In the spring of 1997, Amy Salazar quietly opened the first La Paletera on Kostoryz Street in Corpus Christi, Texas. Few knew the hard road and huge obstacles it took for the young Mexican immigrant to first unlock the door to this childhood dream, but what they discovered when she did became a mammoth success. What began as an ambitious vision- making and selling authentic paletas and fruit cups to the Mexican-American community -has now evolved into a profitable franchising enterprise embraced by multiple ethnic and economic markets.

La Paletera’s “Paletas”
Famous for its "paletas" or popsicles made of mashed and cut fruit, La Paletera has almost three dozen flavors of these incredibly popular treats, including a number of sugar-free choices. Paletas, however, have strong competition among customers who have discovered the company's fruit cups, loaded with fresh-cut fruits and then flavored with a distinctive lime and chili powder. La Paletera has gained recognition and won numerous popularity and food awards in San Antonio, Houston, Corpus Christi and Victoria.

Eight Years and Growing
Amy Salazar's dream far exceeded anything she had ever imagined, and after six years, she realized that to continue to grow and prosper, the company needed to restructure its management. In 2002, she sold a majority ownership in the concept to a strong Texas Development group, which, as she had hoped, is now introducing the concept nationwide. This has allowed Amy to focus on La Paletera's products and quality, maintaining an important role in senior operations and ownership. Today, there are more than 20 La Paletera stores, along with one state of the art full-service commissary. New stores are under development in Austin, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, San Marcos, Odessa with existing units in Beeville, Houston, Corpus Christi, McAllen, Victoria and San Antonio. Negotiations are also underway with area developers for additional stores in Houston and Dallas and new ones in El Paso. Inquiries have been received from as far away as California and Florida.

A Unique Specialty Food Service Concept
As La Paletera moves into its eighth year of operations, the Company is confident it has created a specialty food service concept unique to today's franchise market. The menu, while simple and easy to manage, has received exceptional reviews by an overwhelming majority of guests and media. Original and flavorful products, coupled with a casual dining atmosphere, appeal to a broad audience of consumers, from youths and families to couples and the elderly. There is an ever-growing market for catering parties and for take-out. Studies are underway to create the packaging and means to take advantage of this demand.

La Paletera will undoubtedly continue to enjoy business success-now, and for years to come.