About the Company + Nemi Holisticks Founder
Regina grew up in Mexico and moved to Chicago 9 years ago. The first time she went to the grocery store, she saw nopal – the prickly pear paddle – one of her favorite Mexican foods. Growing up eating nopales almost daily, she was excited when she found them but was disappointed when she realized that these nopales had thorns and that would intimidate anyone from trying them.. Regina LOVES snacking on chips but when she went looking for a healthy alternative that would satisfy her craving for crunch and flavor she could not find anything. Tapping into her Mexican roots combined with her love for healthy food, she created Nemi Holisticks. Nemi Holisticks are plant-based, crunchy sticks made from nopales (cactus) and amaranth seeds in four Mexican-inspired flavors. Regina works directly with farmers, WOC, and uses real and sustainable ingredients. Nemi Holisticks are long and skinny, but full of taste and crunch!
Hi Regina! Thank you for being a part of this series. You are originally from Mexico where you worked as a human’s right lawyer and now live in Chicago. Are you still practicing law or are you working on Nemi Holisticks full time?
Thank YOU so much for sharing your space with me. It’s an honor. Yes, I grew up in Mexico City and moved to Chicago 9 years ago to go to school here. I thought about staying in Chicago as long as I found a job that kept me connected with Mexico. I did immigration law for a few years and then went back to human rights law 3 years ago. I still work full-time at a nonprofit where we do international human rights work in Latin America, the Middle East and Northern Africa, mostly around access to justice, gender equity, and mental health.
You saw a need in the market for a healthy chip and grew up eating nopal (a type of cactus). Tell me how you came up with the product and how long it took you to create!
Yes, I grew up eating nopales in Mexico. In Mexico you see nopales in every open market, grocery store, backyard – it’s a staple ingredient in Mexican homes. The first time I saw nopales in a U.S. grocery store, I was about to grab one when I noticed that it had thorns and looked intimidating. I was bummed because I thought no one would grab it unless they knew how to clean and cook it. Nopal is an amazing ingredient and I remember thinking if only I could show it differently!
I LOVE chips and had a hard time finding an alternative that still had that crunch and saltiness we look for in chips. The ones that I found either melted in my mouth or were healthy, but didn’t deliver on flavor. There wasn’t a nutrient-dense chip that was crunchy and flavorful. One thing that I love about Mexican food is the range of flavors and diversity. When I started thinking about creating my own chips, I knew that I wanted to use nopales and Mexican-inspired flavors. I started mixing dried chiles and spices, bringing some snacks from Mexico and testing everything in my kitchen. I started out with 6 flavors and did several focus groups. The process of finding the farmers, testing the formulas, branding, and importing took about 9 months.
Can you share a little bit about nopal and it’s health benefits?
Yes, nopal is a type of cactus that is native to Mexico. It’s the prickly pear paddle that you also see in Arizona, California and Texas. Nopales were discovered by the Aztecs and it became a staple crop and symbol of resilience in Mexico (it’s part of the Mexican flag). In Mexico, it’s known as the plant of life and it’s the most sustainable Mexican plant because it needs little water to survive, doesn’t need fertilizers, and thrives in hot and dry climates. Nopal is packed with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. In Mexico, we eat it for its health benefits and anti-inflammatory properties, but also use it topically for skincare and scrapes. I think it’s an acquired taste because nopales are slimy and some people find them bitter. This is also why I wanted to showcase nopal in a snackable and edible way.
It’s amazing how you partner with small farmers (including female farmers) in Mexico to source ingredients for your products. How did you find these farmers and can you share more about their sustainable farming practices?
When I did immigration law, I had the privilege of meeting farmers who left Mexico for the U.S. in search of better opportunities. The farmers complained about mistreatment and unfair farming practices. When I started thinking about making a Mexican-inspired product, I envisioned creating a business with 3 main principles: transparency (meaning fair farming and using real ingredients), sustainability (using sustainable ingredients and sustainable packaging), and inclusivity (working with WOC). In Mexico City, there’s a town near Xochimilco called Santiago de Tulyehualco and it’s known for its amaranth farmers. I visited the town and got to know some of them. One of them told me about Francisco, the nopales farmer. Francisco uses a special dehydration process using the sun to retain most of its nutritional content and his farm is certified organic.
Being an entrepreneur and starting a food product comes with challenges. What are some struggles you had to go through in order to be successful?
MANY. I don’t have a marketing or business background and the learning curve on those fronts has been challenging, but fascinating. Being an entrepreneur has been an experience that has given me the highest highs and the lowest lows and a burn in my stomach that I have not experienced anywhere else. I am very grateful for that. There are challenges almost every day. It’s a process that is always changing and the area for improvement and growth never ends. It’s important to recognize what you know, what you don’t know, and take it from there.
You have shared that you have rosacea and endometriosis, which sparked your interest in food and health. How is your product helping to allow people to live a healthier lifestyle?
Yes, I had rosacea for about 5 years and endometriosis for about 12. Endometriosis is tough as it takes years to get diagnosed because few OBGYNs know about it. In my case, I ended up being my best self-advocate. I was unable to find answers within the medical community for about 10 years until I had surgery in 2018. I started experimenting with food, meditation, workouts, oils, supplements, etc. I started reading labels, learning about ingredients, and connecting to my body. I quickly learned that there weren’t really nutrient-dense chips I could indulge on. Nemi Holsiticks is an allergen friendly product and I love when customers email me letting me know they felt good after eating the snacks, or they felt full and satisfied, or that they love the ingredients. I am trying to make something that is still delicious and crunchy, but with better ingredients and nutrition. I don’t like saying it’s a guilt free snack, because I don’t like feeling guilt around food. Food is meant to be enjoyed and our bodies will guide us through this process if we provide a space to listen. Hopefully Nemi Holisticks are helping customers live a healthier lifestyle.
Where are you currently selling your product?
I sell in some stores in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego and Mexico City. I also sell on my website, Amazon, Urban Outfitters (online) and other e-commerce sites.
What are some of your future plans and goals for the company?
Ay, so many! I’ve been talking to several customers and people in the industry gathering data for a packaging upgrade. My current packaging is recyclable, but still has labels on it. I want to get printed recyclable packaging and get rid of the labels and reduce that extra layer of waste. As for goals, Nemi Holisticks is the starting point and I want to keep sharing the amazing benefits of nopales and Mexican flavors through innovative and authentic products!
How have the recent events in 2020 (covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement) affected or influenced how you run your business?
In March, I had to change my marketing and sales strategy and focus more on e-commerce. We had some issues with production since most of the staff at the manufacturing facility are single mothers and they were at home looking after their children after schools closed and the production facility reduced its hours so they could properly sanitize. We were able to organize production differently for April and May to keep up with demand, but I ran out of stock in April.
The third value in Nemi Holisticks is inclusivity, which means working with WOC. The Black Lives Matter movement reinforced this value and reaffirmed that there is still so much work to do. I partner with womxn and when looking for suppliers/partners I always ask them questions that touch on diversity, inclusivity, and equal pay as that is part of my due diligence. In June, we donated part of our profits to NAACP and then decided to continue doing this in a sustainable way. I am currently looking for a non-profit focused on food equity and plan on making a monthly donation to them. The Black Lives Matter movement made me reassess areas for improvement and the kind of business that I want it to be. I haven’t hired any staff yet, but I think about the values I want the company to have as we grow, such as hiring practices that ensure a diverse team, an annual impact report to hold Nemi accountable, social justice and anti-racism book clubs, and continuing to elevate voices of WOC.
What advice would you give to women interested in breaking into the CPG (consumer packaged goods) industry?
DO IT! We need more womxn in this industry and to improve numbers. Only 2.8% of venture capital funds in the U.S. go to womxn, and from that, only 0.4% goes to latinxs and 0.2% to black womxn. It takes a lot of work, time, laughs and tears, but join us! Please send me a DM and I’m happy to help however I can.
Can you share some of your favorite self care routines?
Because of my endometriosis, I’ve learned to listen to the cues my body gives me when I’m feeling stressed or how to prepare, as much as possible, for a busy or stressful situation. I cut out sugar if I’m dealing with stress. I drink water and herbal tea during the day, meditate for about 20 minutes, and journal. I workout about 4 times per week (not a fan of cardio or high intensity workouts, but do strength training, pelvic floor exercises, yoga, or barre). I try to make/cook most of my meals and set “breather reminders” on my phone. I try my best to create peaceful and happy moments.
What is on your personal bucket list for 2020 and beyond?
Go back to Mexico as soon as it’s safe, learn how to make tortillas (still can’t get them right!), and learn how to do a headstand (I’m SO scared of this!).
What are some items you must have stocked in your kitchen at all times?
Nopales (I usually make nopales salad with diced cooked nopales, chopped onion, cilantro, tomatoes, salt, pepper, lime and olive oil), almond milk, eggs, tostadas and tortillas, limes, jamaica (hibiscus flowers for tea), oats, dried chiles, and hot sauce. My husband has a great green thumb and builds an amazing garden every year where we get most of our produce during the summer. This is the third year we planted watermelons and hopefully we’ll harvest it at the right time!
