255. Tuyyo Foods Merger: Latina-Founded Food Brands Merge to Form Unified Cultural CPG Brand

0:01Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:Welcome to Startup to Scale, a podcast by FoodBevy. I'm your host, Jordan Buckner. Join me as I talk to aspiring entrepreneurs, seasoned industry experts, and everyone in between as we unlock the keys to growing from startup to scale.

0:18Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:Today's episode is a special one. We're going to be exploring something you don't really hear about often in CPG, a decision to merge three founder-led brands into one unified company. Two Yo Foods, Nimi Snacks, and Todo Verde each build loyal followings in different categories rooted in culture, flavor, and purpose. And instead of competing or staying slyo, these founders really chose a way to collaborate as a growth strategy. As we're going to hear about today, they really started working together to figure out like how they can support one another, which is so important as you're building a company and ultimately decided to merge their companies together.

0:57Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:So I'm joined by Jocelyn, Regina and Stephanie, who are the three founders behind these brands to talk through actually like why they did it, what it took to align as founders together and what this kind of partnership unlocks that, you know, solo growth can't sometimes. This is really fun for me as well because Rikina and Stephanie I've met and known for about 10 years as I was just getting started in the CPG space. I think Rikina for you too. I think Stephanie you have been in the industry for a little longer from your work with Whole Foods but you're kind of in the brand side at that point.

1:31Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:And Jocelyn I know we've met just relatively recently in the grand scheme of things but so excited to hear more about the story. So maybe Jocelyn I'll start with you and let's go around. I'd love for you just to give a quick introduction of what each of your three brands originally were. And then we can talk through what the new company is and how that came about. So, Jocelyn, you reached out kind of sharing that news. So I'd love for you to start talking through just, you know, Todo Verde and what your company wants and how you got started. Yeah, so I initially got started with Todo Verde as a food service company, as a chef here in Los Angeles.

2:05And with the pandemic, I pivoted from that to product line. So in about 2023 is when I officially launched and started getting into retail doors. And it's a true-to-culture taco seasoning that I currently have on shelf in flavors like Al Pastor and Tinga. And I was really thinking about how do I create these nostalgic flavors that feel chef-crafted, that people can use to build really delicious meals in such a short time.

2:31Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:I love that. Regina, tell me about Nemi and the holy sticks that you created. Jordan, thank you. Yes, I started Nemi Snacks almost seven years ago because almost every Hispanic-inspired brand that I saw at the grocery store was rooted in stereotypes and cultural cliches about Latin culture. And not because something is Mexican, it's cheap, it's unhealthy or low quality. So I wanted to create a brand that where I could elevate Latin cultura through Better For You products in Mexican-inspired flavors. Nemi Snacks are high-protein, high-fiber chips in Mexican flavors. I love, too, that you're really building that at the time when the nopale was building.

3:11Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:There are a lot of products being created with it and helping to pioneer that ingredient into more foods here in the U.S. as well, which is really great. Stephanie, how about you? Yeah, I started Tuyo, which will be the brand that we will all be going under when I was going back to school to get my executive MBA. So it actually started in 2020, which was so crazy, right, to be going back to school. And, you know, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do if I was going to continue consulting, which is what I was doing at the time, or go back to, you know, join a company or do something like completely different.

3:49And I remember, you know, being with my family and just kind of talking through these ideas and just thinking about, well, what if I did like a product, you know, and they were all like, yeah, that would be really cool. What would you do? And I was like, well, you know, I grew up in being an 80s, 90s child with Kool-Aid and Lunchables and all of that stuff. But there is no natural Kool-Aid. And then, you know, being Mexican-American, I also have like menudo and agua fresca and all this. And I was like, well, what if we can make an agua fresca, but like a Kool-Aid? So it would be in a powder form using real ingredients.

4:27And that's what I did. And so So I created what I believe is like the first all natural powdered agua fresca mix to be in market and have been going since 2020.

4:37Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:Oh, my goodness. That's so exciting. You know, I also grew up on Kool-Aid and can't believe probably how much red for the dye I probably consumed. So much. And I remember, you know, just as a side rate when there's all the talk around like how many teaspoons of sugar and sodas and everyone's outraged. I was like, I used to make Kool-Aid from the packets and I would put two cups of sugar into a gallon. So like I knew exactly how much sugar was going in there, but not how bad it was for me. Oh, my goodness. I love that. So tell me about when you started coming together to talk with one another about just like your businesses and problems and how those conversations really started out.

5:19I think I can jump in there because I was kind of the center point. So it kind of started when Regina and I were traveling a lot together in 2024. We were doing in-store demos, trade shows. And at the end of one of those trips, I think we were like sitting in the back of an Uber on the way to the airport in Dallas or something like that or Austin. And, you know, Regina was like, what if we connected monthly and just continue to check in and see how we can support each other? because it was just so great to have another founder where you can kind of vent, share the challenges that you're facing, and then to be able to receive, you know, that immediate support or have a sounding board.

5:55And so she mentioned setting up regular calls. And I said, well, what if we thought about bringing our brands together? And it was just like this pause of like, hmm. And nothing happened right in that moment. We just decided to kind of keep it in our back pocket, keep talking about it. And then it didn't spark again fully until Stephanie reached out to me mid 2025 before Newtopia. We were prepping for that show, figuring out what events we were going to, where we're staying, all of the things. And at the end of that call, Stephanie, without me mentioning anything, said, what if we had sort of a holding company or brought brands together?

6:33We're doing a lot of the same sort of work and our flavors are all so good. And I was like, oh, my God, I've actually been having this conversation. Would you want to connect? Right. Like, should all three of us get on a call? So we said, OK, let's time out. Let's go to Nutopia. Let's talk in person. And when we come back, we'll regroup and figure it out. Literally, I get back the next day, Regina texts me, can you talk? I get on the phone with her and she's like, let's do it. Let's merge. And I was like, oh, my God, you don't know. I just talked to Stephanie. So it was just synergy happening.

7:05It just manifested in a way that was really special and was meant to be. And it's been so great working with each other so far. They're both incredible founders. So I'm glad that the connection happened.

7:15Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:I absolutely love that. Stephanie, when you reached out and kind of came up with the idea kind of on your own as well about merging. What was going through the head of your mind and kind of where Two-Year-O-Foods was? Yeah, well, there's so many really wonderful founders and products and, you know, things out in the market. And I think that, you know, one thing that came out of the pandemic was like this ability for people to kind of experiment and kind of start to launch things that they might not have previously. So with that, you know, for me, what's always been important is highlighting, you know, my culture, my heritage, making sure that the foods that, you know, our community have are, you know, full of high quality ingredients, very much like Regina was talking about.

8:03And so when I was thinking about the future of Tuyo, I was like, man, like this is hard. Like, even though there's a lot of companies that are starting and the entrepreneurial spirit is really high, it's super hard to be successful in food and beverage. There's a lot of capital needed. There's a lot of things like you don't know and you can't get trained on until you do it, you know? So I was like, if I'm going to really make this work, I need help. I've been doing it by myself with just, you know, some help and some consultants here and there. But really, if I want to make this grow and be a business that is going to fulfill my objective of really like elevating Latin culture through food and beverage, like I need to do it with someone.

8:47And so I had met Jocelyn through the Naturally Network Minority Owned Fellowship. And I was like, it was funny because I had like, I was following you on Instagram and stuff too. And I would like seeing the products, like it's, you know, it's so funny. And I was like, oh, that's cool. Like she's going to be in this fellowship. I'm going to get to like meet her. And you know, that just like was a really cool synergy. And then knowing Regina from Chicago, again, like super awesome. So when I was thinking, you know, again, that idea of like, what if we had this like bigger company that just, you know, put the resources together?

9:21I mean, that it's it was really kind of natural because alone with the limited, you know, funds and everything and resources, the statistics show that, you know, the opportunity to actually succeed and get something like off the ground in a meaningful way is so small. I think it's like one or two percent. Right. So it was just kind of a necessity, I think, at that point of really thinking outside the box of how I can make this successful.

9:50Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:I love that. And I think you're totally right. And we know from experience just how many companies come and go just because of so many headwinds that face small businesses as they're growing and totally see that opportunity to to work together. Haina, just like I mentioned that, you know, you two talked and you took a little bit you were thinking about like what it could mean to to merge. I know from our experience right you in the past business you had a business partner and then you're running this business on your own. What was going to go through your mind as you were thinking about this opportunity and do you want to bring on and work with other other partners in the in the business?

10:27Yes it was really last summer when I was about to fundraise and there was something that made me uncomfortable about that process and it went beyond asking for money it went beyond learning about the process which is new and different and scary and a lot of rejections. There was something else. And I started going deeper and I realized that I didn't want to continue doing it on my own. And I also realized that I need capital. You need more than capital to scale and grow a business. And capital was not going to be the solution to grow NEMI. And I started thinking, what's next? Should I be a co-founder for NEMI, a COO, a CEO?

11:01What's the next step for this to continue connecting with the consumer the way that they demand the product? and there was some alignment with the brand already with the consumer and how can I do this different and better. I also had the experience with Gifted Breads, working with Dati as co-founders and as partners. And it was amazing what the two of us could do in the business, you know, with not a lot of time. And I thought, what if I did this for this business as well? You know, with somebody that shares the mission, mind consumer, you know, even aligned personalities with the things that we like and we don't like.

11:33And that's when I thought I'm going to call Joss to see if she's still interested, if this is something that she's still thinking about. Because if I really want to do what I want to do with Nemi and continue serving the consumer in a bigger way, I don't want to continue doing it by myself. And I don't think I can continue doing it by myself without having a big trade-off of my mental health or relationships with myself and with the people around me. And that's when I called her. And it took me about a month to figure this out, having conversation with a lot of people and really thinking about how I wanted to do it and knowing that I could choose how I wanted to do it too.

12:12So I called Joss and when she told me about Steph, I was like, yes, yes. When can we talk? And we got into that. It was a Tuesday. We did a Zoom call and then we planned a retreat, an in-person retreat in Chicago. And it was three days, the three of us in a room. And we went through tough conversations and questions and And we did personality tests and we did like speed dating for co-founders. And I knew I really wanted to do this with them. And there was an alignment. But after that retreat, I had no doubt. And it was an amazing experience.

12:47Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:That sounds great. I'm so happy that you took this process slowly, step by step, to like really figure this out and had those deep dives. because finding alignment in both leadership style and vision and working is so important. And, you know, it can go wrong in so many ways if that's not aligned. I'm curious, was there anything, Jocelyn, as well, that you found really interesting or inspiring? Like once you talked to Gina and Stephanie and kind of did this deep dive, anything that like stood out in your mind? I mean, I think for me, it was to see that they're both very values oriented. So it's obviously we want to be successful business owners, but we both really care about family, taking care of ourselves, our health.

13:33So it just synergetically also aligned. Like we've been sharing not just like business related reads that we should all check out, but also like spiritual reads and just all this stuff. So to have that type of alignment to me is also really important because I, you know, I want to make sure that my values show up in all the places where I show up.

13:53Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:You know, as I was thinking about this news and why it really feels so special is because I almost never hear about this happening. I hear about maybe some smaller companies selling and then maybe advising, but they can kind of leave after a couple of months or maybe just selling the business completely. Or, you know, in some cases, companies have to shut down. And I realized I think one of the biggest barriers to founders coming together is really about ego, right? Especially if you're building a business together, you're like, this is mine and no one else can do it well. And then I'm going to feel like there's a weird need to make decisions.

14:33Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:And then also probably that feeling of being the person at the top who's making all the decisions and being used to that in your own business. and I think a lot of founders, based on where they are in their life, just aren't quite ready for coming together and really building out a co-founder relationship. I'm curious if, you know, what you thought about, like what made it special, depending on the life cycle of your business or just where you are in life, that made this feel like a good fit where you can think like, yes, what I built maybe alone and I think all three cases was great, but I'm actually ready for a partner.

15:07Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:I know Regina, you mentioned that a little bit. Stephanie, how did that come up for, for you as you were thinking about like actually coming together and working with two other partners? Yeah. You know, during the retreat, we basically said, what is the final like objective of this? Right. And it's really about we want to build this business. We want to do what's good for the business to get it to a point where, you know, eventually we want to exit it. And with that in mind, you know, we thought, well, in order to accomplish that, like there have to be like no egos. You know, there has to be just a communication, consistency, and ability to make decisions that are going to be for the good of the business, not because, you know, we want to do things like a certain way.

15:55So, you know, we had those conversations, as Regina mentioned, that really kind of level set what we're getting into. So now we have this understanding, we're all equal partners in this new combined venture. And our goal is to, you know, our goals is our goal. And we don't want to let anything get in the way of that. So we do have like a very good kind of community decision making process that we're establishing now before things get really crazy and a lot more complicated down the line.

16:32Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:You know, I'm kind of curious about that because I know you're still kind of figuring it now, but based on where you are now, how are you deciding how to make decisions together and what's your thinking behind that? Yeah, you know, well, part of the process was also asking like what we each like to do. And it just so happened that like, again, just kind of fate, I think, just brought us together. I really like the sales piece. And I'm, you know, that's kind of my background as well, like having worked at Whole Foods and working in sales for a few other companies. And then Jocelyn is great at PR and marketing and, you know, just has like really beautiful skill sets there and with design.

17:10And then with her background of having a law degree is really great with regulations and like operations. So we all kind of really settled into these positions like right off the bat. So it's really helpful because if you have, you know, these complementary skill sets, like we only kind of needed to fill in those things that we were missing. So we brought in like a fractional CFO who's been helping us get everything merged and pulled together, which is just something that none of us wanted to really attempt to do. So it really is super helpful. And I think, you know, my advice to anybody out there who's looking at this as a potential pathway for their business is that you want to keep that in consideration if the founders are complementary, because it seems like the businesses that really are successful, that's kind of where the founders find themselves.

18:03I think one we had and we still do very honest conversations and coming from three businesses where we had already been doing this in a way we already experienced what we like doing, what we don't, what we're good at, what we're not good at. It was because we also had a finance retreat as well, other than the personnel that we did for us to determine roles, responsibilities, what we were good at, what we wanted to do and what we didn't. And then we had the finance retreat because the three of us knew what we're going, where we're going is going to be bigger than where we're coming from. So what do we need for that?

18:33and how can we make this happen? And it was very easy. Like, for example, when we're thinking about the brand name and the companies, for Joss and myself, it was, I mean, I'll let go of Nemi because there is, you know, I know now from data from the consumer that nobody understands that name. There's a lot of education to do. So how can I, how can we make it easier for the consumer? And it was a very easy process for us to let go of the things that we knew were not working because it's more about the product. It's about the brand that the three of us are building. At the beginning, I remember when I first told our CFO we were doing this and he really wanted to meet with us.

19:08And we did like, again, a three day. It wasn't as fun as our first retreat. It was different. But it was a great experience. And at the end of the three day retreat, he said, I really like this. I really like what you have. There's really no egos between where you're coming from. And I think because the three of us independently are happy, confident people. We really care about our personal lives. We feel comfortable where we are, but we know how powerful the three of us can be together.

19:38Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:I love that. Jocelyn, you started the conversation with everyone. Tell me now, after these retreats and the time that you've had together, what's the new vision for Trio Foods as you see it now? Yeah, I mean, the new vision is really thinking about how do we take this collective brand into this better for you Latin American arena, right? Like really thinking about not just Hispanic consumers, but a more broad consumer and just continuing to use like all natural ingredients. So like we all agreed, like we want to be non-GMO. We don't want to use any artificial ingredients. We want to make sure anything that we put out moving forward is always going to be plant-based.

20:19So, you know, all of those like main points we're all in alignment with. And so now it's just really thinking about the next steps of growth. Like we all have really great key accounts. And so how do we try to figure out how to get the other two people's products into those key accounts and start to grow little by little? So starting to extend that footprint this year and doing it thoughtfully this year. And then thinking about which key accounts we want to maybe take on more of a national stage in the next years.

20:50Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:You're envisioning that the three brands will all remain or will all the products be rebranded as two-year foods? Yeah, so that's a great point. So it's all going to be rebranded under Tuyo Foods. So it'll be one unified brand. The way that you see Tuyo now in Stephanie's Agua Fresca products is going to look completely different, a completely different brand identity. And the reason that we wanted to remain with Tuyo is we talked about a lot of different names, Jordan. Like we were like, is it maíz this? Is it this? Like what's another Latin American term for da-da-da? And there were a lot of good options on the table, but we kept coming back to tuyo.

21:26It's a two-syllable word, the meaning behind it, this idea of tuyo, you and me, or tuyo, yours. Lo mio es tuyo, like what's mine is yours. And so there was a lot of sort of special opportunities for us to take that brand and elevate it to the next level. It just made sense also from a like sort of logical perspective. Stephanie's already set up in Kehi Unify. Like there's a lot of reasons why it also logistically made sense for us to choose that name because it would just make the process a lot smoother for us. So I'm really excited about the brand presence for people to start kind of putting their hands on these new products and and kind of seeing the storytelling behind it that we're bringing with the new brand.

22:10It looks really beautiful. We're actually working with a graphic designer who's done a lot of notable work from Blue Bottle to, you know, like so many kind of iconic brands like Banchan's Japanese barbecue sauce and so many others. We were able to connect with him and he was actually helping me pro bono as I was rebranding Todo Verde, just helping as an advisor. And then we brought him on to help with this project. And it's just looking so awesome.

22:36Tuyyo Foods Founding Team:That's really exciting. From an operational standpoint, kind of what actually changes when three brands become one under this new company that you're dealing with? I know you've talked about the different mergers, the different supply chains and all the finance stuff that you're kind of working with someone else to do, but kind of what all kind of has to come together? A lot of things change and a lot of things will continue changing. And we're still learning about all of that process because the three of us were coming in from working with different commands, different supply chains, from what Joss mentioned, different branding.