In this episode of The Boost, Leon sits down with Maria, founder of Hess Street Foods, to explore how a generational recipe and deep cultural roots sparked a thriving culinary business. What started as a homemade chorizo recipe passed down from Maria’s grandmother evolved into a shelf-ready, clean-label chorizo paste now featured in 144+ H-E-B stores and Pullman Market.

Maria shares how she transitioned from making sausage to crafting a paste that retains flavor while offering flexibility and health-conscious benefits. She also breaks down her journey from kitchen experiments to Launch SA, adapting through failures, and earning a spot in H-E-B’s “Quest for Texas Best.

Host: 

Leon Hitchens

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonhitchens/

X: https://x.com/Leonhitchens

Website: https://www.leonhitchens.com/

Guest: 

Maria Flores, Founder of Hess Street Foods

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-flores210/

Find Us: 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AHGT1Aoq9oAHZEHeORBpa

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-social-ledger/id1803475184

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBoostChannel 

Website: https://theboost.fm/the-marketing-boost/

What You’ll Learn

• The heritage behind Hess Street’s signature chorizo paste
• How Maria turned a family tradition into a modern food brand
• Challenges of launching a food product without a business background
• Why food nostalgia and health-conscious consumers drive brand loyalty
• Lessons from launching at farmers markets and pivoting from raw meat to shelf-stable products
• Strategies for bootstrapped marketing and defining brand identity
• How to stand firm on values—no shortcuts on quality
• Navigating retail and direct-to-consumer channels without compromising the mission
  
  
  

Resources & Mentions

• 🌐 https://hessstreetfoods.com/

Key Takeaways

“Flavor. Flavor. Flavor. That’s what it takes in food. But it’s not just about taste — it’s about honoring traditions and never compromising on quality.”
 — Maria, Founder of Hess Street Foods

“Don’t let outside forces change your product unless it aligns with your values. That’s sacred.”
 — Leon Hitchens

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