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What’s for dinner? Empanada My Love

Premium handmade empanadas in grab-and-go retail packaging. Easy, delicious, and made with love.
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About this idea
Authentic Latin flavors inspired by family recipes, handcrafted, not mass-produced. Premium retail packaging designed for freezer or refrigerated shelves, with a window that shows the real product. Ready in minutes, bake or air-fry at home for fresh, homemade taste without the work. High-quality ingredients with no shortcuts: real meats, cheeses, herbs, and fresh vegetables. Multiple flavors to attract a wide audience, classic beef, chicken, veggie, cheese, pizza, chorizo, mushroom, breakfast and seasonal specials. Perfect for busy families looking for quick meals, snacks, or entertaining guests. Strong branding (“Empanada My Love”) with warm, vibrant, Latin-inspired visuals that stand out on shelves. Versatile pack sizes (2-pack, 6-pack, and party size) for different customer needs. Growing demand for global, convenient, heat-and-eat foods, empanadas are trending in retail. Locally made in Michigan, appealing to stores that support small, local producers.
Impact
Empanada My Love will expand access to culturally authentic, ready-to-heat foods while strengthening local food production in Michigan. This project creates new retail distribution channels, supports small-business job growth, and meets increasing consumer demand for convenient, high-quality meals. By scaling a locally owned Latin-American food brand, the initiative promotes economic development, preserves cultural food traditions, and increases access to diverse meal options for families across the region.
What I'll do with $5,000
The $5,000 grant will fund the essential steps needed to launch Empanada My Love into retail stores. The project includes creating professional, FDA-compliant packaging, completing nutrition and label testing, producing UPC barcodes, and printing the first small batch of retail boxes. Funds will also support ingredients and materials for an initial production run that will be used for buyer samples and early retail placements. This one-time investment will result in a fully retail-ready product that can be immediately pitched to local Michigan grocery stores.
Quick Bio
Born in Mexico and now a proud U.S. citizen, we started Empanada My Love to share authentic Latin American flavors, create local jobs, and bring communities together through delicious empanadas
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