| Meet Mexico’s first chili-ionaire. My new feature on the founder and CEO of Tajín, Horacio Fernández, is a classic Forbes success story. Fernández has rarely given interviews in the four decades he has run the iconic chili spice brand, so when I heard he was willing to share the secrets to his success with me, I hopped on a plane to Jalisco. My story explores how Fernández has rebuffed investors and acquisition offers in order to retain control of his spice blend business. It also looks at how that control has allowed him to invest beyond his beloved brand into a number of different avenues, including seed cultivating and chili processing. I toured the grounds where he raises and sells specialty chili peppers with the largest research operation of its kind worldwide. It can produce 9 million seedlings annually. Meanwhile, Fernández’s Capsicum Sabores De Mexico is the largest processor of chilis in Mexico and among the largest in the world. It insures Tajín’s supply, while also selling to conglomerates like publicly traded PepsiCo and Grupo Bimbo. As one of the world’s most successful food entrepreneurs, Fernández is helping to preserve some of Mexico's key cultural foodways. Fernández has built quite the business. And he’s all-in on America, despite looming tariffs. Enjoy the read, and I hope you have a spicy weekend! |
