Grandpa's empanadas made from scratch in Puerto Rico, now sold by the box in Hope Mills
Rafael Gonzalez, known affectionately as “Felo,” has made empanadas from scratch at his factory in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, for more than 50 years.
His grandson Orlando Nieves Gonzalez, 26, is now bringing the family tradition to the Fayetteville area.
Together with his wife Lianabel Ruiz Guzman, 28, the younger Gonzalez owns Grandpa’s Empanadas, a Hope Mills shop that sells empanadas imported from his grandfather's factory, Elaboracion de Pastelillos Felo, to individuals and businesses.
The Hope Mills store’s opening in April marked the first time that the family’s empanadas, which are well-known in Puerto Rico, have been sold in the U.S.
At $40 per box of 20 to 25 frozen empanadas with fillings like chicken, beef, spicy chicken, spicy beef, pizza, and cheesy hot dog, the store sells thousands each month, Gonzalez said. Some customers purchase as many as nine boxes to share with family members, he said.
They keep for six months in the freezer, and after thawing in the fridge overnight, are ready to be deep-fried. Some customers air-fry or bake the 7-inch pastries, Guzman said.
“It's an anytime meal. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or if you have people coming to your house,” Gonzalez said.
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For many, empanadas are a nostalgic taste of home, he said. His wife, for example, had eaten his grandfather’s empanadas since childhood, long before she met her future husband in 2016. She worked alongside him for three years at the factory. Gonzalez started working there at just 12 years old.
From his time working for his grandfather, Gonzalez said, he gained a deep appreciation for quality ingredients, treating customers well and growing the business with care. That’s why, Gonzalez said, you won’t see Felo’s empanadas on grocery store shelves — because quality control is better when they control distribution.
Their mission is to help other small businesses thrive.
“A lot of people say thank you to my grandfather because they raised their family just by buying his empanadas and selling them,” he said.
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Grandpa's Empanadas are on the menu at My Heavenly Sweets, occasionally at Napkins and outside the area in eateries in Florida and Georgia. The couple plans to expand their footprint throughout the United States and are currently fielding inquiries from restaurants all over the East Coast, Guzman said.
Schools, sports groups and churches can also use the empanadas for fundraisers, Gonzalez said.
“Our mission is to help people because we know we have a good product,” he said.
The details
Location: 4730 U.S. Highway 301, Hope Mills
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday-Friday.
Phone: 910-705-9118
On the web: Grandpa’s Empanadas LLC on Facebook, @grandpasempanadas on Instagram
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Hope Mills couple sells Grandpa's Empanadas from Puerto Rico
