Luis and Marco Antonio Abarca
Luis Abarca was born in a small Mexican town in 1935. As a young boy, he learned about sales and marketing by selling gum on the streets of his hometown. In the early 1950s, Luis obtained a visa and came to the United States as an agricultural worker. In the country for only a few months, he was drafted into the United States Army. Upon leaving the Army, Luis moved to Chicago and began working in the city's booming factories. Unable to enter a labor union, he left Chicago for Los Angeles.
Unfortunately, on his way to California, his car broke down in Denver. Unable to afford to fix his old car, Luis stayed in Denver and tried his luck in a new city. Within a few years, he met and married his wife, Martha, and began a family. He entered the food business by delivering tortillas out of a van to local restaurants and markets. A born entrepreneur, Luis, along with two partners, opened a small Mexican restaurant in Wheat Ridge named La Fonda. The restaurant proved to be a success, and within two years, Luis and Martha were able to open Ready Foods in 1972. Their initial theory for the business was that Mexican food would one day become American food, and they created a restaurant commissary for American restaurants that wanted to offer Mexican dishes. Ready Foods grew as Mexican food entered the culinary mainstream.
Although from humble backgrounds, Luis and Martha loved education. They were great readers and true believers in the cause of self-improvement. So, it was no surprise their son Marco also loved books and had a hunger for learning. For college, he left Denver and entered Yale College; then later Stanford Law School. In 1992, Marco was a young attorney practicing in Southern California when he received a phone call from his mother telling him that Luis had cancer. If he did not return, they would sell the family business. Marco decided to return to Denver, thinking he would only run the business for a short while, but to his surprise, he found out he loved the well-run small business with good people, a strong immigrant work ethic, and a can-do attitude. Martha passed away in 2006, and Luis followed in 2012. At his death, Luis knew that he had accomplished his American dream.
Over the next years, Marco built upon Ready Foods' strong base. He grew the company into a regional soup and sauce company with business in 35 states. He was able to do this by adopting new ideas in lean manufacturing, digital transformation, and systems thinking. While he utilized new technologies and ways of thinking, Marco always understood that Ready Foods must stay committed to his parents' vision. From his mother, Marco learned empathy and a belief in the fundamental decency of most people. From his father, Marco learned the immigrant's work ethic and crazy optimism. These are beliefs he brings to work every day.
Unfortunately, on his way to California, his car broke down in Denver. Unable to afford to fix his old car, Luis stayed in Denver and tried his luck in a new city. Within a few years, he met and married his wife, Martha, and began a family. He entered the food business by delivering tortillas out of a van to local restaurants and markets. A born entrepreneur, Luis, along with two partners, opened a small Mexican restaurant in Wheat Ridge named La Fonda. The restaurant proved to be a success, and within two years, Luis and Martha were able to open Ready Foods in 1972. Their initial theory for the business was that Mexican food would one day become American food, and they created a restaurant commissary for American restaurants that wanted to offer Mexican dishes. Ready Foods grew as Mexican food entered the culinary mainstream.
Although from humble backgrounds, Luis and Martha loved education. They were great readers and true believers in the cause of self-improvement. So, it was no surprise their son Marco also loved books and had a hunger for learning. For college, he left Denver and entered Yale College; then later Stanford Law School. In 1992, Marco was a young attorney practicing in Southern California when he received a phone call from his mother telling him that Luis had cancer. If he did not return, they would sell the family business. Marco decided to return to Denver, thinking he would only run the business for a short while, but to his surprise, he found out he loved the well-run small business with good people, a strong immigrant work ethic, and a can-do attitude. Martha passed away in 2006, and Luis followed in 2012. At his death, Luis knew that he had accomplished his American dream.
Over the next years, Marco built upon Ready Foods' strong base. He grew the company into a regional soup and sauce company with business in 35 states. He was able to do this by adopting new ideas in lean manufacturing, digital transformation, and systems thinking. While he utilized new technologies and ways of thinking, Marco always understood that Ready Foods must stay committed to his parents' vision. From his mother, Marco learned empathy and a belief in the fundamental decency of most people. From his father, Marco learned the immigrant's work ethic and crazy optimism. These are beliefs he brings to work every day.