From Local Spice to $1.5B Empire: The Success Story of Tajín's Founder 🌶️

Surrounded by the mountains of Jalisco, Mexico, the entrance to the 20-acre manufacturing headquarters of chili spice maker Industrias Tajín features a half-mile-long driveway lined with Montezuma Bald Cypress trees. Halfway there, it wraps around a massive molcajete, a mortar and pestle weighing 70,000 pounds made from a single piece of volcanic rock. Three giant flags, 26 feet long by 13 feet tall, fly over the glass headquarters. One has the Tajín logo with its signature chili pepper substituting for the i. In the center is the Mexican flag. And to the left is the Stars and Stripes.<br /><br />To see such a huge symbol of America a thousand miles south of Houston is somewhat disorienting. Unless you know the backstory.<br /><br />Read the full story on Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2025/02/18/tajin-founder-horacio-fernandez-interview-billionaire-hspice-family/<br /><br />Subscribe to FORBES: https://www.youtube.com/user/Forbes?sub_confirmation=1<br /><br />Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:<br /><br />https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript<br /><br />Stay Connected<br />Forbes newsletters: https://newsletters.editorial.forbes.com<br />Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes<br />Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes<br />Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes<br />More From Forbes: http://forbes.com<br /><br />Forbes covers the intersection of entrepreneurship, wealth, technology, business and lifestyle with a focus on people and success.