Meet the Maker: Sofia Hernandez of Josefa Cajeta

When I asked Sofia Hernandez, founder of Josefa Cajeta, what her favorite way of enjoying cajeta is (a traditional Mexican caramel made with goat's milk), her answer was as authentic as it gets. "I open the jar, take a huge scoop on a spoon and top it with a pecan and eat it just like that!" She went on to explain that it is the way she remembers enjoying it as a child growing up in México. Sofia's father is a third generation cajeta maker. He carried on the tradition from his father and grandfather, conserving an almost 100 year old family recipe! Sofia became the first woman in her family to pursue the family business of cajeta. Her grandfather and great grandfather, both named Jose, inspired the name Josefa... Jose + jefa (boss/owner). 

The story of how Sofia launched Josefa Cajeta at the beginning of 2021 is truly impressive in multiple ways. With its beautiful packaging and consistent product, I was shocked to learn Josefa is so new on the market. It goes to show how development and business planning around a product can have a great impact on the success of bringing an idea to fruition. 

Sofia pursued her MBA at UCLA, where she and a team of four other women in her program created Josefa as a project. It was through the excitement of telling her family’s story and being the first woman in her family to bring their cajeta recipe from her hometown in San Luis Potosí, México to the U.S. as a business venture that she decided she wanted to dedicate her career to launching and building this brand. 

After just a few months from launching, Josefa Cajeta can now be found at several specialty grocery stores and online and it's quickly becoming the premier cajeta in the U.S. It is still a family owned business with Sofia's father and sister running operations in México, while she runs distribution in Los Angeles. Their unique recipe uses agave as a sweetener, in addition to cane sugar. Other than those two ingredients, it's made with goat's milk that is sourced from over 100 different farmers in México. It is truly delicious and is a wonderful addition for your next picnic spread or just as a pantry staple to dip your summer strawberries in.

Check out www.enjoyjosefa.com for all three flavors, or get the Original Flavor in our shop now. It's also available in the Cocina Kit along with some of our other favorite specialty products, like Mexican Vanilla by Lola's Cocina, Proyecto Diaz Coffee, and Rancho Gordo Heirloom Beans. 

Also, check out Sofia's Top 10 Songs that make her feel connected to Mexico here.