Today we’d like to introduce you to Seena Chriti.
Seena, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Seena and I’m the owner of Paktli Foods. Paktli means Joy in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. I wanted to recreate and honor the legendary snack that dates from the 16th century called Alegrias that also means Joy in Spanish. I have always dreamed of owning my own artisanal food manufacturing company. I grew up in Mexico eating Alegrias, a street snack made with puffed amaranth and honey or chocolate, it was my favorite snack.
In the last 15 years, I have been wanting to recreate this precious childhood snack but it’s only until now that I was ready and found the right conditions (in the middle of the Pandemic with my children at home!) and a wonderful commercial kitchen the Findlay Kitchen to help me achieve my goals and dreams of creating my own meaningful Mexican snack business.
Paktli is my own version of the ancient Mexican Alegrias, I use puffed amaranth, plus puffed quinoa and Millet, highly nutritious ancient grains, and I mix them with high-quality organic chocolates and dried fruits and nuts. The colorful packaging is inspired by the looms and fabrics from Oaxaca an incredibly magical and colorful state in Mexico.
They are all made with organic ingredients, they are gluten-free, the dark chocolate ones are vegan, and they are all natural with no preservatives or additives.
The four flavors are: white chocolate, milk chocolate, 55% bittersweet chocolate with dried blueberries and cacao nibs and 70% extra dark chocolate with dried cranberries and cashew.
We started producing out of the Findlay Kitchen in October 2020 and thanks to their constant support and knowledge I have been able to grow my business very steadily. The Findlay kitchen and Findlay Market are very supportive institutions that are always promoting us and inviting us to festivals and projects. Being part of the Findlay community has been a true blessing.
By January 2021 I started offering My PAKTLI to local independent coffee shops and small markets, By October I was already in 40+ stores and now I am becoming this beloved local brand that the coffee shops feel they need to carry and support.
During the market season (May through October plus holiday shows) we started selling in farmers markets and craft shows, we do between 4 to 7 markets a week. Between the markets and the local retail shops that carry us, we are creating impressive brand awareness. Everywhere I sell the clients tell me that they saw us somewhere. One of the most rewarding and satisfying aspects of my business is the repeat sales I get at the markets, By the end of the season, most of my business is repeated apart from the clients that I continue to grow every day.
The production process has evolved in many shapes and forms throughout this year, I started testing in my house kitchen and went to producing at the Findlay kitchen. When we look back, at the beginning we were making huge mistakes and had very impractical methods, and now with more time and trial and error, we have evolved our handmade process to be able to create 1300 pieces in one day between 3 to 4 people.
I am very thankful that I was able to channel my energy into this flourishing professional endeavor that is reminiscent of my favorite childhood snack, that honors my beloved Mexico and that is so gratifying and full of joy…thank you PAKTLI for bringing me this JOY.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I guess there are always challenges in any business. In this case, I have been spending about 10 hours a week sticking my labels into my bags making it very impractical and inefficient. My next step is printing my bags. My biggest challenge is learning how to be a businesswoman and learning what are the strategies that will help me. I’m a good salesperson and I thrive in the farmers market when I’m directly in front of the consumer, but I need to get advice on how to grow strategically and orderly with structure.
I have learned so much along the way and I have reached incredible success, so I’m very proud of that but it’s always good to get help, to be humble and accept advice.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am from Mexico City; I studied a 5-year degree in Gastronomy (culinary arts) in a multidisciplinary liberal arts college where one of the focuses was the relationship of food and culture. We studied things like Food and how it relates to literature, philosophy, art, sociology, psychology, etc. and since then I am always searching for the meaning and symbolism of food everywhere. During that time, I developed the love of food and media because I wanted to make food known and remembered. After college, I won a scholarship to go to Monaco with the Turquois Foundation to study French and hotel management and travel for a whole year.
Throughout my work life, I have always searched for Food and media projects, I have been involved in visual media such as TV, producing food and culture segments in Spanish and in English. I was editor, translator and food writer of a bilingual Latin newspaper called La voz Latina.
While researching and developing content for my work, I have always highlighted the historical and symbolic value of food so that it is never taken for granted since it is considered one of the most important aspects of human life. Food is the only element of culture that enters our body and becomes part of us. Food is history, creativity, expression…food is the quintessential voice of a culture.
To see my videos and articles go to www.foodwonderstv.com or “food wonders TV” on youtube.
Alongside this love for food and media, I have always dreamed of owning my own artisanal food manufacturing company and that’s how Paktli came about.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I have been wanting to have my own artisanal food business for 15 years, and perhaps I was ready emotionally to finally do it, but I am certain that the pandemic detonated and accelerated my process. Starting a business like this kind in Cincinnati is a true blessing and I consider myself a lucky person for being here. I think Cincinnati is a perfect place for local support, everyone loves that I am a local brand, and they are very supportive of my concept. They all love and are curious about the meaning of the word and of its origins. All of my small business colleagues say that Cincinnati is a great place for us. I feel embraced by this city, and it has seen us grow and thrive…
So, I can say that luckily, I was in Cincinnati where PAKTLI was born.
Pricing:
- $3
Contact Info:
- Email: paktlifoods@gmail.com
- Website: www.paktlifoods.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/paktlifoods/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/paktlifoods/
Image Credits
Julian Myles
Jack Chadbourne
