Today we’d like to introduce you to Jolena Collas.
Jolena, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My humble catering company started in a dorm room at UC San Diego. Making baked treats for friends, class mates, and community members was a passion and way to de-stress, but I never imagined it would go beyond that. However, what started as birthday cakes for friends and cheesecakes for family parties turned into holiday catering orders and curated events. I feel very blessed because most of the opportunities that helped my business receive exposure happened in such an organic way and once I started being intentional in networking with other small business owners and local community members these opportunities became even more frequent.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Though my growth was very organic I did encounter a lot of challenges. As a woman of color, there were few businesses I encountered owned by other women who I identified with. Specifically, as I started to do more plant based foods, most people didn’t see Filipino food as healthy or vegan. Now that I have been able to network with other women of color who are creating vegan foods I can grow by learning from their examples.
Please tell us more about your business.
My food is an homage to the Filipino flavors I grew up eating, fused into the nostalgia of my childhood. Tropical flavors like mango, ube, buko pandan, and guava baked into more familiar treats such as cookies, rice krispy treats, cheesecakes and whoopie pies are an embodiment of my own identity as a Filipino American. My attempts to focus on plant-based foods and traditional Filipino flavors are all part of my goal of respecting the integrity of Filipino culture while also making it more accessible.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My biggest supporter is my mom, followed by my sister. They are the ones who stay up late with me to prepare large orders. They keep me company at all my vendor events and also they constantly look for ways to improve my products. I am also very grateful to my friends and colleagues who have given me so many opportunities to vend at art shows, galleries, and festivals they’ve hosted. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without the people who taught me how to cook, my dad, my Lola, and my nana.
Contact Info:
- Website: Tropicalandtopical.com
- Phone: 8186687346
- Email: jolena@tropicalandtopical.com
- Instagram: TropicalandTopical
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tropicalandtopical/
Image Credit:
Jolena Collas
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