Farmers Market Profile: Durazo’s Poco Loco Specialty Salsas

Everyone at the market knows and loves her.

Affectionately known as “The Salsa Lady,” if you’ve been to an Heirloom Farmers Market, you are sure to have seen her.

Adela Durazo, the heart and soul behind Durazo’s Poco Loco Specialty Salsas has been in business for over 20 years. What began as simple gifts of fruit salsa and occasional appearances at parties grew into people calling and asking for more. With a great product on her hands, she started looking for ways to sell it.

The first time Durazo set up to sell, she sold out in less than an hour. The second time she doubled the quantity and sold out within two hours. After about five years of selling at craft fairs, Durazo decided it was time to bring her salsas to Tucson farmers markets where she has been ever since.

Her first product, Stupid Hot Fruit Salsa, bursts with spice and is full of peaches, mangoes and pineapples. Since then, her line has expanded to include several other mouth-watering favorites.

Durazo’s full line-up includes:

• Fruit Salsa – available in mild, hot and “stupid hot”
• Pico de Gallo
• Guacamole
• Crab and Shrimp Dip
• Crab and Shrimp Ceviche
• Spicy Crema
• Watermelon, Cucumber and Jicama Salad (seasonal item May-August)

Participating and shopping at farmers markets is a passion for Durazo and she enjoys meeting the people that grow and make her food. There, she says, you’re able to appreciate the time and work it takes to bring quality food and ingredients to the community.

Durazo has built relationships with several local farms and also works with vendors at the farmers market to source her ingredients.

In her personal life, she strives for healthy, chemical free foods and carries this same philosophy into her business. When selecting ingredients, she focuses on pesticide and chemical free products and strives to stay as organic as possible.

Durazo makes all her salsas herself, cutting all of the fruit, chiles, and most of the vegetables by hand. Mondays and Tuesdays are dedicated to sourcing ingredients while Wednesdays and Thursdays are dedicated to making salsa.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday – Durazo’s favorite part of the week – are dedicated to selling at the three Heirloom markets at Trail Dust Town, Oro Valley and Rillito Park.

Repeat customers are her best salespeople. Often, they jump in when someone new tastes one of her products just to let them know how delicious it really is.

Durazo imparts much love into her salsas, of which she says, she couldn’t possibly choose a favorite. But the crowds tend to favor the original Fruit Salsa. And, two new products are in the works; Bloody Mary Mix and Tomatillo Green Chili Salsa, both expected out in the next year.

Blessed to have been able to turn a passion into a business, Durazo promises to keep making salsa as long as she still loves it.

For more information, visit Durazo’s Poco Loco Specialty Salsas on Facebook.