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"I like the notion that after you fall in love with the meals, you fall in love with the tradition. That is actually what we wish to do with SOMOS," says Miguel Leal, co-founder and CEO of SOMOS Foods. "There may be typically a blanket strategy on the subject of Mexican meals. Most of the choices at retailers are Americanized variations of Mexican meals. Spoiler alert: Taco salads and chimichangas do not exist in Mexico."
Miguel Leal began SOMOS along with his co-founders Daniel Lubetzky, founding father of KIND Snacks, and Rodrigo Zuloaga, KIND's former head of product growth, who had been all born in Mexico. They began SOMOS for the American client who loves Mexican meals, however is intimidated by make it at dwelling.
Leal shared that they're on a mission to demystify a class that has been binary for therefore lengthy: The choices have both been buying components to make recipes from scratch, which first-generation Mexicans typically do with the assistance of a member of the family, or buying stripped-down choices — Americanized variations of Mexican meals, like exhausting shell tacos and taco seasoning packets.
"Mexican delicacies is extraordinarily numerous by area," says Leal. "The meals I grew up consuming in Monterrey could be very completely different from the meals Daniel grew up consuming in Mexico Metropolis and Rodrigo grew up consuming in Guadalajara. We're introducing the variety of Mexican delicacies to households with meals they'll rapidly get on the desk for his or her households."
In just below three years in enterprise, SOMOS is out there at greater than 11,000 retail doorways nationwide, together with Entire Meals Market, Goal, Walmart, HEB, Publix and extra. In 2024, barely over 70% of the model's spending helps the Mexican neighborhood. They produce all of SOMOS merchandise in Mexico, sourcing as many components as potential in Mexico, and look to associate with Mexican suppliers and distributors. This consists of packaging designers, photographers, meals stylists and ingredient suppliers.
Constructing and scaling SOMOS, whereas challenging bias about Mexican meals and tradition, hasn't been straightforward. Leal and his co-founders have relied on one another, whereas additionally going again to some fundamental enterprise fundamentals to make sure they're organising the enterprise for long-term success. Listed here are three classes Miguel Leal has discovered on his solution to constructing SOMOS.
1. Take note of the accounting particulars
"I want I had paid extra consideration in accounting classes in enterprise faculty," says Leal. "I used to be educated as an engineer who received an MBA and was very centered on P&L administration. Early on, I used to be chasing development after I ought to have been extra centered on profitability."
Leal urges founders to get into the main points: accounts payable, receivable and the way a lot stock you've available, specializing in enterprise fundamentals. He shares that almost all buyers might be inquisitive about not simply your gross sales, however your path to profitability. He reminds founders the stability is that rising your stock can require much more money, and to be aware if you're chasing the fitting metrics. Leal additionally shares that scaling a enterprise for profitability can be robust in a market the place rates of interest are so excessive proper now.
"Your stability sheet may be your greatest pal or your adversary," says Leal. "My recommendation to founders: Get all the way down to understanding the fundamentals of accounting. Make that stability sheet your greatest pal."
2. Meet your clients the place they're
"Mexican meals is a $68 billion addressable market, but 82% of the consumption is going on in eating places," says Leal. "Whenever you stroll the aisles in grocery shops, you will see there hasn't been a number of innovation within the Mexican set in years. We all know SOMOS can fill that hole, providing Mexican meals that celebrates greens, grains and legumes."
One of many early classes Leal recollects is how the co-founders had been selecting to name their products. "Once we first launched SOMOS, one of many merchandise we had been most enthusiastic about had been our 'pea-cadillos,' a plant-based protein different to my favourite picadillo that my mother would make for me on my birthday every year," says Leal. "Not solely does the common American not know what picadillo is, by calling it 'pea-cadillo,' to reference the pea-protein within the product, we thought we had been being intelligent when in reality, we had been simply complicated our client."
It was an necessary reminder that when a client is strolling down the aisles of a grocery retailer or scrolling on their cellphone, they're making purchase decisions inside a few seconds. It was one other fundamental enterprise elementary Leal and his co-founders leaned into. For future merchandise, Leal and his group made the naming and particulars clear whereas remaining true to their Mexican heritage.
"Meet your clients the place they're," says Leal. "Make it straightforward for them to grasp what your product is, use it and finally resolve to purchase it."
3. Constructing a enterprise with others can leverage completely different strengths
Leal, Lubetzky and Zuloaga all crossed paths at KIND Snacks. After their time collectively at KIND Snacks, they parted methods and realized they hadn't talked to one another in over a yr. They missed their friendship and missed constructing collectively.
"I really feel very lucky to be on this journey with Rodrigo and Daniel," says Leal. "Rodrigo comes from a household of cooks and is an extremely proficient product innovator. I love Daniel's management type and the tradition he constructed at KIND. And I'm captivated with connecting all of the dots and executing. Collectively, all of us bring different strengths to the desk."
As they proceed to construct SOMOS, their friendships have been strengthened. And this time round, they're spending extra time with one another's households, who additionally convey completely different abilities and experience. Certainly one of Lubetzky's members of the family got here up with the identify for the model, which implies "we're" in Spanish. Rodrigo's household has weighed in on the event of SOMOS's Mexican Chili Crisp product, a.ok.a. salsa macha, and one in every of Miguel's members of the family usually shares concepts for the model's social media technique.
"We positively do not agree on every little thing, however we at all times respect one another's opinions. That is what makes us stronger," says Leal. "Totally different views lead to the perfect concepts. On the finish of the day, it's not about who is correct or fallacious; all of us simply wish to see SOMOS succeed."
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