Today we’d like to introduce you to Tawnya McKenney.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Tawnya. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My story started while my boyfriend and I were living in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and we took a three month trip to South East Asia. We have a passion for traveling, mingling with the locals and of course trying all of the local cuisine. We loved going to street markets and trying all the unique and delicious food they had to offer. Throughout the markets in Thailand, we saw a yummy pastry type of dessert that was on a stick. We have found that anything served on a stick is delicious and is definitely worth trying.
They were mouth-watering. They tasted sweet like a doughnut but with pancake-like texture and dusted with powdered sugar. We were pretty impressed by these little treats and to be honest, the machine too! So we put our entrepreneurial minds and hungry bellies to work and started thinking how we were going to get those machines all the way back across the Pacific Ocean to Mexico. And also, how we can put our multi-cultural flare on them to make them different and to taste that much better. So we decided to stuff them! I have a sweet tooth, and my boyfriend loves savory and spice, so we created both! It took almost a year and at least a million tastes to master the current Wafflerita.
I found a food cart manufacturer in Mexico City and had the Wafflerita Cart designed specifically for my needs. It is small, easy to move and has just enough room for me inside. We went through the crazy legal process to get a foreigner ( I am from the US) able to own and operate a business in Mexico. After many meetings and signatures, I was up and running as a waffle food cart. I started in a food truck lot in downtown Cancun. I had a cute little space with four tables and chairs and a beautiful tree that I hung colorful lights from.
I had one employee and during the day, we would move the cart for private events like birthdays and at night, we would be back at our normal location to feed all of our regulars. We had a very successful three years operating in Mexico but my boyfriend and I decided to move back to the United States. I wasn’t ready to give up my “baby” so we decided to have the cart shipped from Cancun to Miami and then moved by truck from Miami to Denver, Colorado. We are now happily living in Denver and Wafflerita is operating full time as a catering company that specializes in corporate and private events.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been the smoothest road, I have faced many challenges with introducing a brand new concept to two different markets, nobody knew what a stuffed waffle on a stick was. So I had to show them. I had to restructure the traditional concept of a waffle because many people associate waffles for a breakfast food only, so I introduced the Pizza Waffle, which is a waffle stuffed with pepperoni, mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce.
I have also had to adjust my ingredients based on the demographics of the people I am serving. For example, while operating in Mexico, I tailored my waffles to the local palette, which meant adding some spice. While here in the US not many people were a fan of the spice, but I got a lot of requests for bacon. So now, I have bacon on my menu. It’s constant research and development to tailor the perfect waffle to my clients.
Wafflerita – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Wafflerita is a brand new concept that serves stuffed waffles. We stuff our waffle creations with sweet or savory ingredients. All of our waffles are made to order so guests can customize their waffles based on their preferences. We are known for our “wafflerita” which is a stuffed waffle on a stick however we also offer Belgian sized stuffed waffles too. I am most proud that we have been profitable and successful in two different countries over the last five years and that we have set a new standard for the traditional waffle.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is a peace of mind. It is setting attainable goals that push you outside of your comfort zone and force you to be the best version of yourself. My criteria is writing down my goals daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. Every New Year I create a vision board, one for my personal life and one for my business. As long as I am actively working towards my goal, I know I am successful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wafflerita.com
- Phone: 720-297-9972
- Email: wafflerita@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wafflerita/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wafflerita
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wafflerita
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wafflerita-walking-waffles-denver-2?osq=wafflerita
Image Credit:
Katie Truong Photography
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