Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Danika Detlaff, Co-Founder of Pinche Cactus Ranch, located in Odessa, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Our business specializes in jellies and other products such as pickled items, chamoy paste, and Mesquite bean coffee and tea. Our goal is to grow fresh homegrown ingredients and produce products that are native to the West Texas and Hill Country area. As of today, we grow 100% of the peppers used in making our jellies and harvest from the local areas for other items used in making our products. We currently have an online store, www.pcrjellies.com, and sell locally in Rocksprings, Texas, at Priour Varga Wool & Mohair - Feed & Supplies. We love taking our products to the West Texas events for all the locals to purchase and enjoy.
Tell us about yourself
People often ask us about our name Pinche Cactus Ranch, so we had to start back in the Fall of 2016 while my husband and I were homesteading our ranch. It is located in Rocksprings, TX, and is used primarily for hunting and growing some produce used in making the jellies. It is there where our specialty jelly business started its roots.
While preparing our land for permanent structures to be built, we realized not only did we have an abundance of prickly pear cacti but also how difficult they were to eradicate. Being new landowners, we didn't have the funds for a tractor, so removing the prickly pear cactus had to be done by hand with shovels and pitchforks. As you can imagine, after two days of cactus removal, the name Pinche Cactus was born.
Shortly after the ranch had its name, we discovered the prickly pear tuna, which is the purple fruit that is produced by the cactus, usually July-September. Knowing we couldn't let this fruit that was gifted to us in abundance go to waste, we decided to go back to an old hobby, and that was canning and making jellies together. After gifting our delicious new jelly to family and friends, our hobby quickly grew into something more and is now what we call Pinche Cactus Ranch Specialty Jellies.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Being able to work my own hours so I can dedicate my time to my daughter.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Working none stop. You constantly have to be planning, working, thinking, designing, and growing bigger.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Believe in yourself; anyone can do this, be prepared to go out in the hours to make your business great. Learn social media and advertising.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.pcrjellies.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PincheCactusRanch1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pinche_cactus_ranch/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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