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Barranquitas.— After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey, Dorianyeli Vázquez Berríos started working in a laboratory and had plans to continue her studies. However, she soon realized that the laboratory was not the right place for her.

“I enjoyed the job, but the atmosphere wasn’t right... and then, I wondered, ‘what should I do?’ That’s when I chose to take a step back because I wasn’t sure what truly fueled my passion,” shared the young woman, who had previously been hesitant to fully explore the entrepreneurial streak passed down from her parents.

But during her search, an opportunity emerged to introduce the family’s exclusive sofrito recipe to the market, previously only available in her parents’ small store. Encouraged by her parents, she decided to take the plunge.

“I told them (her parents): ‘Alright, I’m going for it, but we’re going to elevate it to the next level. No more unlabeled sofrito... I want to see it on supermarket shelves’,” shared the present-day CEO of the La Montaña brand, which, just as she envisioned, is now stocked in Selectos, Agranel, and Econo supermarkets.

“It’s been a challenging process because it’s a highly competitive field, but our sofrito always stands out for its quality and craftsmanship, without preservatives, colorants, or dehydrated products. We use all raw materials, sourced 100% locally. We use culantro, onion, cilantro, bell pepper, and garlic, giving local farmers the opportunity to sell their harvests,” specified Vázquez.

The company, located in Barrio Barrancas, started in 2017 with four individuals (Vázquez along with her husband and parents), and currently employs 10 workers from the central region of the island. The owner hopes to continue expanding the team, particularly in the Barranquitas area, as her business grows.

In addition to working at the La Montaña plant, where 30,000 to 40,000 ounces of sofrito are produced daily, the businesswoman also serves as the president of Procesadora La Esperanza, Inc., which is owned by her parents. This company specializes in processing meat cuts, which supply nursing homes and Head Start programs.

Confident that she made the right decision, Vázquez is now contemplating pursuing a Master’s degree in Business Administration to formalize her expertise in the industry. In the meantime, she is focused on continuing to promote La Montaña sofrito both on the island and in the United States, where she has begun exporting products through the website lamontanapr.com. “We are delivering the authentic Puerto Rican flavor to families in the diaspora,” she affirmed.