About Us
About Us
History of Raspado Xpress
The Beginning
RaspadoXpress began in 2001 with a cart outside of El Tigre Market on Laurel Canyon and Osborne boulevard. Our family came to Los Angeles as immigrants not only to follow the American Dream, but also to survive and put food on the table. When we first arrived in LA our reality was sink or swim. At the time, we faced an uphill battle with everything imaginable. The idea for "RaspadoXpress" began when my father, a simple street vendor, was selling raspados in Pacoima.
If you were to ask my Mother, Lourdes, why her raspados tastes so good, she would say 'Por que los hice con amor' ('Because it's made with love'). If you ask my brothers, Oscar, Octavio, and myself, Omar Limon, why raspados tastes so good, we would say, "It's the consistency, quality and above all else, it is mastering a niche!" We believe that the 'niche' is blending the product, 'raspados' with our community and our culture.
Soon after the success of the street cart, we decided to take this venture to the next level by opening the first raspado shop in the San Fernando Valley, across the street from where the initial cart once stood. With twenty flavors on the menu, RaspadoXpress opened its doors to the public in 2002.
The Journey
The path to progress had many hurdles but we were determined to forge ahead. Establishing RaspadoXpress was not easy! We had no money! We couldn't go to the bank, so we turned to our family and friends for help! We had a book full of secret family recipes, we had determination, we had the support of family and friends and that led to success, even in the first year of business. Many of our learnings where through trial and error. The restaurant business was new to us and we made mistakes, but we held strong and survived!
The Expansion
The work ethic of our family is the reason why we could expand! Watching my mother work 90-plus hours per week without any complaint was truly the backbone of the companies success. Working this hard took her away from her duties at home. She told me once, 'I feel bad because I haven't been a mother for two years, but my focus has to go into becoming a strong leader/ owner of this store because I need to provide for you'. The years have proven that our formula is successful but this couldn't have been possible without our employees help. Expanding the RaspadoXpress idea to our extended family, gave us the opportunity to open eleven locations in ten years, from Sylmar to Pomona. In the near future we want to expand to different regions and brand our name across different cultures by creating new products and flavors to bring diversity to our consumers.
The New Decade
Today, we have broadened the idea of the Company and taken it to the next level. Catering for large events and introducing a cozy winter menu that includes delicious fruit filled crepes, mexican hot chocolate and the traditional 'cafe de olla' is where we are now! Our company values and goals are still as strong as they were at the beginning of our journey; we strive to maintain the best tasting raspados in the world, one raspado at a time!
Success is a journey, not a destination.