If somebody could name a quintessential symbol of Mexican gastronomy, that ingredient would be salsa. Whether it’s hot sauce, salsa verde or habanero, salsas help enhance the flavor of many Mexican traditional recipes by adding depth, and most commonly, spice to the food. So when Hector Saldivar moved from Mexico to CA, he realized salsa options at U.S. grocery stores didn’t resemble the flavors he was used to growing up in Monterrey. Inspired by his mother’s traditional recipes, Hector decided to launch Tía Lupita, a brand of healthier Mexican-inspired food products that includes hot sauces, tortilla chips, tortillas, and salsas. Today, Tía Lupita products are available in over 4,000 retail locations across the country, including Whole Foods, Target and Walmart.

This episode was produced by Miguel Estrada. It was edited by James Jeffrey.

Follow Tía Lupita Foods at @tialupitafoods.

Follow Ashley Chaparro at @ashleychaparro23.