Meet VALERIA RIVERA PAULINA KALOYAN | CO-FOUNDERS

We had the good fortune of connecting with VALERIA RIVERA PAULINA KALOYAN and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi VALERIA RIVERA, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Our story started on a pandemic Sunday morning, Paulina and Valeria were having a long talk about life. We were talking about how we wanted to chart a path outside the corporate business and a fun fact was that we were eating wafer cookies from our competitors in Mexico. We said “let’s think about what business we can start?” and then, we had a light bulb moment. We realized we needed to introduce these delicious wafer cookies to everyone in America because there is nothing similar in the market. At that specific moment we started to look for suppliers, machinery, names for the company and all at once. Since the idea came up, we have never stopped moving forward with Cromchies.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
We know that what sets us apart from other brands is our brand identity. How we are able to connect with our customers expressing who we are, our history and the reason why this product means so much to us, the energy we put into this project, we always like to share how happy this makes us and also show our customer how you can eat a healthy snack without being boring or having to sacrifice flavor or texture.

We are so proud of finally being able to see our product on shelves at coffee shops and workout studios. It represents how all the time and effort that we have invested are worth it getting the word out there about our product and we know this is just the beginning. Throughout this time we have learned many lessons but the most important for us has been to keep going even when you feel discouraged or frustrated because you are the closest that you have ever been in accomplishing your goals.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would start the day with a hike at Torrey Pines. We love it there because of the sightseeing and because it is short and sweet. Then, we would go to grab a coffee at one of my favorite coffee shops in the city, we would continue with a stroll around different neighborhoods and with a visit to Balboa Park. We would revisit the beach sunset, my favorite spot to see it is in the rocks at Windandsea and for dinner we would go to Cesarina in Point Loma or to one of my favorite sushi bars. Obviously we would carry a few packs of Cromchies, in case we want a snack during our day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We joined the REC Innovation Lab at San Diego Miramar College when the idea of Cromchies came up in 2020. The guidance and mentorship has helped us develop the skills and knowledge we need to move forward with Cromchies. Tanya Hertz and her team are incredible and always willing to help us connect with the right people at the right time. Cromchies started as an idea and now is a reality!

Website: www.cromchies.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cromchies/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cromchies/

Twitter: @cromchies_us

Facebook: @cromchies

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxKegLXTRiI&t=8s