South LA resident turns adversity into a business opportunity



Patrick Thelen
Associate Editor

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Veronica Hendrix

There are no coincidences in life. Things always happen for a reason. At least, that´s how it seems when we look at Veronica Hendrix, a South LA resident who opened a spice store named Bromont Avenue Foods in 2009.

In 2006, Ms. Hendrix went to the doctor for a routine exam and was diagnosed with high blood pressure. She was told that she needed to change her life style. This meant decreasing her levels of stress, creating exercise routines and changing her food habits.

“I had to give up salt, and like a lot of us I was addicted to salt. It was crushing to find out I had such a high blood pressure,” said Ms. Hendrix. “However, instead of getting mad, I decided to get nifty and told myself that I was going to create my own salt substitute.”

After much experimenting, she created a spice that would blend deliciously with different types of food. “One day, one of my girlfriends tasted my spice, loved it, and said that I should try to sell it. I had never considered that idea before.”

Ms. Hendrix, a journalist who works as a Public Information Officer for a government agency, took her friend´s advice very seriously. As she had no past entrepreneurial experience, she began doing research to find out exactly what had to be done to open her own company. She also did a number of focus groups and invited people over to try her product.

After a lot of hard work, Bromont Avenue Foods opened as an online store. The company is named after the street Ms. Hendrix was brought up on, located in the San Fernando Valley.

The “Spice Lady” develops her business

Ms. Hendrix, also known as the “Spice Lady” among her friends and customers, opened her online store with only one product: a flavorful mix of over 20 ingredients she calls Red Velvet Gourmet Spice Rub and Seasoning. Although her spice was thoroughly enjoyed by those who consumed it, she was having a hard time getting her product sold in retail stores.

“I began having conversations with representatives of Bristol Farms. These people told me that if I wanted to get my product in a large retailer, I would need to come up with new spices.”

Following their advice, at the end of 2009, Ms. Hendrix created a new product called Velvet Noir Gourmet Spice Rub and Seasoning. “After doing some research, I found out that men wanted something a little more robust in flavor; that´s how I came across the Velvet Noir.”

As soon as the Velvet Noir came out on the market, the “Spice Lady” decided to jump into a new challenge and began writing a recipe book entitled “Red Velvet Gourmet Rub and Seasoning: Heart Healthy recipes.” The book published at the end of 2011 required a lot of dedication.

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Ms. Hendrix’s recipe book

“While writing the book I became a cooking maniac. Each recipe I include has a colored picture that shows how it looks. My goal was to have people understand that a spice rub is a versatile product that does not have to be used only for barbecue grilling. My spices can be mixed with chicken, fish, pork chops, roasted vegetables, chili and even desserts,” said Ms. Hendrix.

This year has been very important for the development of Bromont Avenue Foods. The company has stopped selling products exclusively on-line. Both the Red Velvet and the Velvet Noir are being sold at the Santa Monica Seafood Market and Cafe and the Simply Wholesome Health Food Store and Restaurant in Los Angeles.

Ms. Hendrix recently created a new spice named Velvet Calor. As soon as her label is printed she will begin selling the new product. The “Spice Lady” –who also likes to be called the “Spice Maiden” –is currently working on developing two additional blends. One will have a smoky flavor and the other will be only for sea food. “In the long run, my goal is to have seven or eight products,” she says.

Going global

During the last months, Ms. Hendrix has been attending several trade missions and events. Through these experiences she has learned a lot about foreign markets and what needs to be done before she can begin exporting her products.

“Morocco, Dubai, Brazil and India are some of the countries that have shown interest. I predict that at some point in the next 12 months, I will be exporting my products to another country.”

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