From Food Cart to Franchise: How One Santiago Entrepreneur Is Reshaping the City's Street Food Scene

When Catalina Morales first wheeled her metal cart onto Calle Merced in Lastarria five years ago, she had CLP $800,000 in savings, a family recipe, and an ambition that far outpaced her initial inventory. Today, her business—Empanadas Raíces—operates seven locations across Santiago and has generated an estimated CLP 2.2 billion in annual revenue, employing over 40 staff members.

What began as a one-woman operation selling traditional Chilean empanadas has evolved into a case study in thoughtful entrepreneurship. Unlike competitors who chase high-volume production, Morales maintained her commitment to hand-rolled dough and slow-cooked fillings, a philosophy that has attracted loyal customers and recently caught the attention of several regional investors.

"The market was crowded, but there was space for authenticity," Morales explained during a recent visit to her flagship location near Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro. The shop, which opened in 2023 after her initial street success, now serves approximately 400 customers daily and has become a quiet fixture of the neighbourhood's gastronomic revival.

Her expansion strategy reveals a disciplined approach uncommon among fast-growing food businesses. Rather than rapid franchising, Morales has opened each new location—including branches in Ñuñoa, Providencia, and Quinta Normal—only after establishing reliable supply chains and training teams to her standards. The average unit generates CLP 280 million annually, with margins that remain healthy despite premium pricing (empanadas range from CLP 3,500 to 5,200).

The success hasn't gone unnoticed by the broader Santiago business community. Last month, she was recognised at the Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Excellence Awards, one of only three women honoured in the food and beverage category. Industry analysts credit her rise to a willingness to invest in her team—staff retention runs at 78 percent, significantly above the sector average of 45 percent—and an authentic engagement with her neighbourhood.

Looking ahead, Morales is cautious about further expansion. She's currently exploring a partnership with a local culinary institute to develop a formal training programme, suggesting her ambitions extend beyond her own empire. "I want to help other people do this," she said. "There are so many talented cooks in Santiago without access to capital or knowledge. That's where I can make a real difference."

For a city watching its small business sector navigate post-pandemic recovery, Catalina Morales's story offers something increasingly rare: evidence that patience, quality, and community investment still yield dividends.

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