West Coast Clients: Israel Martinez and Pablo Rosado
Years ago, Israel Martinez and Pablo Rosado toyed with the idea of going into business together with the purpose of making a difference in their community. They were serving in the U.S. Navy when the idea struck. As veterans nearing retirement after 20 years of military service, they asked themselves how they could continue to serve their country and productively utilize their combined experience of 45 years in leadership and management.
They asked themselves – “How can we make a difference in America, to impact people of all ages and have a great time along the journey?” Israel had graduated years before from The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Tampa and had expert knowledge in a range of cuisines, from Mexican to Middle Eastern. The answer they came up with: open a restaurant in Land O’ Lakes for a fast-paced American consumer base, encompassing a fun culture, inspiring a healthy lifestyle, providing fresh and reasonably priced products, emphasizing sports nutrition, and advocating for community service.
In 2016, Israel and Pablo opened Healthy & Fresco after having developed its concept from scratch, as well as a business plan, standard operating procedures, a full menu, and managed the construction of the restaurant from start to finish. They brought on board 12 employees and it was smooth sailing for the team until Israel and Pablo decided they could do more.
In October 2019, they came to Prospera seeking assistance for a new marketing strategy for Healthy & Fresco. They were awarded a grant for a marketing and sales plan in November and have since then remained actively involved with Prospera. They recently served as panelists on our business seminar about the food industry in Tampa Bay, where they shared their success story with fellow Prospera clients.
Israel and Pablo have big plans for the future of Healthy & Fresco. With their ever-increasing customer base and community support, they have high hopes to boost their capital and expand their restaurant to continue to inspire healthy eating, healthy living, and a commitment to service for all.
To learn more about Healthy & Fresco, visit healthyandfresco.com
