Sharing Food Culture with Cynthia Duran of Xinca Foods

Cynthia Duran, founder of Xinca Foods, shares her journey of creating the first Salvadorian frozen food brand in the U.S. She talked about her family’s love of food, their cultural roots, and the challenges of entrepreneurship. Cynthia emphasizes the significance of community support and feedback in building her brand, as well as her future plans for growth and product development. She reflects on her recent pitch competition wins, including Naturally Rising Seattle’s People Choice Award, the personal growth she has experienced through her entrepreneurial journey, and the impact she hopes to make in the world through her food.Takeaways:Cynthia's family culture influenced her passion for cooking.Food is a way to connect with cultural roots.Xinca Foods aims to share Salvadorian culture with a wider audience.Community feedback is crucial for product development.Cynthia's journey has been filled with challenges and triumphs.The importance of quality in food production cannot be overstated.Cynthia's experience in data analysis helps her understand consumer behavior.Building a brand requires resilience and adaptability.A better world means being kind and supporting one another.Sound bites:“My parents always said, you need to be independent. You need to learn how to cook for yourself.”“Growing up, I thought everyone in the United States knew what loroco was, but it turns out only people who grew up in Salvadorian or Guatemalan households knew.”“I was thinking, why can't I find pupusas in the freezer aisle?”“Salvadorian people are the third largest Latino community in the United States.”“The quesadilla dessert is a great segue for us because not only is it a traditional Salvadorian dessert, it's also appealing to consumers.”“One thing I've learned is packaging is everything, especially when you're in CPG.”“Dwight from Town and Country said “Your product is selling itself even if you're not standing in front of the case.”””I really like making that impact, but I didn't realize it when I started this business. I was just making food for my community.”“We were looking for a co-packer, but there wasn't really anyone that could make the product the way I wanted it.”“We were like, well, we don't really have a choice. We have to have a custom machine to make the product to my specific specifications, right?”“It’s a great advantage for me because other people can't really do that or can't really do their own research and development the way that I can because I have the ability to do that in my own place.”“This is a very cash intensive, time consuming type of business.”“Sometimes we can think with our heart, but you also have to think with your mind, right?”“I'm just happy that I won both. I didn't realize I would win anything.”“I feel like I've gotten to know myself a bit more. My limits are far beyond what I thought I could, you know?”Links:Cynthia Duran on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-duran-693410b9/Xinca Foods- https://xincafoods.com/Xinca Foods on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/xinca-foods-llc/posts/Xinca Foods on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Xincafoods/Xinca Foods on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/xincafoods/Xinca Foods on X - https://x.com/xincafoods…Brands for a Better World Episode Archive - http://brandsforabetterworld.com/Brands for a Better World on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-for-a-better-world/Modern Species - https://modernspecies.com/Modern Species on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/modern-species/Gage Mitchell on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gagemitchell/…Print Magazine Design Podcasts - https://www.printmag.com/categories/printcast/…Heritage Radio Network - https://heritageradionetwork.org/Heritage Radio Network on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/heritage-radio-network/posts/Heritage Radio Network on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HeritageRadioNetworkHeritage Radio Network on X - https://x.com/Heritage_RadioHeritage Radio Network on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heritage_radio/Heritage Radio Network on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@heritage_radioChapters:03:00 Cynthia Duran: The Journey Begins06:01 Cultural Connections Through Food08:46 Learning to Cook: A Family Tradition11:44 The Birth of Xinca Foods14:40 Bringing Salvadoran Cuisine to the U.S.17:29 Market Research and Product Selection20:43 The Importance of Packaging23:39 Future Products and Expansion Plans32:44 Strategic Product Development33:40 The Decision to Manufacture In-House35:05 Quality Control and Unique Product Standards37:10 Flexibility in Product Development38:36 Retailer Relationships and Market Insights40:02 New Product Development: Chicken and Cheese Pupusa42:45 Family Feedback and Recipe Testing44:55 Navigating Challenges in CPG48:03 Lessons from Manufacturing Challenges54:20 The Tough Reality of Entrepreneurship57:55 Leveraging Past Experience in Building a Brand58:51 Data-Driven Insights in Entrepreneurship01:01:30 Balancing Heart and Mind in Decision Making01:02:55 The Power of Storytelling in Pitch Competitions01:08:40 Scaling and Future Plans for Xinca01:12:52 Lessons Learned and Personal Growth01:19:03 Building Community and Impacting CultureSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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