Pouur Decisions
Bold Stories of Business Journeys, Legal Tips and a Toast To Doing It Anyway
Hosted by Attorney Sharece Miller-Curry
Pouur Decisions
Building a Food Brand? Here's What Actually Happens
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What does it actually take to turn a recipe into a real business? In this episode of Pouur Decisions, Bianca Beach shares the story behind building Lamacita, from early kitchen experiments to navigating co-manufacturers, retail, and everything in between.
This is an honest conversation about the decisions most people don’t see. From choosing the wrong ingredients early on, to trusting outside opinions over your gut, to figuring out how to scale without losing your product. Bianca walks through the real challenges of launching in the food industry and what she would do differently.
If you’re thinking about starting a business or already in the middle of it, this episode is a reminder that progress rarely looks clean. It’s about starting, building the right relationships, and continuing to move forward even when things don’t go as planned.
Okay, welcome um to Poor Decisions. And today I have Bianca with Lama Cita, and I am so excited to learn about this food business that is just is so interesting. We had the chance to meet at the garlic festival. Yes. And I got to try I tried the dip? Yes. Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_01Yes. I was sampling a roasted garlic, honey habanero cream cheese spread. Yes, that's what it was. The people were flipping out losing their mice.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So good. It was so good. And I was like, I want to be able to share your story because it was, it was, yeah, first I love the name and I love the product. And I know there's more to it than that. But um how did this idea come about? Um, to you know, what Mamma Zita? Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, first of all, thank you for having me. Um yeah, as someone had said, uh, there's a million other ways to make money aside from going into busy for yourself, especially in the food space. Um but I am I'm a product of chefs. I was a chef, a pastry chef, and I fought long and hard to resist being in the food industry for a long time for some personal struggles and other things. But um yeah, it um it was, it was, it has been a dream for a really long time. So I lived in Southern California in my early 20s. I'm originally from uh the Pacific Northwest. And it was in the LA area that I really fell in love with the taco scene and taco sauces and was working at a place in Malibu. Fell in love with the green sauce, uh, went back to Tacoma, Washington to work for my mom and started kind of testing the market at her restaurant with my green sauce. Oh, so she, your mom had a restaurant. Yes, she was a restaurant, yeah. And so that um also taught me or you know that I could do anything. Right.
SPEAKER_02Oh better. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Oh, what kind of restaurant was so it was uh a restaurant tavern. It's so hard to put into words. It was really an experience. It was in a um a beautiful big old hundred-year-old building. Oh, it's called the Swiss Tavern. Okay. Swiss immigrants would come up from the train station and that's where they would stay and gather um until they could get on their feet and find a place to live. So there was this beautiful tavern in the bottom portion, and then the second floor was this hall. Okay. And so anyway, she and my stepdad and a couple other partners uh purchased the business in the early 90s when there was just rumors that University of Future or University of Uh Washington Tacoma was gonna be there. So they kind of put that area on the map. Yeah. Um, really good food, micro brews before it was a cool thing. No way. Yeah. So I had the privilege. Um, I didn't look at it as a privilege then, but of growing up in the industry and scrubbing bathroom floors, 100-year-old floors with a toothbrush. Oh my god. Okay, that's yeah, those are some memories. So, anyway, so I started um testing the market with this green sauce, and then and I remember saying to her when I was like 26 that I'm like, I'm I'm gonna bottle this someday. Like, this is this is gonna be, I'm gonna give you your jaguar, mom. And she um died in 2009, and my life kind of, of course, took a little pivot. I threw myself into French pastry after that, but all the while wanted to still bottle this sauce. Yeah, and then started growing the line. And then seven years ago, my husband and I moved to Cleveland to be closer to my aunt and some family here. Um and then COVID, and well, first we had a baby, and then the world shut down, and then it was really kind of coming out of COVID that I was like, okay, this I have to get this dream off of my vision board and out of my head. Like I have to see this through, or else it's just yeah, you know, it's gonna it'll just never go away.
SPEAKER_02It's gonna feel well. I mean, it's it's important, especially when you feel that. Yeah. Um, you're like, I it has to happen. I have to bring this to life. To see it through. Yeah, well, good for you, very like continuing on the process and not just like giving up.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Because the green sauce is meant to be, you know, out there for everyone.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and it's the green sauce out of all four that I have is the furthest from the original version now, and it's still evolving. I'm working on green sauce 3.0. Okay. Um, but yeah. So what does the green sauce consist of? So the green sauce, the original version was like polano pepper, um, some sour cream, a little bit of honey, some gar roasted garlic. I mean, it was yeah, a lot of steps, really, really good. Um now it consists of tomatillos, uh serrano peppers, avocado, lime, cilantro, um, a little bit of honey. Now we're getting rid of the avocado, go to just avocado oil. Okay. And um as I am I'm changing all of the oils in the sauces, getting rid of the canola, going to avocado. Um yeah, so looking forward to that.
SPEAKER_02Well, and that's that's the cool thing with the with especially the food industry, is that you can, you know, change the recipe and adapt it to what the clients want or what you think is going to be better for consistency or yeah, and I think it's important to be open to that.
SPEAKER_01I think I mean like with anything we can get so set in our ways and stubborn and you know, really as long as your product is good and changing, you know, there might be one person that's like, that doesn't taste like, but you just yeah, it's yeah, right.
SPEAKER_02So um what was the process like to even get started?
SPEAKER_01I mean, were you bottling like in your kitchen or yeah, in print house or something, or I had reached out to um Jenny. I want to say her last name is Kelly. She used to be with the Central Kitchen in in Cleveland.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_01And because I needed some commercial kitchen space to make some macaroons, I was okay as COVID was coming out, I was just like hustling pastries and just needing to be creative. Um and so I we got in touch. And then once I decided that it was time to start to like see these sauces, just you know, at least get them um out of the gate, I reached out to Jenny and you know, was like, I I don't know what to do. And she said, You need to call Clark Pope. Okay, here's his number. The Pope's but here he did sit the losses. Yes. So I called Clark and he and I chatted for like an hour and he told me some other people to talk to you and what to do. You know, and so that's what I say when everyone's like, How'd you get started? Or you just you just find someone that has done it before you, you listen to them, you do what they say, you call the people, and then those people are gonna say, Here's what you do, you need to talk to this person now. And then before you know it, you have this huge network. Yeah. So one of the decisions that Clark helped me make was um, because at this point I was just like making the sauce in my kitchen, not to sell, yeah. I mean a little bit to sell, but just really to um like sample and and try it. Yeah, okay. Get the recipe styled in, get I knew they wanted I wanted to be shelf stable. So that's the whole thing with pH levels and making sure these have the appetites where it needs to be. Um and so yeah, I was like, well, you know, I'll just I'll make the sauces in a commercial kitchen. Yeah. And then and he's like, What are you doing? You we how old is your son? And my son was two at the time. And he's like, Yeah, you don't want to do that. You you need to be out there selling your product, educating the people about what you have, let someone else make the product for you. And it really was the best advice ever. Um, and so then I that it was um trying to find a co-packer, a co-manufacturer to make the sauce for me.
SPEAKER_02So you started out with the co-pactor co-packer pretty like early on, where a lot of people they built up to that, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And I don't think there's a right or wrong way to do it because I've seen a lot of my friends that start self-manufacturing and it's a it's a big jump to to go from that to that. The benefit I think is is that you can listen to the market or you can adapt to what the market is saying, telling you easier. Yeah. Um if you're doing it yourself. Yeah. Where if someone else is doing it, you need to, you know, you have to change the label. You get it like or and you're getting large quantities at a time.
SPEAKER_02So because like your first order, how many like bottles did you have to um?
SPEAKER_01Uh yeah, 30 gallons. So that was a lot. It was a lot, yeah. Per skew. I have four skews, so it was yeah. So 30 gallons per recipe.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Okay. Oh wow. Yeah, wow, yeah. And then you're not are those pre-sold or are those just come into market and then you're gonna be figuring out to sell. Okay. Yep.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So I think the big dogs probably have some pre-sales, you know, with large accounts, but yeah, I just know I hear him. Speck sauce, are you interested?
SPEAKER_02So um, did you go to like different grocery stores or were you doing vendor events or like farmers Marvel's?
SPEAKER_01All of the above. All of the above. Um, yeah, started going to just the local mom and pop shops that have been so good to me in the last two years. Um, yeah, have started some early, early talks with Heinans. Um really, it's been so I've Lama Cita officially turned two like yesterday. Oh, congratulations. Um and it's been it's it's been a bit of a journey. Um yeah, and so I'm changing co-manufacturers now and looking forward to uh streamlining the process a little bit for them, getting some things dialed in, and I kind of feel like I'll have my feet under me a little better to go have some bigger conversations with bigger ring tellers.
SPEAKER_02Okay. So if let's say someone is watching and they're interested in the food industry business um to get a copacker, so what type of things are you looking for with a copecker? What like what how do you pick? How did you pick outside of getting a recommendation?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So it is um, it's never gonna be a one-size fits-all. Um, for me, uh you've seen the bottles, they're uh it's called a Boston round. They have a very unique short little neck. Okay, that's an issue. Not every copacker can do that has a line to process to run those bottles.
SPEAKER_02Um you have to find a copecker that has the machines to align with.
SPEAKER_01Or if you find a copacker and you say what bottles or what packaging, whatever your product is, what packaging do you work with? Okay. And then you can maybe adapt to what they have. Yeah. Um, but yeah, if you're doing, you know, you have to be sensitive. If you're doing a gluten-free product that you're in a facility that's or a nut-free product, or um, of course, it helps if if your co-packer is doing similar things. And okay, I use tomato sauce, and they've also got tomato sauce, you know. So okay. And then overall, just like anything, it's it's it's a good you just want a good relationship. And they have to gel well.
SPEAKER_02Right. Right. Because you're gonna be working very close with DJ.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you're just you're handing over, you know, a dream of 18 years and saying, okay. And like Clark Pope said, um prefaced in the very beginning, is like you just you just have to be comfortable with what your margin of error is. It's never gonna taste like what it tastes like when you make it. You just have to know what that margin is for you.
SPEAKER_02Okay. Do you get to sample it like beforehand? Because I'm sure you give them your recipe and then um they do they run like a sample sample or sample was 30 was 30 gallons.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, which was slightly problematic for the green sauce, unfortunately. Um the first the first man. Yeah. Yeah, I yeah. So I think I hindsight, I think I would have fought harder or just fought, period, to um to have a smaller batch made.
SPEAKER_02Um like negotiate with them, like smaller so we can test it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so we can all see the process that this is new for you guys, too. Yes, yes. What do we need to work out so that I'm not on the hook for right all of this product that you're like, no, this does not taste whatever. Right.
SPEAKER_02And again, you know, it's fine, but yeah, because you're giving them like down to the like a teaspoon of salt, or you know, obviously it's more than that, but you're you're giving them all of that, yeah, and then they take it and then they may run it, and that's your product. Yep. Oh, yeah, that I could understand that being a little like nerve-wracking. You're like, oh my gosh. Yeah, but you know, hey, you took that leap and you did it. Yep. Um, so um, did you do all four? Like, did you do all four at the same time? Or did you do let let's just do one at a time?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, yeah, we did we did two one week and then a couple weeks later we did the other two.
SPEAKER_02Oh wow. And so yeah. Okay. And then um, and then you started going, um, putting it out there in the stores and everything.
SPEAKER_01Yep, selling. I did a lot of pre-sale um pre-orders to friends and family online. And I so okay. Yeah, okay. And yeah.
SPEAKER_02I know. Oh my god. Oh, so okay, the name. Yes. How did you come up with the name?
SPEAKER_01So the name, I I knew I wanted a Cita at the end. I wanted something cute. Cita just kept calling to you, yeah, and I'm doodling, you know, like I'm in fourth grade again. Um, and I kept going to, I didn't want mama cita. I kept going to big L, little A, Big M, Llama Cita. And then one day my husband and I were driving, and he was like, What about llama? Like double L llama cita. And then the llamas like, your guy. That's the human. Yeah. And I had already been working with graphic designers at that point that I met through the uh central kitchen, Fiz Creative. Hi, Jason and Katie. Um and so I called Katie right away. I was like, oh my god, we got a name. Yes. That's it, that's exciting. Yeah. Oh, it was. And it's like the one thing that I kept saying, you know, in the the brand discovery process, who are you? What do you want to do? What do you want your brand to look like? Is I just I wanted um it to bring joy to people. Oh, okay. Bringing joy to people through food has is a passion of mine always and forever. And the with the llama there, it's just like, you know, doing these farmers markets where you get to see people base to base and see them look at it like, oh my god! It's so cute. Oh, so and so less llamas. Oh, we should get the oh, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00It's just it's so there's the joy and the food, and that's so cool.
SPEAKER_01No llamas were harmed in the making of these sauces. I do get asked that. No, I do not have a llama farm. Well, so people like you really must love llamas, right? Right. I would think so.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, like I love them like a normal person, I suppose, but right, but no like intricate relationship with llama when you say well, thanks to your husband for coming to the ballot.
SPEAKER_01I know. He's yeah, he named our son, and he's he's yeah, he's good at picking names, good at names, yes. I'm I'm my I'm starting a uh YouTube cooking show soon, and so he's wheels are turning fine. Oh that's awesome.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, um the obviously based upon you know your being in the food industry and all you decided you wanted to like this another venture.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's something that has um just kind of revealed itself to me this last year. Um, how as I've been a little less shy, a little more aggressive with social media and just putting myself out there. Yep, and I really like videoing myself in the kitchen. And so yeah. I mean, so many other people are doing it, why not? Exactly.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. You have, you know, sauces and and all to use. And I guess yells.
SPEAKER_01I can I I know how to cook. A lot of people don't, right? A lot of people don't even like to cook, and so yeah.
SPEAKER_02I'm one of those.
SPEAKER_01You are, yeah. I'm sure it's sorry.
SPEAKER_00I cannot lie.
SPEAKER_02I love people to cook for me.
SPEAKER_00Yes, okay.
SPEAKER_02And then it taste grades, and I don't have to do all the chopping and oh my gosh. I prefer to, I I'd say, you know, people have roles and I want you to be able to excel in your role. I will eat.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yes. Yes, you're an appreciative eater. Yes, and that's important too. Yep, it's the other side of it. We eat that, yeah.
SPEAKER_02That's bright because I've cooked for people that aren't appreciative and also I appreciate it so much. I'm very gracious. Okay, yeah. So, okay, were there any um like legal things that came up during your whole process? Um that you had an attorney, or you're like, man, I wish I had had like an attorney to even ask a question to or something.
SPEAKER_01Um so early on, once we had the name, I reached out to an attorney. Okay. Um, and got some help trademarking and yes, filing, all of that. Good stuff. I mean, she set up. So I would highly recommend that people do that.
SPEAKER_02And the good thing that I I really like about what Bianca said is that early on in the process, because what you want to make sure is that you know you're creating this name and logo and ideas, and you don't want to get like years into it and then find out, oh my gosh, someone else has the name. Yeah, uh, you know. And they're a little further along in their own. Yes. Yes. Yeah. And then maybe you get a cease and desist letter because you're using their they've already trademarked and you're like, oh man, I should have done this. So I'm glad that you did do that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we found a gal in um Virginia, I think, that has a business um a C T she never files.
SPEAKER_02So Oh Yeah, so you were first to files. Yeah, awesome. Yeah, yep, yep. And then you got the name and everything. Um, so that's that's wonderful. Because when you have a name and idea and everything, it's best to just go ahead and trademark it and and get it going.
SPEAKER_01Yes. So yeah, I would I would definitely recommend um doing that. And then I'd say um going over any kind of big contract, um haven't really encountered anything too hairy yet at my stage in the game. Um but I could see how that would be beneficial.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean, even basic contracts, yeah. Um and a lot, and what I tell everyone is it's not so much that when you're going into it that you're you need it right then and there, but it's like when and if it doesn't go right. Then you're like, okay, we can go back to what is in this document to s to you know tell us how we're to perform. And this dictates our agreement. So we there's you know, there's not any questions. Yeah, but it's it's really for when it goes wrong. Yeah. Which we hope that it doesn't, but inevitably something will yeah, yeah. So good. Yeah. I'm glad you're to hear that you're doing those things.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yes. Um any um advice. So especially for um people that are about to start or they're already starting, um, they're thinking about starting a business. Um, it could be just like three, three, the mo the most important three things that you know you would say these are these are things, these are key for starting a business.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Um so just start for one thing. Just like yeah, just just do it. Just do it. Just start having a conversation with someone. Like I did. Um, because that's really where it all starts. You just, I mean, you speak it to the universe, the universe provides, but then also you just start gathering your resources, yeah, which then leads me to number two, is then you start building your community. Okay. And um I've I've been in the food business for a very long time. I had a French pastry business in the Pacific Northwest. The community here in Cleveland, um, specifically my female, uh, my the other women of food group is amazing. And so, you know, like you just there's something for every forever. Yeah, yep. And so find that create your support, your support system. Again, the people that are a couple steps ahead of you, and then you can be that person to someone that's a couple steps behind. Um yeah, and then number three, I guess just keep moving forward. So my aunt Jane, um hi aunt Jane. She was at the uh Houston or Dallas airport years ago and had texted that she's she's on the you know, the little the the little walking escalator. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And the lady up in the sky on the on the intercom says, keep moving forward. Oh, yeah. And we laugh about that. And I say that to myself constantly. So constantly, just keep moving forward. Do not get paralyzed, do not let something der. Maybe you need to take five, maybe take a day. Maybe just like I had a day the other week where I'm like, oh my god, like what am I even doing? I don't want to do anything. I just and then I got a good night's sleep, and the next day felt yeah. So just yeah, it's just keep keep moving forward.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and it's so important as business owners to to hear that because I mean, everyone goes through something. I don't care how small or big you are, everybody goes through personal things and then just things with the business. But yeah, if you can just give you if you can just put the one foot and put up the other, still like, okay, I'm gonna get through this. Yeah, it's challenging, but yep, I got it. Yep. Other people have done it before me, there's other people behind me that will do it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, rarely word no one's reinventing the wheel, like it's a bit, you know, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Oh my god, yes. Yeah, and that's that's motivating because as you put the one step in front of the other, then you gain more and more confidence too. Yes, yeah, yes, exactly. Yeah, and then and then there's a big step sometimes, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And then you've activities, it's just yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Because sometimes you're running, sometimes you're like, yeah, okay, we're gonna walk. Yeah, we're gonna crawl.
SPEAKER_01We're gonna crawl, it's a crawl day, it's hanging on my tummy.
SPEAKER_00Right. Yes. Oh my gosh. But we're moving, we're moving. Damn it. We are going forward no matter what. Right. Even if it's an inch. Yep. Yeah, yes. Even if it's an inch, you're like, I am one inch closer or forward than I was, you know, yesterday.
SPEAKER_01And I think and I think a bonus number four is um to we cannot compare ourselves to to other people and where anyone else is at in their in their journey. Yeah. Uh yeah, just it's like I I say I have done yoga for a really long time, and I don't know if you are very fit. If you've done yoga. So if you haven't noticed when you're in a pose and you'll like of this happened to me. So I've like looked over at someone like, oh, cute, cute pants. And the second like you move over, you lose yes, you lose your balance, you lose your focus. Yes, and so the lesson there is just stay focused on yourself. Yeah, yeah. It's your fault.
SPEAKER_02Yes, oh yeah, don't don't look around and be comparing. No, yeah. Oh, that's a good one. Thanks for that extra, yeah. So, okay, what about a poor decision you were able to make in visits which you would overcome, still be successful? Yes.
SPEAKER_01Um, let's see. So one was probably um not back to the oils. Okay. The canola oil. Oh. It's a hot issue nowadays. And three or four years ago, um, when these conversations were starting for Lama Cita, it was, well, should I go with canola oil or should I do uh, you know, um of an avocado oil something less controversial? Yeah. Um and I listened to some outside voices and opinions and against my better judgment. Oh, okay. We went with that. Okay. And, you know, the whatever, what whatever I would, yeah. Um I just it's been it's been an issue. And I get I people comment, and so I wish I would have just done that in the beginning. Okay.
SPEAKER_02Um did you were these like respected opinions, and that's why you were like, well, I'm gonna go with them, or did you like second guess yourself?
SPEAKER_01Like Yeah, it was like it was um respected opinions, and then it comes down to costs. Oh, so of course. They said sorry, it was like, well, let's just do whatever's yeah, gonna be the easiest, right? You know, a lot of things that they know where we live. A lot of things do. I live my life, you know, somewhere in the gray when it comes to that sort of stuff. I love eating healthy, but I it's still a visit, I should say exactly. Yeah, yeah. Yes. So um, yeah, so I think just not listening to your gut, you know, the lesson there being like yeah, that money saved here is you know, potentially more money spent there down road.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So now you're gonna be changing things. Now we're changing, yeah. And oh my gosh, with the co-packer. So do you have to like with the whole the because they're gonna change the whole, you know, recipe and all. So that is I can imagine that could be kind of costly to have them redo it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so it it won't be where so because I'm changing co-manufacturers just anyway, it kind of seemed like the perfect time to do that because my bottle people are gonna have to touch the the silkscreen art for the bottle to change the address. And so I might as well then change the the ingredient list and then giving me an opportunity to tweak green sauce even more. Okay. Wow. Well, that's exciting.
SPEAKER_02I mean, it's it's you know it's more steps in you're right, they're right.
SPEAKER_01She does I'm a believer that yeah, that there's you know, mistakes. Uh we there's no such thing as bad or good. It's just yeah, we learn from it, we go on, yeah, the worst thing ever. But then look at that opportunity that presented itself because of that. And so yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yes, yes, and that's the great perspective to look at it, and that's why you'll continue to be successful.
SPEAKER_00Thank you. Yes. I hope so.
SPEAKER_02Well, and that's a great um area to toast on. Sounds great. Yes, to great decisions, and oh my gosh, I have to share this because these are so cute. These um she gifted me with these prosecco cordials, um, dark chocolate, and um, they're from Mitchell's, not the ice cream store, but Mitchell's chocolate syndicates. And they're in on Lee Road in Eatland Heights. Okay, yeah, I can't wait to try these. That are out for a long time. Yes, and then we have um a Sauvignon Blanc, a French Sauvignon Blanc that we're gonna be trying today.
SPEAKER_01Lovely.
SPEAKER_02So let's toast two good decisions with our business and Lama C doing. Yay! Cheers