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 Nancy
Andrade
President & General Counsel
Mexifeast Foods, Inc.
Ms. Andrade began her career in
the food industry while
practicing law at a large
Chicago law firm (now known as
Katten Muchin Rosenman). Ms.
Andrade was one of only four
Latino attorneys at that time
and happened to be the only
attorney of Mexican ancestry.
Being the resident Mexican “expert”,
colleagues and staff would often
ask her where one could get
authentic Mexican tamales. It
happened that Ms. Andrade’s
parents operated a part-time
catering outfit at the time and
was able to refer the tamale
inquiries to her parents, who
gladly filled tamale orders.
The popularity of her parents’
tamales grew so much at the firm
that she decided to establish an
ordering system similar to
“Market Day” for the Christmas
Holidays. Having sold 200 dozen
tamales in a 6 week period and
300 dozen tamales the following
Christmas season, she knew she
was on to something and that
sparked the creation of
Mexifeast Foods, Inc. (“Mexifeast”).
It took a few years for
Mexifeast to get off the ground;
little did she know that she
would be entering a business
sector where males have
traditionally far outnumbered
females, even more so than in
the legal profession.
Today, Mexifeast sells authentic
Mexican tamales to retail
outlets in the Midwest. Accounts
include fifteen (15) Wal-Mart
stores in the greater Chicago
area (and growing), Whole Foods
Market (34 stores in the Midwest
Region), thirty nine (39) Jewel
Stores and select Certified
Grocers. Mexifeast has been in
business since 2003 and sales
have systematically increased
each year.
Mexifeast has been featured
twice in Crain’s Chicago
Business Magazine, The Chicago
Sun-Times and HOY Spanish
Language Daily Newspaper (published
by the Tribune Company).
Ms. Andrade was also recently
featured in the Cadillac
Business Spotlight that aired on
Telemundo Spanish television
network, 2008. The segment
profiled successful Latino
Business Owners in the greater
Chicago area.
Ms. Andrade is a graduate of
Loyola University Chicago with a
Bachelor’s degree in Political
Science and a graduate of The
Catholic University of America,
Columbus School of Law, where
she received her Juris Doctor.
In addition to her personal
board and community service, Ms.
Andrade ensures that Mexifeast
Foods, Inc. also reflects her
personal commitment to service.
Mexifeast firmly believes in
giving back to the community.
Since its inception in 2003,
Mexifeast has been and continues
to be a proud supporter of the
community, making donations in
kind to numerous non-profit
organizations and fundraising
events for worthy causes.
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