The Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation would like to recognize small business owner Rosa Sanchez in honor of Mother’s Day Month. She’s a valley entrepreneur from Mendota, CA who owns a bakery business inspired by her abuela’s homemade bread. Rosa participated in “Womanpreneur Summer Cohort 2020” where she learned different marketing techniques to help her promote and expand her business. As a first-generation business owner with a passion for baking, she makes sure to use high-quality ingredients grown here in our valley to support the local economy and small businesses. Carmelita’s Pan Casero is more than a bakery business, it’s heritage, culture, and tradition in every bite. Rosa learned to bake by watching her abuela bake her delicious homemade “pan de leche”. Every piece of her baked goods arose from the fond memories of her abuela’s baking. Her grandmother’s baking was so well-known, that Rosa decided to combine her passion for baking and her family’s traditional recipe into a thriving business. Carmelita’s Pan Casero has been operating since 2018, offering a wide variety of delicious homemade traditional bread. She is now the first in her family to become a business owner who delivers products to over 40 different stores in 10 different cities in the Central Valley. Growing up, Rosa had always been a fan of her grandmother’s baking. She recorded her recipes with love and captured the beautiful memories, which also helped her overcome difficulties in life. It became a trait, a powerful source of strength that pushed her through the ups and downs of community college. The very same trait that gave her courage to care for her daughter’s chronic illness. During these tough times, especially with the pandemic, she gives her blessings to the community, whose love and support has helped her business. As a mother and a woman entrepreneur, Rosa sets a great example for her children. She learned to master time management, operate her business, and spend quality time with her family. She strongly holds that with the right mindset and dedication, nothing can stop us from accomplishing our goals. "If you add passion with consistency, it will produce success." -Rosa Sanchez
View ArticleA feeling she's needed after a fire destroyed their home in April. "It happened so fast. I just remember my son telling everybody to get out. I had time to grab my purse, the keys and made sure all the kids were out and that was it, In 30 minutes the house was consumed," Sanchez said. Everything was gone including her baking supplies for her hobby and growing business Carmelita's Pan Casero. The Buchanan High and Alta Sierra communities stepped in to help replace what she needed. Now Sanchez is back to baking in her new home. For her, homemade bread is full of memories of her grandmother making pan de leche. "I used to sit and watch her all the time, and that's what inspired me when I got older. I learned the recipe from sitting there at five-years-old, six, seven-years-old sitting there and watching her and I didn't let the tradition die," Sanchez said. Sanchez bakes the treats under the Carmelita's name in honor of her grandmother, including pan de leche. "It's a great bread, and from there now I make pineapple bread, mango bread, orange bread, strawberry and the original banana nut, zucchini, blueberry and the list goes on and on," Sanchez said of her growing list of menu items. On this Thursday, the treats Sanchez baked are going out to the firefighters who came to her house. With each treat she makes, she feels joy and a sense of normalcy returning. "I have a passion for it. I love to bake for friends and family. It didn't take me much to jump back Into it," Sanchez said. One day the single mom hopes to open her own bakery. Sanchez's business will reopen soon.
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