by Daniel Caballero, Sofrito Foods

Daniel Caballero co-founded Sofrito Foods in 2015. The company’s delicious, shelf-stable bean preparations — made from traditional Latin American recipes — almost immediately made the company an apt candidate for FamilyFarmed‘s Good Food Accelerator.

For six months beginning in November 2016, Sofrito was in the third cohort of competitively selected entrepreneurs. Participating in this intensive development program provides early-stage businesses with a curriculum, industry-leading mentors, networking opportunities and access to investors.

The lessons Caballero learned and connections he made helped Sofrito build a growing market for its products. He also segued from being an Accelerator Fellow to helping other entrepreneurs as an Accelerator Mentor.

The Accelerator is recruiting its fifth cohort and is accepting applications through Thursday (Sept. 13). If you have a promising early-stage Good Food business and are still deciding whether to apply, we hope Daniel’s essay about the program benefits will get you to yes. For more information and to apply, please visit the Accelerator website.

My brother and I applied to the Good Food Accelerator in 2016 with a vision for shaking up what seemed to us a pretty sluggish bean category. We are Cuban-Panamanian Americans, and we turned to a staple of our childhood: beans seasoned with sofrito. To do it right, we knew the sofrito had to be made only with fresh vegetables, herbs and spices sautéed in olive oil—an authentic method that extracts bold flavor and serious nutrition.

We were very confident when we began the Accelerator program that we had a great product, but needed expert guidance on how to best package, present and market it. Lapiz, a marketing and advertising division of Leo Burnett, was our mentor, and right out of the gate, they helped us to zero in on who we were as a brand.

Soon, our bean recipes from the Caribbean, Central America and South America were branded as FILLO’S Beans and Sofrito and packaged in shelf-stable pouches. And thanks to relationships we developed through the Accelerator, we were able to launch at Whole Foods Market stores in the Midwest region.

Daniel Caballero, co-founder of Sofrito Foods, chatted with Mark Thomann of Spiral Sun Ventures at the company’s exhibit at FamilyFarmed’s Good Food EXPO in March 2018. Photo: Bob Benenson/FamilyFarmed

Eighteen months later — with rapid national growth through KeHE and UNFI, leading distributors of natural and organic products — we are the first name in premium sofrito beans. And our beautifully redesigned pouches stand out to consumers roaming market aisles or viewing our sales page on Amazon.

And while that’s an achievement worth sharing, we remain restless in our exploration of ingredients and techniques traditional to the Americas. The truth is, we’re just getting started.

FILLO’S Beans and Sofrito are produced by Sofrito Foods, a company that graduated in 2017 from FamilyFarmed’s Good Food Accelerator program. Photo provided by Sofrito Foods.

FILLO’S beans and sofrito are NON-GMO Project Verified, made with fresh vegetables, microwavable in one minute, vegan certified, and contain 10-16 grams of plant protein.

It all began with our Cuban Black Beans.  These are the beans we grew up with — an authentic preparation that balances cumin, garlic and green bell pepper.

Our Panamanian Garbanzos are seasoned with a red sofrito of tomato and red bell pepper; they have a slightly sweeter profile and an unmatched tenderness.

Our Mexican Mayocobas are seasoned with ancho and epazote, lending a piquant richness to these traditional creamy white beans that makes them great next to tacos.

Our Peruvian Lentils are also seasoned with red sofrito, but with a notable cilantro kick that sets them apart. Try these over rice with a squeeze of lime.

Our Puerto Rican Pink Beans are a faithful homage to the ubiquitous cilantro-laced sofrito beans found all over the island. They have terrific color and aroma.

Fresh jalapeño and chili powder give our Tex-Mex Pintos a little heat and a whole lot of complexity. These are a must for your next backyard barbecue.

Americas Made™ is our trademarked motto. Our team has an international background, but our individual stories have a common element: the Americas. The same applies to the food we make, which might have origins elsewhere, but exposed to the Americas, has become something more interesting.

Most graduates of FamilyFarmed’s Good Food Accelerator stay in touch with the program and the other entrepreneurs who have participated. Daniel Caballero, a 2017 alum, has gone further, acting as a mentor to other GFA businesses. Here he participated in a panel at the GFA’s Application Celebration in September 2017. Photo: Bob Benenson/FamilyFarmed

In the spirit of exploration, we carefully source ingredients and develop production techniques that respect tradition. And we do it with today’s busy, health-conscious shopper in mind.

Join our exploration. We promise to never lose our way.

Inspired by Daniel’s story to apply for the next Accelerator cohort? Don’t delay! The deadline is next Thursday (Sept. 13).