Could a food empire be born out of homesickness? If Quebracho Empanadas continues on its current path, the Minnesota-based, Argentina-flavored business might become a national juggernaut in your grocer’s frozen food aisle.
Before launching Quebracho, owner Belén Rodríguez worked both as a medical translator and as a cook in some restaurants, but something was missing. “After a while, I felt stress and emotional distress because of how far I was from the food, conversations and customs of my childhood. Cooking, it turned out, was a wonderful escape for me, so I started cooking for friends.” In her native Argentina, “everything revolves around food,” she says. And here in Minnesota, Rodríguez has combined her grandmother’s recipes with an acute business acumen and a flair for cooking into a growing company that shares traditional Hispanic flavors with hungry diners.
It hasn’t been easy, however. Rodríguez started with a popup restaurant and catering services in 2019, and just as it was gaining traction, COVID-19 shut everything down. But instead of hanging up her apron, Rodríguez doubled down and began experimenting with a frozen version of her savory pies. “We went to farmer’s markets to test proof of concept and perform market studies,” Rodríguez says. Little by little she began perfecting the recipe, presentation and pricing of her products. Soon, she started selling in a handful of local supermarkets. By June 2021, Quebracho was in 50 stores across Minnesota. “And that’s when it really started to take off,” Rodríguez says. Next came big-name grocers like Kowalski’s, Lunds and Beyerly’s. Then, Cub Foods started carrying her products. The number of stores carrying Quebracho more than doubled.
Minnesota United and Quebracho
Empanadas, Argentina and soccer go hand-in-hand, so it makes sense that Quebracho will be a featured vendor at Allianz Field, where Minnesota United, our professional soccer team, plays. Rodríguez will be a guest chef this season, and her empanadas are sure to delight hungry hooligans and casual consumers alike. You can find her delicacies in the Street Fair Booth in section 110. “At Allianz Field, my favorite sport and foods from my childhood come together.”
In addition to the new sales point at Allianz Field, the outlook for 2024 is positive, says Rodríguez. Quebracho will be sold in some schools, their marketing presence is set to increase, and Rodríguez is working on plans for regional expansion.
LEDC helped with growth
“LEDC was extremely important in getting Quebracho off the ground,” says Rodríguez. “Their help with mentoring, business advice and connections with the community were imprescendibles. And their advice and help in getting financing was key,” she continues, “as was their advice on how to understand the process of financing a business.”
Now with several years of slow but carefully measured growth and plenty of momentum from customers and supermarkets, we may see an Argentina-inspired brand that brings consistent old-country taste and easy-to-bake convenience in more and more places. “Our goal is to have multiple product lines in a variety of channels and sectors,” says Rodríguez. Look out: We may have some Quebracho chimichurri in our stores soon. Until then, grab a bag of Quebracho Empanadas and share the authentic flavors of Argentina with your friends and family.
You can find Quebracho Empanadas in supermarkets throughout Minnesota. If you want to know if your favorite store carries them, check out the store finder on their website.
