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Jefa-Owned (owned by a Latina Boss) is a national visibility campaign under PepsiCo’s Juntos Crecemos platform to help Latinas in the food and beverage sector apply for the Juntos Crecemos Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program. An eight-week personalized business building program celebrates Women’s History Month while honoring the contributions of businesses owned by Latinas.
To launch Jefa-Owned, the business owners joined the multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation’s leaders for the Nasdaq Opening Bell Ceremony and together unveiled the first-ever Jefa-Owned neon sign and limited-edition merchandise designed in collaboration with Hija de tu Madre, a lifestyle brand founded by Patty Delgado, who also established March 31 as National Jefa Day.
In an exclusive interview with HOLA! USA, Esperanza Teasdale, Vice President & General Manager, Hispanic Business Unit, PepsiCo Beverages North America, shared how Latinas confront foundational challenges.
“Latinas are a powerful economic force in the U.S., creating businesses at a rate six times the national average,” said Teasdale. “Despite this accelerated growth rate, Latinas are confronting foundational challenges which must be addressed. This Women’s History Month, PepsiCo is proud to grow the impact of the Juntos Crecemos platform with a focus on helping Latina business owners strengthen their businesses while raising visibility for them through the Jefa-Owned campaign. Having each Latina business owner turn on her Jefa-Owned neon sign is a testament to their entrepreneurial achievements, resilience, and the important role they play in the U.S. economy.”
“Our goal is to have the intersectionality of Latinas come together and hero those women across the board so we’ve got a great representation of women joining us for the launch,” Esperanza told HOLA! USA. “And they’re coming from all different places. It is about celebrating who they are elevating them more than anything and shining a light on them.”
PepsiCo also launched the multi-faceted Juntos Crecemos platform in its Racial Equality Journey Hispanic Initiative. The project aims to strengthen Hispanic-owned businesses, specifically restaurants, bodegas, and carnicerías (meat markets), to address foundational business challenges and support business growth.
According to the 2020 State of Latinos Entrepreneurship Report, Latinas represent 40% of all Latinx-owned businesses, with 41% of Latina business owners reporting “large negative impacts” due to the pandemic. Furthermore, twice as many Latina-led companies experience closure compared to Latino-led (male only) businesses.
How Businesses Can Apply for the Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program
Applications for the Juntos Crecemos Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program are open now. It is an eight-week personalized business building program that offers expert consultation for delivery logistics, technology, marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO). These help businesses create a viable digital presence to access more customers.
Participants will have access to one-on-one consultation from experts, where they will receive coaching and guidance on devising solutions for their unique business challenges. The first 40 Latina small business owners to complete the eight-week consultation curriculum of the Juntos Crecemos Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program will receive an exclusive Jefa-Owned neon sign. To apply for the Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program, visit Pepsicojuntoscrecemos.com/jefaowned.
“Supporting Latina-owned businesses is intrinsically linked to strengthening the overall community it serves. From job creation to revenue generation, these businesses positively impact families, the communities, and the economy,” said Antonio Escalona, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Hispanic Business Unit, PepsiCo Foods North America. “Our Jefa-Owned campaign is not only a celebration of the ‘Latina Boss,’ it is an affirmation of the vital role they play in our economy and the commitment of PepsiCo to help their continued growth.”
How Consumers Can Get Involved
Limited edition Jefa-Owned merchandise will be available for purchase on the Hija de tu Madre’s online store beginning National Jefa Day, March 31. The inventory, including t-shirts, tote bags, and notepads, honors businesses owned by a Latina boss. To shop the merchandise supporting Jefa-Owned companies, visit: Hijadetumadre.com/collections/support-jefa-owned.
“To have PepsiCo support us, as small businesses, it feels like we are not invisible,” said Elizabeth Espinoza, owner of Miranda’s Grocery and one of the small businesses PepsiCo supports through Juntos Crecemos. “PepsiCo is providing much-needed business tools, resources, and training that we would otherwise not be able to access. I am truly proud to be a part of Jefa-Owned, and I look forward to being a beacon of light to other Latina business owners in our Hispanic community.”
Miranda’s Grocery has remained open throughout the pandemic, as it was important for Elizabeth and her parents to continue serving their community in Chicago during these challenging times. Similar to other Latina-owned small businesses, they were disproportionately impacted during the pandemic and, as a result, applied to the resources provided by PepsiCo’s Juntos Crecemos platform.
Since then, they have participated in the eight-week Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program and IMPACTO Hispanic Business Accelerator, which helped them strengthen their business and build a more extensive consumer base.