Global warming? Isn’t that topic a little controversial?
We think it is topical, not controversial. We are food enthusiasts, we like the planet, and we want to help children. The best way for us to do this is by promoting a delicious way to eat, bringing attention to what is going on (environmentally and ecologically) and encourage children to learn to respect food, the effort required to get food to them, and where it comes from. We often have people think we are somehow aligned with “global warming”, the political topic. It has nothing to do with that, it has EVERYTHING to do with gourmet Global flavors of food. If the name makes some people think about climate change (the term we prefer to hear when discussing the global environment), then that is not a bad thing. We are in no way affiliated with any political party and we do not have a political agenda; this is about exploring global flavors of food.
What was the inspiration for the name and idea? ?
We have a chile pepper for a logo for our fitness business, Houston Fitness Consultants. We have long recommended salsa to our weight management clients for the healthy benefits, low calorie and high taste value. There are literally hundreds of salsas out there, but not all of them are 100% natural (our recommendation), use gourmet ingredients (we do, 100%), have a creative label with a sense of humor, and a provocative name. We originally came up with the name when reviewing different ideas and came across a SALSA acronym for an agricultural product, and it related to “global warming” (climate change research). It seemed like a fun, semi-controversial name, we came up with a label playing on the weather related aspect of the name, and stayed away from all political arguments with it. We have a lot of fun with our training business, this seemed like a unique way to express some creativity.
What prompted you to pursue a field so different from the field you are currently in, personal training? ?
I was prompted by a love of food, flavor, and a desire to be creative. Our personal training business has been very successful, but sometimes it is fun to step back from your “real” job, and try something adventurous. I like to cook; we love salsa (our dog is even named after a chile pepper...Cayenne), and it seemed like a potentially prosperous direction to pursue. While we are aware there is an abundance of great salsas, I started making my own when I wanted something gourmet, not “grocery”. My wife and I had talked about possibly bottling some for some of our clients, one thing led to another, and we decided to give it a try. It has been a fun learning experience.
Who stands to benefit from the product if it does take off? ?
Hopefully, a lot of people! We are trying to create a true gourmet product in a food category that has thousands of possible choices for the consumer. A portion of our proceeds are going to the development of children’s exercise and fitness books and programs, and we are looking into possibly donating money to environmentally responsible start up companies that share our beliefs in our country.
We have already presented the first of our children’s programs at a Childhood Obesity Conference where we were guest presenters, and also at the Brooksie Way Half marathon, where the salsa was served during the expo and after the race to 4000 participants and their families.
Does this have anything to do with the politics associated with Global Warming? ?
Not in the least. We are trying to make light of some of the politics, but we are also trying to make a difference. When a product goes “political”, people tend to forgot the real reason it is out there: gourmet taste, and a 100% natural way to add flavor to just about anything. We feel there are plenty of places out there for people to express their political views; a food product does not seem like a good choice.
What if you have to someday change the name, will the product still make sense? ?
We hope it can still make sense. We created the idea based on the name, but the salsa itself can be successful as a private label product or with a different name, it is a world-class gourmet salsa. Our multiple awards have shown us that; we are a quality salsa, with a very high level of support from our customers. Hopefully we can continue to go forward with our unique concept and introduce ALL of the Global flavors we have in our plans, and impact the communities the way we hope.
What is your food background? ?
I like to eat! When you like food as much as I do (a love of food is something we try to instill in all of our clients!) you experiment with flavors. I have had some formal cooking instruction, but most of my efforts are trial and error.
What other ideas for Global Warming Salsa do you have down the road?
We have some lofty plans for the business. Of course, we want our salsa to work its way into stores all over the country, in mail order catalogs, and on web sites. We hope to use some of the money from the salsa to fund chili-and-salsa cook-off events as fundraisers for the communities we are in; we want to finish our children’s books and programs. We also want to finish a website called “savethemusclecar.com” to help keep issues regarding classic cars in front of enthusiasts. Our interest in classic cars goes back to my youth. Long term, we would like to be involved in some environmental development programs (biofuels, ethanol. College programs, small businesses) that can offer practical, affordable solutions to some of the oil dependency issues we are facing.
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