VOCATION FOR SERVICE For Ayala, success was ba- sed on cuxstomer service. From the beginning, she set out to ofer quality and attentive service. She remembers baking warm bread at the request of the workers who visited her small store. “What I love is ser- ving people,” she says. Tat philosophy, coupled with discipline and de- dication, cemented the growth of Teloloapan Meat Market. Today, as she kneads four in her tortilla plant, she insists that her children learn to do the work frst before taking on management responsibilities. EXPANSION WITH A FAMILY VISION Growth was possible thanks to opportunities she knew how to capitali- ze on. Eladia bought some stores from business ow- ners who could not con- tinue. Others were born after identifying strategic locations. Ayala says that instinct and confdence in the quality of his pro- ducts are key to choosing locations. Store number 11, the most recent, came about spontaneously. “I saw a sign that said ‘for rent’ and felt it was the right place,” he says. Tat deci- sion resulted in another successful branch. Te family plays a cen- tral role in the company. His three daughters stu- died business, adverti- sing, and administration, and today they are active partners. One of his sons works in logistics with his own warehouse, and the other in the oil industry. “Tey had the school of life and then the profes- sional school,” says Aya- la. Tat combination of practical experience and academic training has been decisive in consoli- dating the chain. With his daughters as partners, they decided to create a new type of store with a name that better refected the diversity of their customers and the new generations. Now the newer stores are ca- lled Telomarket. “We changed the colors of the new stores because Teloloapan has the colors of the Mexican fag, so for Telomarket we cho- se other colors, more eye-catching, showing innovation,” Ayala said. A BUSINESS WITH A PURPOSE Teloloapan Meat Mar- ket and Telomarket cu- rrently employ 240 peo- ple. Ayala spends time reassuring his workers, especially in the face of the political and econo- mic uncertainty faced by immigrants. “I tell them (the emplo- yees) not to worry, that everything will be okay. Tere is always a solution,” she says. Tis closeness to her team has strengthe- ned the sense of commu- nity within the company. In addition, customers have shown loyalty des- pite the difculties. Al- though some avoid the most dangerous times of day, they fnd ways to stock up in the after- noons and evenings. For Ayala, the community’s trust is a pillar of his suc- cess. INNOVATION AND THE FUTURE Te grocery chain is also committed to innovation. Ayala’s daughters partici- pate in conferences and stay current with new te- chnologies and manage- ment systems. According to Ayala, this collective efort ensures that Telo- loapan does not fall be- hind the competition. Te future, she says, is in the hands of the next generation. Her children are setting even more ambitious goals. “If you, without an education and without English, achieved so much, we have to do much more,” they tell her. Te vision is clear: to expand the company into a chain of dozens of stores, further strengthening its Hispa- nic presence in Houston. ...Continuation of page 52 AN EXAMPLE OF PERSEVERANCE Eladia Ayala’s story embodies the perse- verance of a woman who never gave up in the face of obsta- cles. From tamales in a Florida market to a chain of establi- shed supermarkets, her journey reflects discipline, vision, and commitment to the community. Today, as she con- tinues to knead flour for tortilla production and manage the ope- ration of 11 stores, she maintains the same energy that led her to become an en- trepreneur more than three decades ago. For her, the secret is simple: work with passion, take care of your people, and ne- ver miss an opportu- nity. “Opportunities come along, and when they do, you have to seize them,” says Ayala. Her story reveals that behind every store, every tortilla, and every satisfied customer, there is a woman who has transformed hard work into a lasting family and business legacy. 54�NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2025 ABASTO.COM