richard Gutierrez, in 1994. With the tortilla recipe being passed down, Lydia Gutierrez comments on how this was a natural progression for her husband, “My late husband was the entrepreneur, I was the wife of the entrepreneur”. With her husband's aspirations, they started this small business, which consisted of roughly 8 employees. Since then, it has grown to over 50 employees who have been given an opportunity to evolve within their community. The mission of Hacienda is centered around “the people, the community who we sell our product to, and being an economic driver in our community”.
Knowing and understanding employees is something truly unique about the Hacienda leadership. Every worker is treated with respect and is given the opportunity to learn, grow, and be supported when in need. Being an employee is a great responsibility. Expectations to jump into another role are not just for tortilla chip line workers. Lydia Gutierrez will always be present to lend a hand or make a truck deliver. She discusses how this form of leadership is imperative when “relating to people, and making them feel safe to trust you as a confidant, a friend, and a mentor”.
Community is crucial for success. The investment placed on employees benefits not only Hacienda, but the Hispanic community surrounding them. This business consists mostly of mothers. Hacienda recognizes this and works around schedules so they can be active participants in their children's schools.
Not only are the employees taken care of, but Hacienda makes it their mission to support as many local businesses as they can. From the ingredients they use to the tape that closes their boxes, Hacienda sources locally from the Detroit area. Being this economic driving force is an important duty to Lydia Gutierrez. She is always taking the people of this community into consideration. “They sneeze in California and we say God bless you in Detroit because it's such a tight community”.
““If it wasn’t for Meijer, we wouldn’t be in business today”.”
Gutierrez comments on how she loves being a part of the Detroit community and that outsiders typically don’t expect a great product to come from a Detroit neighborhood. This is why they make a commitment to having great products. When something goes wrong, they do it again. Woodward Corner Market recognized this drive and started a partnership with Hacienda. Having this investment means a great deal to Gutierrez.
SUPPORT LOCAL AT WOODWARD CORNER MARKET
Woodward Corner Market, like every business, has a mission to support local businesses in order to strengthen the community around them. Soldadera Coffee, Simply Spanish, Detroit Salsa Co., and Hacienda all have their products available to buy at Woodward Corner Market.
Check out the products from these featured local vendors on your next trip to Woodward Corner Market!