How many kids do you each have and what are their ages?
I have 5 children ages 7, 15, 17, 20 and 21.
Why did you decide to raise your family in this area?
We are originally from Argentina and live in Greenwich CT since 200 . I find that the area is welcoming to everyone and very diverse, and we felt at home instantly. We love having the very distinct seasons, we love the beach, and schools are excellent.
What are your favorite family activities in Stamford?
My business is in Stamford so I am in the area everyday and I love it. We love going to Harbor Point or Downtown for family lunch, and our favorite restaurant is Cafe Sylvium on Shippan.
Tell us about your career.
I have a background in Communications and Human Services, worked in Sales and Marketing, then became a full time Mom and loved it!
What inspired you to start your own company?
Over the years I helped a charity in Argentina that fights infant malnutrition. I fundraised by selling frozen empanadas for a month in Oct 2016, and once the fundraiser was over I was still getting orders so I decided to start a business. Our goal is to help busy families stock their freezers with homestyle food that can be ready in 20 minutes, while contributing a portion of proceeds to fight infant malnutrition in Argentina. Ocassionally we find other local causes to help too.
Congrats on the 5th anniversary of Jackie’s Empanadas On The Go in 2021! How has your company changed in that time?
It started really small as I rented a kitchen once a week for a few hours, then moved to a few days a week as I started signing up for Farmers Markers and producing more, and now we are in a kitchen in Stamford, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
It grew organically. The community has been key in promoting and supporting us. We expanded our menu over the pandemic to include a wider variety of options that go from new empanada assortments, to veal and chicken cutlets, tortilla de patatas, medialunas (Argentine croissants)and more. We were delivering to everyone to help keep people home and safe and offering a variety seemed the right way to go. We cater to busy people in lower Fairfield and Westchester counties, and in Manhattan and Brooklyn, helping them stock their freezers with homestyle food for their families and social gatherings.
How did you learn to make empanadas? What do you love about them?
In Argentina empanadas are something you have every week as a meal, at family gatherings, in social events. Raising my family away from home I would make empanadas all the time, just like my Mom and Grandma used to make for me. I learned from them and it is a way of keeping our culture alive. They are so time-consuming that I used to say, “I wish I could just order them online!” and ironically, that is what I do now for others.
I love that they are made with fresh ingredients and make an easy and good snack or meal, anytime.
Where can Jackie’s Empanadas on the Go be purchased?
It is an online store with a commercial kitchen at 75 3rd Street, in Stamford. We are in the Stamford Athletic Club building; it is not a storefront but you can do curbside pickup and we also deliver, as long as you pre order. We stock frozen but bake fresh.
How do you juggle work with mommyhood… especially during COVID-19?
It is so hard to manage time when it is your business because I feel that I work 24/7, even if it is not physically, it certainly is mentally! Overtime I made a more conscious effort to set time aside, prioritize and adhere to schedules. I try not to work on weekends. COVID was difficult with virtual learning and everyone at home, but I was also so happy to have a full house!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve gotten from another mom?
My cousin has older kids and she has always reminded me that it goes by fast, to enjoy them and to make every day count.