My mom, Lupe, is an incredible cook. So much so that my sisters and I, along with family and friends, have spent years trying to convince her to start her own food business. This has been a thing for as long as I can remember.

One day, my mom, my sisters, and I were in the kitchen. She had just finished making a fresh batch of salsa, and naturally, the loving nagging began.

“Mom, you should start a salsa business.”

This continued until finally, Mama Lupe said,

“Why don’t you do it?”

We all laughed, but something happened in my mind. A little thought showed up: maybe I can do it. Maybe I should?

At the time, I was chronically unemployed and had nothing to lose, except all the money I already did not have.

So, I got to work.

I took a couple trips to the motherland, Mexico, for some R&D, also known as research and development, and some T&T, also known as tacos and tacos. I learned some things. I was incredibly inspired by the smells, the taste, the mercados, the colors, the people, my cultura.

And yet, something was missing.

That missing piece was not in Mexico. So I came home and spent time being inspired by my madre, my padre, my family, and my upbringing as a Chicano kid in California. Still, I could not find that missing piece.

Until it finally hit me.

The missing piece was me. My story.

All this time, I had been pulling from my external lived experience, but I was not adding enough of my own personality, character, and soul into the mix.

“But what about me can I introduce to something as ancient as salsa?” I thought.

Little did I know, and never would I have imagined, that this path was leading me to a collision point where all that I am, all that I love, and all that has existed before me could come together to create an absolutely iconic, revolutionary, taste-enhancing, muscle-growing, mouth-watering, spicy treat that had yet to exist.

Until now.

The real “aha” moment happened one day on my way out of the gym. I remembered I needed to restock my creatine, and the very moment my hand grabbed the container, the lightbulb turned on:

Protein salsa.

And so, Swole-sa was born.

From there, I spent countless hours in the kitchen getting lost in the sauce. Literally. I had to understand the balance between taste and performance. Because it is not as simple as throwing protein into something and calling it functional nutrition. Not if you actually care about heritage flavors. Not if you care about creating something that tastes good. Not if, beyond the protein, you still want it to be real food.

Every day, I got a little closer through all the attempts, the failed recipes, the chile pepper side effects, the fiery bottom, the numbed-out tongue, and of course, the small but mighty wins.

Through it all, I was propelled forward by a vision I could see so clearly, by the support of those around me, and by this radical idea that maybe I could create something known and loved by family, friends, and people around the world. Something that could share warmth, smiles, nourishment, and joy in a way that felt connected to the same love my mom has always poured into her food.

Along the way, I faced new challenges as a solo founder trying to create a business from thin air with no real roadmap, no perfect point of reference, and no guaranteed outcome. Just sheer will, determination, curiosity, and a fun, adventurous spirit leading the way.

Now, Swole-sa is here.

And so are you.

Whether you are here because you are curious, because you have tried it, or because you simply cannot get enough, with all that I am, I say gracias.

I hope you get as much joy and nourishment from Swole-sa as I have received from this journey.

Dip strong. Live bold.

José Vaca

Founder & Son of Lupe