Victoria Elizondo started Cochinita & Co. in Houston, Texas as a pop-up concept in 2016. Her inspiration? Changing the narrative around Mexican cuisine. “My goal was always to showcase Mexican food as something vibrant and colorful as opposed to what we typically see with Tex-Mex,” the chef and founder said. Her authentic display of the cuisine led her pop-up to the coveted Politan Row, a popular food hall in Rice Village.
When the food hall shut down in 2020, she turned back to pop-ups and sold packaged goods in local markets, but her business continued to grow. Wholesale opportunities for popular items like her vegan vegetable tamales and her chips and salsa created a path for her to finally open her own stand-alone restaurant. The business also still operates a secondary location as a pop-up about ten miles away on the north side of town, bringing authentic Mexican flavor to multiple parts of the city.
Flexible tools enable her to operate a brick-and-mortar and a pop-up with ease, and shape her business the way she desires. “It’s been almost 10 years of this business, and I’ve been using Square since day one,” Elizondo said.
The challenge: Securing capital and reliable business tools
When Elizondo started the business in 2016, she needed tools that made starting a business easy and accessible. She didn’t have a ton of technical experience, and she needed something that would complement her flexible pop-up setup. Her vibrant and colorful food needed to remain at the forefront instead of bulky, clunky technology.
Elizondo also struggled to secure business loans, and without a business partner or investors, she needed a reliable way to pay her staff and purchase tools and supplies. Being based in Houston made reliability a through-line for the business. Because of the extreme weather of the area, Elizondo needed tools that could withstand a variety of environments and offer a range of capabilities.
The solution: Leveraging a comprehensive suite built for owners
Elizondo expanded her investment from the Square Reader to more than 10 Square tools including Square Handheld. Square Handheld helps her maintain a high level of personalized customer service, a key differentiator for the business. “Square Handheld allows us to serve customers directly at the table,” said Elizondo. “We’re primarily counter service, so people order, pay, and then sit down. But a lot of times they’ll want to add an extra item like a drink or a side of avocado, and Square Handheld allows us to take care of those needs without making them get back in line and letting their food get cold.”
For a restaurant that often serves some customers multiple times a day, being able to commit to personalized service helps ensure Cochinita & Co. keeps customers engaged and satisfied without sacrificing quality. Even at times where the intense Houston climate caused challenges for the business, quality remained paramount.
A few years into Cochinita & Co.’s business journey, Elizondo leveraged a Square Loan1 after a weather disaster left her business without power for a week. “In Houston, our weather can be pretty catastrophic at times,” she said. “When I lost power for a week, having the option to easily access money was really helpful because I was able to still pay my employees and have access to cash flow to buy new ingredients, since we had to throw everything away.”
Being able to quickly and seamlessly navigate challenges gives the chef the confidence she needs to keep the business going. “One of the main reasons I stick with Square is because Square Loans helped me stay afloat, helping me pay my employees and keep the doors open,” Elizondo said.
The impact: Confidence, growth, and the customer experience made easy
Cochinita & Co.’s ability to operate with confidence remains true even in the best weather. Elizondo dedicates regular time to decompress from the day-to-day operations, experiment with tools and learn more ways to incorporate convenience in the lives of staff and customers. For example, she strategically leverages Square Handheld at farmers markets to speed up service. “We sell packaged products at farmers markets and instead of typing in a SKU or looking for different buttons, we can just scan the item. It accelerates the process and prevents customers from waiting in the sun.”
Creating a quick, ideal customer experience with packaged goods is necessary for the brand, because the business is building towards selling these items in regional convenience stores around the city. With a top-tier experience, Cochinita & Co. is generating demand in stores and in the restaurant, setting up an additional revenue stream for the business.
“My concept for Cochinita & Co. has always been to create a very welcoming experience,” said Elizondo. “I never wanted to create a place where people only come on special occasions. We have people that come here every day, sometimes multiple times a day, and that’s because of the experience we create. We don’t cut any corners, and we remain true to that.”
1All loans and Savings accounts are issued by Square Financial Services, Inc., a Utah-Chartered Industrial Bank. Member FDIC. Actual fee depends upon payment card processing history, loan amount and other eligibility factors. A minimum payment of 1/18th of the initial loan balance is required every 60 days and full loan repayment is required within 18 months. Loan eligibility is not guaranteed. All loans are subject to credit approval.
