Meet Vicente Mendoza

We had the good fortune of connecting with Vicente Mendoza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vicente, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea for Elotes Mendoza was born at a local fair in 2018. I was waiting in line for roasted corn on the cob and noticed the crowd people were happily paying $5 per cob, and the line kept growing. I couldn’t stop thinking, “This could be me.” Six months later, I bought a corn cart off Facebook Marketplace and signed my first vending contract at the Garibaldi Bazaar in Dallas. That moment sparked the beginning of my journey as a small business owner.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We’ve been in the roasted corn business for almost 7 years. The first 3 were the toughest—no profit, just scraping by and learning through trial and error. But everything changed when I finally took the leap and invested in a small corn roaster trailer. That decision made us more mobile and opened up new opportunities.

I’d say that’s when the business really started to take off. What set us apart was our ability to move beyond the bazaar, where I had been one of 14 corn carts competing for the same crowd. With the knowledge and experience I had gained, I was finally able to serve an entirely new market—one that needed a high-quality, mobile roasted corn business.
It was not easy I had to learn how to drive a trailer something very new to me, pull permits in a whole different city, and it was in an unfamiliar area.
I also had no clue about how to market my brand on social media either

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a huge foodie and enjoy trying new spots I have a good list of where I would take a friend.
Tacos – La cottorra in Garland (best trompo tacos)
-La Salsa Verde (variety of meats)
Late night bite
-fortune house in lower Greenville Chinese cuisine open til 12
Night out
-vidorra in Addison (great drinks and food)
Bbq
-Hutchins bbq in McKinney for the best bbq (recommend the “Texas Twinkie”
Saturday morning vibe
-Cedar Market Ranch fresh produce, farmer market vibe with different vendors every week

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I had a mentor at the bazaar who truly changed the course of my business journey. After a year of trial and error with just a boiled corn cart, they sold me my very first roasted corn cart. That mentor was part of the Garcia family, who played a huge role in my growth. They guided me through everything—from where to source the freshest corn to how to properly roast it. They believed in me as a young entrepreneur and helped me get the ball rolling. Without their support, Elotes Mendoza wouldn’t be where it is today.

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