Jefa-Owned (owned by a Latina Boss) is a national visibility campaign under PepsiCo’s Juntos Crecemos platform to help Latinas in the food and beverage sector apply for the Juntos Crecemos Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program. An eight-week personalized business building program celebrates Women’s History Month while honoring the contributions of businesses owned by Latinas.
To launch Jefa-Owned, the business owners joined the multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation’s leaders for the Nasdaq Opening Bell Ceremony and together unveiled the first-ever Jefa-Owned neon sign and limited-edition merchandise designed in collaboration with Hija de tu Madre, a lifestyle brand founded by Patty Delgado, who also established March 31 as National Jefa Day.
In an exclusive interview with HOLA! USA, Esperanza Teasdale, Vice President & General Manager, Hispanic Business Unit, PepsiCo Beverages North America, shared how Latinas confront foundational challenges.
“Latinas are a powerful economic force in the U.S., creating businesses at a rate six times the national average,” said Teasdale. “Despite this accelerated growth rate, Latinas are confronting foundational challenges which must be addressed. This Women’s History Month, PepsiCo is proud to grow the impact of the Juntos Crecemos platform with a focus on helping Latina business owners strengthen their businesses while raising visibility for them through the Jefa-Owned campaign. Having each Latina business owner turn on her Jefa-Owned neon sign is a testament to their entrepreneurial achievements, resilience, and the important role they play in the U.S. economy.”
“Our goal is to have the intersectionality of Latina’s spanners come together and hero those women across the board so we’ve got a great representation of women joining us for the launch,” Esperanza told HOLA! USA. “And they’re coming from all different places. It is about celebrating who they are elevating them more than anything and shining a light on them.”
PepsiCo also launched the multi-faceted Juntos Crecemos platform in its Racial Equality Journey Hispanic Initiative. The project aims to strengthen Hispanic-owned businesses, specifically restaurants, bodegas, and carnicerías (meat markets), to address foundational business challenges and support business growth.
According to the 2020 State of Latinos Entrepreneurship Report, Latinas represent 40% of all Latinx-owned businesses, with 41% of Latina business owners reporting “large negative impacts” due to the pandemic. Furthermore, twice as many Latina-led companies experience closure compared to Latino-led (male only) businesses.
How Businesses Can Apply for the Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program
Applications for the Juntos Crecemos Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program are open now. It is an eight-week personalized business building program that offers expert consultation for delivery logistics, technology, marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO). These help businesses create a viable digital presence to access more customers.
Participants will have access to one-on-one consultation from experts, where they will receive coaching and guidance on devising solutions for their unique business challenges. The first 40 Latina small business owners to complete the eight-week consultation curriculum of the Juntos Crecemos Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program will receive an exclusive Jefa-Owned neon sign. To apply for the Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program, visit Pepsicojuntoscrecemos.com/jefaowned.