Daniella grew up surrounded by medical professionals; growing up; she decided to take a different path and became an Industrial Engineer (UCAB 2011). While doing her Master's in Engineering Management at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU), in the Entrepreneurship for Engineers class, she had an assignment to "develop a business model." With the help of her husband Andres and his brother Ricardo, she considered multiple business ideas. Finally, they all concluded that the concept with a tremendous potential was to distribute Hispanic food products, high-quality products unknown in the local community, at affordable prices.

 

Since childhood, Andres and Ricardo have worked in their family businesses, led by their father and grandfather, successful entrepreneurs. As a result, both got business degrees, which gives them a strong background in sales, management, finances, and marketing. Both Andres and Ricardo had been significant support for Daniella.

 

With the three working together as a team, it did not take long for the project that began as a class assignment to become a real business opportunity. It evolved into "CUJÍ," a family business idea they had when they all lived in Venezuela.

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What is CUJÍ? Cují is a common tree variant in Carora, our hometown. It's a tree that grows in semi-arid regions, typically in inclement conditions, high temperatures all year long, and without much water. Therefore, it provides shade and freshness. Usually, the Cují trees and their shade become a meeting point for people to get together while taking a break from the heat. It becomes part of the community, a point of reference, and a part of people's daily lives. As our likeness to the Cují tree, we want to become a meeting spot for the community, a place for people that love food and engage with new Cultures. CUJÍ Foods will offer the highest quality products from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, and more.