Today we’d like to introduce you to Yojana and Kendra Rodriguez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
On a random day, little but yet taller sister Yojana, called shorter but yet older sister Kendra, and said “I have this idea, you know how so many cuban-americans have moved away from South Florida and consistently miss their pastelito and/croqueta fix?” Keke, replies Yea?! Yoyo: Well? What do you think if we fix that by starting a company that ships pastelitos and croquetas to those outside of South Florida who really want one? Keke, without hesitation replies “LETS DO IT! And three months later, that is exactly what we are doing! And loving every moment of it.
In our short three-month journey, we have learned a lot. Specifically about the shipping process, about learning how to keep prices competitive, and ensuring those that order receive their Cuban treats in a timely manner. Do you know how hard it is to figure out how to ship croqueta caseras?! lol WE DO! But thankfully, we had some great clients at the beginning who were genuinely honest with their feedback/consejos, and we grew and we learned, and basically, we are “cojiendolo paso a paso, un pie delante de el otro”… one step at a time in other words!
2sistersunacuba name comes directly from our own personal relationships with Cuba. We have two different experiences of Cuba, with KeKe growing up on the island and YoYo growing up in South Florida. And while our experiences and relationship with Cuba look completely different, our love for one another and our cafecito is helping us as we continue growing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our biggest challenge has been the shipping. We are cognitive of the fact that we really want our customers to not only be so EMOCIONADOS (excited) to receive their pastelitos, croquetas caseras and other Cuban goodies. But when they receive their order, we are looking for the O MAN! Tengo que hacer otra orden reaction! lol In other words, we want our customers to keep coming back. That means when we turn our order over to the shipping company, we are entrusting them with our babies, our smell good and taste really great babies.
Luckily, we are quick learners, and have at this point, shipped from one side of the United States to the other! And our furthest client has ordered twice! I would not say we are pros… pero “ya tu sabes, el que no oye consejo no llega a viejo” and we want 2sistersunacuba to continue to grow.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about 2SistersUnaCuba?
2sistersunaCuba is the product of two sisters who share a love for all things Cuban Food. By recognizing that enough people who wanted a Cuban escape reside outside of South Florida. Y de verdad! Really wanted someone to send them a “cuban care package.” Essentially, we became that friend/vecina/sister “que te manda tus pastelitos y croquetas caseras favoritas” from South Florida to wherever you are in the U.S.A.
We are most proud of the relationship and friendships we are developing with our customers! We understand how important it is to a get “a bit of home” delivered directly to you! It is not only about the pastelito and cafecito. Most of the time it is the nostalgia, the memory of sitting across from your loved ones and breaking out el pan cubano y reirnos hasta que te duela la cara. Knowing that in the moment when you needed the most comfort, a friend or loved one sat down with you and shared frijoles negros, con arroz blanco, tu bistec favorito y tostones. At the end of the meal, brindando/cheering to the moment shared together.
That is who we are! Who we want our clientele to know us to be, sharing a cafecito with you even if it is from afar is our goal.
Any big plans?
We are so young in this process, we want to consistently engage and grow our clientele. To really build a community of clientele, and to find happy and tasty ways to share our culture and our love for what nuestra isla means to us. We want our food to evoke the emotion of being that young child walking into the bakery con tu Abuelos, and remember pressing yourself up against the showcase glass to pick out the perfect pastelito de queso. Or remember what it was like to dust off the pastelito crumbs and chuparse los dedos “to make sure no guava is left behind.”
Our menu items will continuously grow because our clientele asks for products that bring their childhood or even their grandparent’s juventud back, even if it is just for that cafecito break. We are so excited to continue this process because at the end of the day, we know “Que lo que esta para ti, nadie te lo quita.”
Pricing:
- 12 Dozen Pastelitos of Any Kind – $45.00
- Croquetas Caseras of Jamon or Pollo – $62.00
- Dinner Box to Create a Cuban Meal- $30.00
- Coffee (Cafecito) Box – $21.00
- Cuban Snack Box – $20.00
Contact Info:
- Email: 2SistersUnaCuba@gmail.com
- Website: forms.gle/gYNpYY8naaWPLG1x7
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2sistersunacuba/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/2SistersUnaCuba/posts/
- Other: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeCbo46p/
Image Credits
Yojana and Kendra Rodriguez
