A Ready Foods History: Two Love Stories, One Manufacturing Company
The first love story is one for the ages. It starts with a young Mexican immigrant and an American teenage girl growing up in an orphanage. Luis Abarca came to the US from Mexico in the late 50’s early 60s. He had the American Dream on his mind and was ready to make it happen. He found himself living in Chicago with desires to head west to California where it was all happening. He hopped in his car and got about halfway there when it broke down, fortuitously in Denver, CO.
Martha Morrow had been living in an orphanage in Denver after her family was not able to keep her at home when her father was fighting in and returned injured from WWII. She eventually reunited with her mother and aunt in Denver and was attending classes at Emily Griffith School of Opportunity. And that’s where she met the stranded Luis Abarca. They both were looking to improve themselves through education.
The two eventually married and had 3 children in 3 consecutive years. They also worked on business adventures together. One of the first was a restaurant called La Fonda on West 38th Avenue in Wheat Ridge. It’s still there today, but not owned by the Abarcas. While operating the restaurant Luis and Martha came to discover that most restaurants had problems keeping cooks and getting the food consistent. The solution – start a commissary to make good Mexican food that could be served at any restaurant. After all, they already had the best green chile recipe in Denver!
This led to the start of Marco’s Mexican Foods in 1972. They began cooking in one part of the building under the Colfax viaduct near Mile High Stadium. They hired Mateo Covarrubias shortly thereafter and not only is he still working with us, but so is his son! From what I’ve heard from some long tenured employees, the beginning years were a little tough financially. Not to mention there were ghosts in that little plant under Colfax (a previous slaughterhouse). I never saw any, but it was creepy in the basement when the timed lights would go out!
After a few years, Luis and Martha bought another facility down the street on West Barberry Place and started making flour and corn tortillas. This is when they incorporated their business and it became Ready Foods, Inc. In the decades to come, Ready Foods has grown and opened four more plants in Denver and this year bought a new production building that will open in 2023.
The beauty of this love story is that Luis and Martha did not create or hoard this all for themselves. I don’t know if they ever foresaw a giant food empire or a billion dollar company. Having had the pleasure of knowing both of them, I don’t think that was the idea. Luis was an entrepreneur who loved sales, art and being creative. Martha was a quiet and thoughtful businessperson who wanted to make a difference. Together they built a company that first was there to serve consistent, good food and later also wanted to give its employees a leg up in the world. But more about that in a bit.
Now on to this second love story. This story is how a young woman fell in love with manufacturing.
In 1994 I was a senior in college in a small town in Minnesota. I was a Spanish major who was going to go on learning languages and become a world-renowned Interpreter for the United Nations. That’s when a classmate told me her dad’s company in a town about 45 minutes down the road needed a Spanish translator and interpreter for their Safety Department. “Safety Department?” What kind of company was this? Well, it’s Minnesota, so of course it’s where they make cross country skiing machines – NordicTrack. A big plant in a small rural town in central MN. I needed an internship, and this would do – and clearly, get me to the United Nations.
I started driving to Glencoe, MN twice a week to interpret for Safety meetings. Then translate Safety policies. Sometimes I got to go out on the floor to the assembly area, the paint room, shipping and receiving to interpret for employees. I learned Spanish words for earplugs, back belts, chemicals, MSDS’s. Then the word got around the office that the college girl could help out, so HR and Engineering started asking for translations or sitting in during investigations to interpret. When I graduated they asked me to keep coming. And by that time, I was hooked.
Four years prior I never would have thought about working in manufacturing – I had never even been in a plant before. But something about being part of making something tangible with really cool equipment or technology excited me. Meeting a truly diverse group of people made me feel at home. I learned I was pretty good at the combo of people and manufacturing. United Nations? Nah, I was now in love with manufacturing.
Fast forward a few years to December 1999. This is when the two loves stories join up. I saw an ad in the Denver Post for an HR Coordinator at Ready Foods. By this time I had been working in the staffing industry for large on-site contracts. Plastics, medical equipment, packing materials, amongst other manufacturing industries. I had a basic understanding of HR, and I knew Safety. Ready Foods was looking to hire its first dedicated HR professional. I spoke Spanish and wasn’t afraid during the plant tours. I guess I fit the bill and Marco Abarca, the oldest of those three children who was now running the company, gave me a chance.
We had about 70 employees and three small facilities. I faked my way through some things and was really good at others. And we grew - quickly. We were hiring so much that by October 2001 I got to hire Rosio Herrera to help me – she’s here today! We’re now at 300 employees with 3 larger facilities and one smaller one still going too.
The best part for me in this story is that I got to work with Martha Abarca for 7 years before she passed away. Martha was so wise, so caring and made sure it was about the employees. Every decision I was a part of, she made sure we took the employees’ benefit into consideration. In fact, the last time I spoke with her she told me, “Take care of the people”.
So that’s where we are today, taking care of the people. We have not perfected it, but it’s still at the center of what we are trying to accomplish. Ready Foods has great benefits, stability, decent wages. But most companies can say that. What I think makes us different, and dare say better, is that our hearts are in it.
And that is Two love stories for One manufacturing company.
Started in 1972, we are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year! Have a memory or story you’d like to share with us? Contact us below.