Her story began when, at the age of 12, she chose a vegan lifestyle out of personal conviction. However, at that time, plant-based products were practically nonexistent in Argentina, and her diet was limited to just a few options.
She wondered why she couldn't create a vegan alfajor, an iconic product in Argentina but without any animal-derived ingredients. With this idea in mind, she started experimenting in her kitchen, making vegan cakes, empanadas, and pies that were tasted and approved by family and friends.
However, the road to success was not easy. Back then, ten years ago, veganism was a little-known term, and health food stores were not familiar with these products. Lucía worked hard to raise awareness about the importance of having vegan options and took the time to explain her proposal, but she didn't get the interest she had hoped for.
But Lucía didn't give up. She decided to transform a classic Argentine product, the alfajor, into its vegan version. That's how "Un Rincón Vegano" (A Vegan Corner) was born, a name that reflected her tireless search for a space for her products on the shelves.
The twist of fate came suddenly and unexpectedly. The initial indifference turned into enthusiasm, and Lucía began working tirelessly with her parents and her boyfriend to meet the growing demand. "The alfajor started to appear in more places, demand escalated, and it became part of people's lives," she says with a satisfied smile.
Lucía's alfajores are 100% vegan, without eggs, dairy, soy, trans fats, or cholesterol. Her focus is on offering the same traditional flavors but with ingredients that don't come from animals.
Over the years, Un Rincón Vegano expanded from local stores in Berazategui to the city of La Plata and finally to Buenos Aires. Word of mouth played an essential role in its growth.
However, like any entrepreneur in Argentina, Lucía has faced economic challenges, especially during times of crisis. "It's all uphill, and every time there's an economic crisis or the dollar goes up, it's a headache," she admits. Despite the difficulties, she has never stopped investing in her country.
Vegan Alfajores in the US
After two years of research, paperwork, and approvals, Un Rincón Vegano has just completed its first export to the United States. "I have meetings with distributors to see which chains we can place the product in because here they don't work as much with health food stores but with big chains. And that's more challenging," explains Mariño from Miami.
The first shipment to the US market consisted of two pallets of alfajores. Now, she comments, she wants to add machinery to simplify production and increase volume. "We're not closing ourselves off to exporting to other countries, like Chile or Uruguay. We've had conversations with Peru already. What we want most is to be able to increase production," she emphasizes.