Today we’d like to introduce you to Greg Garcia.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
We make a high protein ice cream, on a stick, that’s designed as an after-workout recovery snack. I was hit with this concept after a workout at my gym, Crossfit Heat in Dallas. I was hot, sweaty, and exhausted, and I wanted something cold and delicious, that wouldn’t wreck my diet. Like ice cream. That’s when it hit me, to create an ice cream bar that was high in protein and delicious in taste, as an alternative to the ole standby shaker cup of protein powder.
I went home and mixed up a few recipes in my kitchen, along with my oldest son, Noah, who was a big help in recipe development. Once I got the macros (macronutrients) where I wanted them, my metric was whether my kids would eat them or not. And when it got to where they said, “Hey Dad, this is pretty good, can I have another?,” I knew we were on to something, and after some discussion, my wife Jenn and I decided to give it a go. It’s an excellent product, and solves the problem of getting nutrients, specifically protein, into your body at the time when it is primed for it in a fun and delicious way. We balance happy and healthy in an ice cream bar, that you can and should feel good about eating.
I’m not a businessman by training, and my relationship with food was mostly as a consumer. Figuring out how to bring a concept from my kitchen to reality was, and is still, a winding journey, especially while still working a full-time job. Everyone in my family has pitched in, from Jenn running the finances, photography, and keeping me focused, my son Caiden developing our logo and website, and Owen and Elise being taste testers and models. After finding another family-owned business that would handle production, I brought the idea to my gym and began selling them there. I started going to events and competitions, meeting new people and pitching my idea to them.
The first event that we signed up for was a fitness competition, The Festivus Games, at Crossfit AF in Terrell. We were nervous and excited leading up to this. And then, that day, it was rainy and cold – the temperature hovered around 40 degrees. So, wet and frigid – and it is hard to sell ice cream when you and everyone else is shivering! We stuck it out though and managed to make some new friends who validated our idea, in spite of the dreary weather. Afterward, we began to go and visit more and different gyms and competitions and eventually got to where we are today. Currently, we have twenty-three gyms and nutritional shops in the Dallas- Fort Worth area who carry our Proleta ice creams, and we are always working hard to get more partners. This is a young business, and we have lots of learning and growing still.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s been a journey, fraught with peril and pitfall! Seriously, it has been a bunch of learning and figuring out the necessary processes to make this happen. It is a fun journey and has forced me outside of my element. There are lots of problems to solve by bringing a product and business from an idea to existence. Mostly, the problem of getting the word out to other gyms about this product and how it benefits their clients and their business, as well as how to ship ice cream!
Protein Paletas – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Protein Paletas is a small family owned business, that creates and sells high protein ice cream on a stick, called Proletas (PROtein – paLETAS). A paleta is an ice cream on a stick that originated in Mexico; in fact, the literal translation is “little stick.” As a nod to my heritage, and in the spirit of fitness, we came up with our name. We work with gyms to carry our Proletas and make them available to their clients, and we also sell them to individuals.
Our Proletas taste great and are made with a high protein count. Protein is important to help rebuild and replenish muscle that is broken down during strenuous exercise, and the body is primed for nutrient uptake after a good workout session. The Proleta is perfect for that – you are hot, and the ice cream is cold. It is full of protein, and your body needs that.
It makes us proud as a company when we see people enjoying our products! It is an honor to be alive, and each day we must honor our bodies so they can support us in our journey through this life. It is an honor to make a product that helps other do just that, in a fun and healthy way.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is achieving goals. I personally have huge goals for my company and for myself, and in order to do so, I have many steps that have to be done in order to achieve those goals. For example, I envision this company as a national brand, being able to serve people throughout the country, and be able to help them with their fitness goals. I know that this path is long, and that destination is far away, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step. And another one, and many more after that. In order to do so, we will have to grow, and expand, and make many new friends, but we are excited about it!
Our next few goals to achieve include getting more partners in the DFW area, and beginning to move outside the immediate metroplex area. We would also like to get into concession stands for youth sports; those guys, especially during tournaments, are playing multiple games a day, and need a healthy alternative to the standard nachos and hot dog concession stand fare. Those young athletes work hard, train hard, and play hard. Let’s give them a chance for their bodies to heal and replenish with quality nutrients.
Pricing:
- $4.00 retail price per Proleta bar
Contact Info:
- Address: P.O. 141
Terrell, TX 75160 - Website: www.proletas.com
- Phone: 469-608-0067
- Email: info@proteinpaletas.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/proteinpaletas
- Facebook: facebook.com/proteinpaletas
- Twitter: twitter.com/proteinpaletas
Image Credit:
Jenn Garcia
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