H-E-B highlighting local Sandra’s Salsa

H-E-B is big, as big as Texas, with more than 340 stores across the state and some in Mexico. Sandra’s Salsa is a Wimberley success story, and it keeps growing in popularity. When the two got together with H-E-B in 2015, she entered the “Texas Quest for the Best Contest,” and was then carried in a limited number of stores.

Flash forward to 2021. and Sandra’s Salsa is now in H-E-B stores across the state, and Sandra Schaub, the owner, is now being honored by the grocery chain in its honoring women in business, part of its Be the Change program. “We’re bringing special awareness to women owned businesses," Jody Hall, director of Sourcing for H-E-B, said. "We looked at H-E-B suppliers with a focus on your local supplier, Sandra. She’s inspirational and won the confidence of her and her customers.”

He continue, “In the month that honors women, celebrating a great pioneer Texas woman, Florence Butt, who founded the company in 1905. Sandra goes along with that same thread. She’s an inspiring individual.”

Just trying to make ends meet for a growing family twenty-three years ago she started the company at the urging of teachers, coaches, friends and others. She made the trip back and forth between Dripping Springs, where they lived, to Wimberley where the industrial kitchen was.

“Twenty years ago in October, we moved to Wimberley. I was going back and forth (shuttling kids and work)… I took and left (salsa) in the teacher’s lounges. Then it was in Super S (in Dripping Springs), and Brookshire Brothers.”

When H-E-B featured her products, demand started to grow statewide. When she got the H-E-B account, things changed. H-E-B was a partner in transportation costs. With a popular product on so many grocery shelves, growing pains began. Rent on the industrial kitchen had skyrocketed.

“The volume got to a point that the process was semi-automated,” said Sandra. Business worries over growth were a big concern. H-E-B was there to help her team up with Dip It by Pilar; a Greek inspired dipping sauce processed in Mission, Texas. Pilar’s facility was underutilized and Sandra’s Salsa under-produced.

“Pilar won the year after me (Texas Quest for the Best Contest)…it was a perfect marriage,” she said. “Each step, God directed the path…. sometimes I’m asked, why didn’t you get bigger sooner? I did it with no debt. I did what I did and did it well. You always reach a goal, and then you master it. Then, you reach out for another goal.”

She’s reached out and has mentored other women in business and is grateful for all the help she has received from family, friends, and all of Wimberley. Tenacity is one word used to describe Sandra Schaub. “Don’t give up. You don’t fail if you don’t give up.”

To see Sandra’s feature at H-E-B’s website see heb.com/static-page/be-the-change.