By: Samantha Rojewski

“So when I was in third grade, I can remember this. I had a feeling that one day I’d be able to repay back all of my mother and father’s sacrifices,” Mario Guadron Jr. said when asked how Anna’s Papusas began.

Recognizing that his mother’s recipes could fill a niche in the Lincoln food scene, Mario Jr. encouraged his parents to start their entrepreneurial journey in 2020. Anna’s Papusas is now a successful eatery run by Mario Guadron Sr. and his wife Anna, with help from their son, Mario Jr., and daughter-in-law Kiara.

Anna’s life had many challenges. Losing her mother at 7 years old, she and her sisters had to make sacrifices to help provide for their family. With few opportunities or resources in El Salvador, Mario Sr. and Anna immigrated to Grand Island and worked in a meatpacking plant for over 25 years. However, Anna’s passion was always cooking.

“She’s always cooked for holidays, all of them, every single one of them. [Her] food was the center of it all,” Mario Jr. said. Anna’s masterful skill and love for traditional Salvadorian dishes gave the business a competitive edge, but the family’s willingness to take risks with traditional flavors especially sets them apart. From traditional bean and cheese or chicharron with cheese to spicy honey chicken, Anna’s Papusas offers food never-before-seen in Lincoln.

The Guadrons sold their house and poured their life savings into creating Anna’s Papusas. There were many instances where they could have quit, but they were determined to emerge from the process debt-free. This entailed paying cash for their food truck instead of leasing a traditional commercial space. Through GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center, Anna’s Papusas received a Nebraska Small Business Assistance Act (NSBAA) grant. This allowed them to obtain essential large equipment like refrigerators and a new grill within a much shorter period than would have been possible otherwise.

Moving forward, the Guadrons are focused on connecting with more local wholesale and supplier opportunities. In addition, they hope to transition to solar power over the next several years. Ultimately, Anna’s Papusas is driven to carve the way for other small businesses to generate the same level of financial sustainability they’ve achieved.