Tex-Jax Foods started from the love of making pico. Owner Veronica Joy Didelot was making pico for friends and family until one day someone offered to pay her money for it. With encouragement from her husband Veronica realized she could turn making her pico into a business. Veronica used her Master of Education degree and her ten years of teaching, specializing in curriculum, instruction, and assessment to help her develop the skills needed to start a business in an industry that was totally new to her. Veronica faced the same challenges that many new business owners experience like funding for her startup. She also had to find a commercial kitchen where she could make her product. She was fortunate to have her parents support with startup funds and she found a commercial kitchen in her desired location.
Veronica then reached out to the SBDC for assistance with marketing and sales but ended up receiving much more. The SBDC assisted Veronica with developing a business and marketing plan, additional market and industry research and assistance with expanding into different markets. One of those expansions was into a local grocer. Veronica went from selling her first jar of pico in March of 2023 to little over a year later her product was being sold in Native Sun Natural Markets in Jacksonville Beach, FL.
Veronica credits SBDC with guiding her towards perfecting her pico recipe. Through SBDC’s assistance Veronica was able to learn how to approach her customers and she was connected to a valuable resource program run by Empowered Kitchen who are now her mentors. Veronica says, “I would recommend SBDC to other business owners, and I would tell them that running a business has too many facets to be able to know about them all while still being able to do what you love doing in your business, so let someone help you!”
When she is not working in her business, Veronica volunteers her time making lunch at the American Legion Post 316 once a week where she enjoys watching people eat her food. She appreciates all of the support she has received from so many different people since starting her business.
