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Bricia Lopez + Paulina Lopez

Guelaguetza

“Mole to our family is everything,” says Bricia Lopez Maytorena of Los Angeles’s iconic Oaxacan restaurant, Guelaguetza. The intense mole paste is made by a family in Mexico with loads of different chiles from ancho, mulato, Mexican pasilla, black chilhuacle and spices. All it takes is ten minutes to turn the rich mole pastes—black, red or coloradito—into a power sauce.

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Oaxacan Moles

The justly-famous intense mole from the Los Angeles restaurant Guelaguetza is the flavor and culture of Oaxaca distilled into a paste.


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A Conversation With...

Bricia Lopez + Paulina Lopez 

When did you come up with the idea of selling jars of mole paste?

We launched our online store in 2014. It was shortly after my siblings Paulina and Fernando and I took over our parents restaurant Guelaguetza in Los Angeles.  Restaurant sales were extremely low and we needed to figure out ways to increase revenue. We always operated a small gift shop at the restaurant where we sold jars of mole, and the idea of taking it online was super exciting for us. It is produced by a great family who we know, trust and love dearly in Oaxaca.

Do you remember first tasting mole?

I’ve been eating mole since I can remember. It’s really in my DNA. If you are from Oaxaca, like I am, chances are your family has their own version and recipe.  

Mole to our family is everything.

Did you ever consider giving up?

In the beginning of our journey, we thought selling online was a waste of time. There were weeks where we didn’t get a single sale. What got us through was the genuine belief that this was the path God had set forth for us. We know we are in this for the long haul, and there isn’t any other option but to keep moving forward.

What was your first entrepreneurial endeavor?

I was in high school and working at my parents' restaurant as a server. I had been doing that gig for so long and was just bored. I told my dad I didn’t want to do it anymore but I also knew I needed to figure out how to make money. For an entire summer, I got up early on weekends, drove to the flower market downtown and spent mornings at my parents' restaurant selling flowers to customers. I don’t know what the difference is between selling flowers and serving, but I had so much fun.

Who is your angel and why?

My great grandmother. She is the woman who taught my mom how to cook. If it wasn’t for her, our lives would be very different today.

What motivates you?

Fostering our culture and building on our family’s legacy.