The online DIY marketplace has seen a huge growth in food sellers.
Design by Grace Han for Thrillist
What was once primarily the home for craftily crocheted cardigans, vintage apparel,, and homemade ceramics, Etsy has found a wave of new vendors in an entirely different category. Home chefs and bakers are pickling kimchi, baking dessert baskets, and tossing reimagined Chex mixes and finding great success on the DIY website.
Such is the case of Adrian Martinez and Ashley Garza of Texas Chile Dulceria, aMexican candy Etsy shop the couple opened in November 2020. Garza dreamt up the idea last summer, and fully committed to it after Martinez left an unfulfilling and tiring job. In light of the enduring Covid-19 pandemic, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to try something new and entrepreneurial.
“Both of us have always wanted to have a business,” Garza explains. “He quit and then we spent a few weeks buying all of our products and coming up with the recipe. We tried a whole bunch of recipes and one day he tried the one that we have now and he really liked it.”
Although the pair began selling their candy creations locally, it seemed like bringing their product online would allow them to reach more customers. After watching YouTube videos for burgeoning businesses, Garza decided to give Etsy a shot. “Etsy is a good platform to start on because it already has warm wires. People already go to Etsy to shop because they want to buy something,” Garza explains. “Sure,…
