National Hispanic Corporate Achievers

Since that position, Sigifredo began its work of supporting Colombian and many members of the Hispanic community. Ten years later in 1996, he decided to become independent and opened his own restaurant "Pollos Mario Astoria" starting like that his own chain of restaurants, La Pollera Colorada, Mr. Pollo, El Paisa, typical corner, among others, located in New York, Long Island and Miami.

Sigifredo a working man, who knows what is to have needs, a man who spent his childhood in an orphanage, without the support of a mother or a father, who forged his own destiny, he found support in the sports to escape of many of his troubles, he pushed himself to be a professional and advanced to succeed.

Perhaps the reality of his life made him a fighter and generous man, a man who achieved success and never lost his simplicity, attends events made by the Colombian community and always reaching out to the social programs that are conducted in favor of his countrymen, an entrepreneur, a business man which has made its economic and human contribution to this country, which has made up the name of his country Colombia, for all this we consider him our Business Leader Representative.

After working for several companies in Ecuador, she moved to Miami, Florida 22 years ago. Patricia settled in Florida for 6 years where she worked in a large Hispanic food distributor. Due to her work achievements, Mrs. Castañeda-Mendez was offered a position at a larger company in New Jersey where she held the position of Purchasing Manager for several years. Before starting her entrepreneurial venture, with her daughter Andrea Castañeda, and husband John Rivas, Patricia worked in 3 of the largest food distributors in the East Coast, extending her knowledge in the food distribution business.

In 2002 Family Food Distributors Inc. was founded in Kearny, NJ; initially focusing on the distribution of Ecuadorian products in Connecticut. As Family Food Distributors grew larger, the lines of distribution increased, covering the Costa Rican, Salvadorian, Guatemalan, Honduran, and Mexican communities. In the past couple of years, they have started to carry products catering to a broader Hispanic community. Today the company has over 1200 clients in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Arizona, Florida, and Quebec, Canada. Family Food Distributors, Inc. is aiming towards excellence, providing a remarkable and continuous service to their clients with community service in mind.