My Story                         

As you might guess, the most common question I hear is, “How did you come up with the name?” The name is how the story begins. I wish I could take credit for being so creative. 'White Girl Salsa' came from my close Hispanic friends. They couldn’t believe this white girl could make such good salsa so they lovingly dubbed it ‘White Girl Salsa.’ We all got a laugh out of it, not realizing at the time that the name would stick and someday I would make a business out of it!

For fifteen years I took my salsa to parties and the salsa would never make it to the end of the party no matter how much I would prepare. (I even filled a bathtub once… ok, that’s a tall tale.) People always devoured it and said it was the best salsa they ever tasted and that I should sell it. I never thought I would. A little over three years ago, I was ready for a professional change (read looking for something fun and interesting to do with my life) and this record of “you should sell this” kept playing in my head so I decided to give it a go. I launched at farmer’s markets and to my amazement sold 5000 jars of salsa in the first four months! People were really excited about the name, the branding and amazing salsa to boot!

Why Green?

My salsas are tomatillo based which makes them “green” salsas. I’ve had many people over the years tell me they don’t like green salsa but I was able to successfully convert them! So, we are basically turning other salsas green with envy! Tomatillos themselves are not incredibly flavorful so many green salsas lack flavor. Here’s my take on the tomatillo base: tomatillos are less acidic and therefore sweeter than tomatoes; tomatillos are the perfect vehicle to showcase the yumminess of all the other flavorful ingredients such as cilantro, garlic, and onion. Another major difference in the green salsa world is that most contain vinegar, which is a turn-off for many people, including myself. I decided to use lime juice in my recipes for the pizzazz and it makes a huge difference. The result of my green salsa recipe: it tastes like fresh salsa even though it comes from a jar - pretty nifty!

Here is a run-down of the five White Girl Salsa unique varieties:

Hot Tomatillo: Spicy and sassy, this mix of tomatillo, chiles, cilantro and onion is hot to trot! Hot is perfect for dipping and is known for giving any recipe a kick in the pants. Mix into homemade Macaroni & Cheese, oh yeah…

Medium Tomatillo:  A perfect middle-of-the-road mix of tomatillo flavor and spice! Medium boasts the ideal zesty kick. For the spicy snacker, this is your go-to gal. Try mixing into cornbread! Outta this world…

Mild Tomatillo:  Mild-mannered? Perhaps, but the blend of tomatillo, cilantro, and onion is the life of the party! Choose your dipping device…Mild is ready for anything. Did someone say Chicken Enchilada Casserole? Oh, yes please!

Cranberry-Mango:  Sweet meets saucy in a salsa that brings cranberries and mango to the cilantro-onion-tomatillo mix!  From cream cheese and crackers to good old-fashioned tortilla chips, Cranberry-Mango is the sweetie that turns mere snacking into an event. Favorite way to eat this one: mix with cream cheese and serve on fish tacos. Uh-huh!

Smokey Chipotle:  Savory, zesty, spicy… this unique combination of chipotle and tomatillos is a fantastic find for any foodie! Smokey Chipotle will add zip to any dip or grilled favorites. Use this as a salad dressing or git yerself some BBQ ribs and slather all over.

 Visit our website for more amazing recipes!

A tad more info:

• All Natural – only the finest ingredients

• Gluten Free – some vinegars contain gluten; we have no vinegar

• Dairy Free – I know, I know, most salsas are but I’ve seen dairy products in some salsa dips

• Vegan – see above

• NonGMO – if you don’t know what this is, you should. Trust me. Google it.

• Eco Friendly – if we don’t take care of the earth, no one will. We are 100% wind powered, our case boxes are made from recycled materials, and our shipping peanuts are biodegradable

A Bit More History

I started my business in 2009 at farmers' markets. Now, my salsas are in nearly 300 grocery stores in 12 states, including Whole Foods Markets, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage and most recently, King Soopers (Kroger). I've got some amazing momentum going and am on my way to breaking even but I need help to get there.

Along the way, I have been fortunate to have media coverage/awards from various outlets. Real Simple named my Hot salsa one of the best store-bought salsas, my products were featured as a "kitchen helper" in Cooking with Paula Dean Magazine, I won the Naturally Boulder Pitch Slam in 2010 and was just included in 5280 Magazine's Food Lover's Guide to Denver edition.

The Campaign                  

First off – thank you SO much for taking a peek at my Indiegogo Campaign. My hope, wish and dream is that this project will fund and that you, yes you, will help take my business to the next level! This industry is very much about volume and I need more of it to break even. In March 2012 my products were sold in 50 grocery stores. Growth has exploded and now 300 grocery stores carry White Girl Salsa. Since we are new to so many stores we need to market to those shoppers to increase sales in the stores we are already in, as well as increase new stores. The goal of the increased sales is to generate money to grow to the point where I can break even. This is where you come in!

With food products, if you think about it, there is a two-part selling process. First, I have to sell to the grocery buyer and convince them to put it on the shelf. Once that is accomplished, marketing the products to shoppers so they will take it off the shelf is key. The marketing is a crucial step because if it doesn’t move off the shelf then the retailer will discontinue it and the money spent to sell into the store is wasted. I really can’t do one process without the other, which is why I’m reaching out for help.

If this project is funded (i.e. if I reach my goal) my plan is to break even in 6 - 8 months. It is important to note that the plan is designed to increase same store sales (more sales in stores where we already have placement) as well as increasing the number of retail outlets.

Here's how the funds will be spent in the next 6 - 8 months:

• Sales
  • Travel expenses to meet with buyers
  • Sample/shipping expenses
  • Pay to Play (in this industry it is usually required to “buy” your way onto the shelf which is an expensive endeavor)
• Marketing
  • Travel expenses to sample at events, train ‘Salsa Slingers’ (Brand Ambassadors) and build relationships with retailers
  • Product sampling in-store and at community events
  • Schwag to promote the brand (t-shirts, stickers, etc.)
  • Coupons – increase the chance of someone giving the products a try
  • Sales – discount at retail level to drive trial
  • Salsa donations to non-profit fundraisers
• Financial
  • Fund accounts receivable – many customers have 30 day terms

In summary, your funds will help generate more business and more volume to get my business to break even. We all know what comes after break even… profit and a long term, sustainable business. As we continue to grow, I hope my salsas will eventually be available in your neck of the woods if they aren't already.

The Pitch

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your support! If you are able to contribute that is outstanding!!! To show appreciation for your contribution I have come up with perks as a way to say thank you. There is also an option to make a contribution in any amount that works for you.

The Perks

The list of rewards can be found along the right-hand side of your screen. If you want to give an amount that is not listed, proceed with the awards and the site will give you an option to fill in your own amount (there will not be an award associated with this option.) Please don't delay in making a contribution as we have a limited amount of time. The remaining days can be seen at the top of this post. Here is a tad more info about the rewards:

Jar grippers: made from recycled tires, these handy grippers are branded with the White Girl Salsa logo in white and can help you wrestle all kinds of lids off their jars.

Limited Edition T-shirts: we will design a few different choices and contributors get to vote! No matter what, they will be very hip for men and women!

Hats: these are mean, green, SWEET hats!

Cycling Jerseys:

Here are some fun add-on options as well:

 • Add $30 to any contribution for a White Girl Salsa limited edition t-shirt

• Add $40 to any contribution for a White Girl Salsa hat

• Add $100 to any contribution for a White Girl Salsa cycling jersey

One of the greatest things you can do to support this effort is to pass this along to your network through email, Facebook, Twitter, shouting about it in the middle of a crowded mall and any other way you can think of to help this become viral.

Once the project is funded, the first thing I will do is post a thank you video of me doing what I like to call “the happy dance.” I will send updates so you can track the progress of my business. I will tell you when I have meetings with buyers and you can be held in suspense along with me, awaiting their decision. I will celebrate the victories with you and forever be grateful for your support. We can do this! Go Team White Girl!

The Fine Print

Upon funding of this campaign, we will send a survey to get any pertinent information for your rewards such as t-shirt size, choice of salsa flavors, etc.

Visit my website to learn more about my company: www.WhiteGirlSalsa.com

Follow on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WhiteGirlSalsa

Thank you SO much and have a spicy day!

Julie

P.S. Just had to throw in this photo of Fabio (and my incredibly supportive mom)...