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FOCUS
MEMBER PROFILE
Olympus Fare: Rising to
the Top of the Salsa Mountain
By Bona Van Dis
Stacy and Dan Pillera, founders of Olympus Fare, have every right to shout from the mountaintops about their salsa. They’ve secured numerous awards from prestigious, national fiery food shows and work tirelessly to supply Kroger and other local stores with their brand. But it’s really the core of their
story that exhibits how significant the rise to the top of that mountain really is.
I couldn’t find fresh salsa that was low in sodium without added sugar. Our salsas are made with simple ingredients. No added sugars and it’s one of the lowest in sodium, using only sea salt.
Focus: How do you feel economic downturns or hard times can be an impetus to start a business?
Pillera: We had no intentions of ever starting our own salsa business. The economic downturn was the proverbial pushing off the ledge for us. Our life was upended with the loss of Dan’s job and loss of income. And fear set in. We went into fight or flight mode. We chose to fight, and still fight every day for the privilege of small business ownership.
Focus: We normally don’t associate salsa with Greek cuisine. Tell us why you landed on your name and tagline.
Pillera: After we decided to start a company, I asked Dan, “What are we going to name it?” That night we watched Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters with our three boys, and later that night he stayed up and watched Clash of the Titans. With mythology on his mind he came up with “Olympus” and the idea to use the Greek gods as inspiration for each flavor. It also inspired our slogan, “Inspired by the gods and enjoyed by the mortals.”
Focus: Olympus Fare is growing by leaps and bounds. How are you handling this rapid growth?
Pillera: What we’ve accomplished in such a short period of time is not normal for perishable, all natural, preservative-free foods. Olympus Fare is positioned as a brand for accelerated growth. However, as
Olympus Fare was born straight out of economic hardship and entrepreneurial spirit. Dan went through multiple layoffs during the recession and struggled to find his way. Salsa was always there, in the background; friends and family were constantly raving about Dan’s recipes.
So when Stacy, having entrepreneurial attributes from a young age, told him to take his salsa to market, he decided he had nothing to lose. Olympus Fare is 100 percent self-funded – because banks weren’t loaning money at the time, the Pillera’s used their
401K to get things up and running. And the rest is recorded salsa history.
Focus asked Stacy how she and Dan balance work and home life, why SBAM is important to them and how staying positive and “keeping your head down” can help other small businesses manage growth:
Focus: The first question, of course— why salsa?
Pillera: Dan has always made amazing salsa, and we thought other people would love it too. But not only that—when shopping
20 January/February 2017