Meet the brother-sister duo who built a Bolivian snack brand during the COVID; the business is now targeting $500,000 in revenue

Carlos and Christina Schenstrom turned a long-standing idea into a business when the pandemic gave them time to revisit their dream of bringing a taste of Bolivia to the US. In 2021, the brother and sister launched Cassavida, a snack company centred on cuñapés, a traditional Bolivian bite made with cassava starch and cheese. In an interview with Entrepreneur, the siblings said the business is now targeting $500,000 in revenue for 2026 after a rebrand and entry into Sprouts program in 2025. What started without experience in the US food industry has since become a full-time venture.How did the siblings build their Bolivian snack brand during the pandemicThe idea for Cassavida had been discussed by Carlos and Christina since their college years at the University of Kansas. They had wanted to introduce American consumers to Bolivian food, and cuñapés stood out as a natural starting point.The snack is small, crunchy and cheesy, and is made using cassava and artisan cheese. The official website of Cassavida describes it as a food that reflects the company’s wider aim of introducing people to Bolivia through its flavours and culinary traditions. The website reports that Bolivia’s food culture contains many traditions that remain relatively unknown outside the country.When the pandemic slowed their normal routines, the siblings decided to finally pursue the idea. Neither of them had experience in consumer food products or the US snack market, but they began building the business anyway.The early business required a much larger investmentThe first steps involved finding advisers who could help the siblings understand an unfamiliar industry. The siblings said in the interview with Entrepreneur that branding became an early focus for them, while the initial investment was about $200,000.By 2023, they recognised that building the business would require considerably more money and resources. They later worked with California-based agency Dayjob on a rebrand and also built their own manufacturing facility in Bolivia.The siblings told Entrepreneur that they had invested just under $1 million in bringing Cassavida to life. The scale of that investment shows how different turning a food idea into a functioning brand can be from simply creating a product at home.What makes Cassavida different from an ordinary snack brandCassavida is built around more than the snack itself. On its website, the company says its mission is to introduce people to what it describes as Bolivia’s unexpected greatness, beginning with food.The company also highlights the farms behind some of its ingredients. Cassavida website reports that it supports small family farms and regenerative agricultural practices, including dairy farming where cows can move freely, remain with their calves and eat naturally on grass rather than relying on grain as a substitute.The product range has also expanded beyond the original cheese version. The company currently lists Classic Cheese, Rosemary Garlic, Spicy Andean Ají varieties and more. The Spicy Andean Ají version uses locoto pepper, which Cassavida says has been used in the Andes for generations.The 2025 rebrand changed the business trajectoryA major turning point came in mid-2025, when the siblings relaunched the company following its rebrand and entered Sprouts’ Innovation programme.According to the interview, Cassavida’s annual sales had remained below $50,000 before the relaunch. The business had generated more than $100,000 during 2025 and was projected to finish the year at around $150,000.The change was not simply about getting the snack into more places. The rebranding process helped the siblings better understand the purpose behind the company. They described their broader ambition as becoming an unofficial food tourism board for Bolivia by encouraging pride in the country and curiosity about it abroad.Why the siblings are taking a focused approach to growthCassavida’s expansion has not been based on trying to enter every possible shop at once. Carlos said in the interview that the company prefers to build its presence carefully, beginning in specific regions and working with retailers that fit its product and brand.That approach is particularly important for a young food company because gaining shelf space is only one part of the challenge. The business also needs enough sales to justify remaining there. The siblings said they want to build strong sales in selected locations before expanding further. New opportunities arrived in 2025 through Sprouts and plans to grow across Southern California and online.The Schenstroms have moved from treating Cassavida as a side project to making it their full-time focus. Carlos now spends most of his working week on production, marketing, operations and planning, while Christina focuses on brand strategy, marketing and public relations.The siblings also continue learning about the food industry and meeting other professionals. For Cassavida, the growth is also tied to a larger purpose of putting a distinctly Bolivian snack on more US shelves while giving consumers an introduction to a food tradition they may not have encountered before.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.