Journeys of Women in Business: Guadalupe Maldonado of Maldonados Traditional Mexican Food

Guadalupe Maldonado, affectionately known as Doña Lupita, is a trained teacher and one of the earliest collaborators of Adelante Mujeres. “What inspired me more than anything was wanting a future for my children, thinking that they had to go to college and, as a Latina mother, we always think about supporting our children with school expenses,” Lupita explains. 

Her entrepreneurial story began in 2000 at the Hillsboro swapping. In those first moments, she was uncertain: “I didn’t have a focus. I didn’t know what to sell. So I started with a clothing business, and the clothes didn’t sell,” she recalls. Her natural curiosity led her to explore other products, like original music CDs, always staying faithful to legality in an environment where many sold pirated goods. 

One day, a successful fruit and dessert vendor that her husband knew offered to sell his business to them. Although Lupita initially hesitated because she didn’t want to sell fruit, she seized the opportunity. After a trip to Mexico, she was inspired to sell raspados (shaved ice) and grated fruits, products that didn’t exist in the local Forest Grove market. With the help of her uncle, she learned recipes for tamarind, guava, mango, and pineapple syrups. Success was immediate and long lines formed to experience this traditional treat. Gradually, she expanded her offerings by incorporating aguas frescas, tamales, and quesadillas, flan, chocoflan, and esquites—always maintaining authenticity in her preparation.  

Carlos Lopez, Adelante Mujeres Empresas Program Manager; Guadalupe Maldonado owner of Maldonados Traditional Mexican Food 

In 2005 Bridget Cooke, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Adelante Mujeres, encouraged her to participate in the newly created Adelante Mujeres Farmer’s Market in Forest Grove. Although she initially had doubts about whether her products qualified as local, the support she received convinced her to give it a try. From that first day to the present, Doña Lupita hasn’t missed a single year at the market. Maldonados Traditional Mexican Food is a founding business at the market and is a benchmark of consistency and quality. 

In 2010, Lupita took a significant step by opening her first restaurant in Cornelius, which she named Acapulquito in honor of her hometown. The project represented the materialization of a dream backed by the support of friends, customers, and colleagues at Adelante Mujeres. However, the economic crisis and inflation drove operating costs to unsustainable levels. In less than a year, she had to close the restaurant after investing her savings and retirement fund. However, she did not give up. 

For Doña Lupita, the key to staying strong for two decades lies in consistency. “I always maintain quality, flavor, and excellent customer service. All my recipes are original, and they come from here,” she says, touching her chest and head with pride. “I teach my helpers to say thank you and smile. That also attracts customers.” This personalized attention, combined with delicious flavors and family participation helps the business thrive. 

Over the years her clientele has evolved. Although she initially served primarily the Latine community, today her regular customers are more diverse. “People who taste my food come back because they seek authentic flavor,” she explains. “I have customers who, when I have mole, buy mole every week. They value authentic Mexican food.” 

Currently, Doña Lupita is working with the Empresas program at Adelante Mujeres on relaunching the brand for Maldonados Traditional Mexican Food, starting with a new logo. The goal is to develop strategies that keep the business active throughout the year, avoiding the pauses that occur each season. Although the Acapulquito experience still makes her cautious, she doesn’t rule out opening a restaurant again: “If someone told me a restaurant would be successful, I would take the risk of opening it. Because I would like to reach more palates.” 

Doña Lupita has shown that the combination of faith, quality, and dedication can transform a simple market stand into a legacy that spans twenty years. “It’s better to take the risk than to stay wondering ‘should I do it or not.’ The important thing is to dare. Quality and authentic work open any door.” Her business helped secure her children’s educational future, and it has enriched the cultural fabric of the entire Forest Grove community, building bridges between cultures through flavor and keeping Mexican culinary traditions alive in Oregon. Today, Doña Lupita continues cooking and teaching— proof that dreams, when combined with hard work and authenticity, can flourish and endure over time.