Maria Corina Salama and her husband, Salomon Del Valle, left their restaurant businesses in Venezuela to fulfill their dream of coming to America. When they arrived, they agreed they would never be in the food industry again. By Cindy Charette
Maria Corina Salama and her husband, Salomon Del Valle, left their restaurant businesses in Venezuela to fulfill their dream of coming to America. When they arrived, they agreed they would never be in the food industry again. However, the couple eventually realized food was what they knew best and loved most. When the time was right, Del Valle, who came up with the brand’s milkshake concept, and Salama opened their first milkshake and sweet treats business, Holy Shakes, in Doral, Florida, in 2019.
Holy Shakes’ artisan-styled milkshakes and toppings caught on, and the business grew quickly. Despite being in a location with little traffic, Holy Shakes became so popular that the couple eventually needed to ask additional family members, including a sister-in-law, brother-in-law and cousin, for help. The three families now love working together, and each family member has a specific role. Salama handles the overall store management and administration, as well as finance, marketing and branding. Her husband covers inventory, supply purchases and vendor negotiations. Salama’s sister-in-law, Arlette Del Valle, and her husband, Pedro Urbina, handle store operations – creating shakes, talking with customers, and running the register. Cousin Liliusca Bencomo takes care of making the store look beautiful.
Customers wait in long lines for Holy Shakes and are always asking when more stores will be opening. Salama said: “We noticed we could be a real hit because everybody loves the shakes.”
Based on the success and growth of their business, the decision was made to open additional stores through franchising. Salama added, “We want to grow big, and the best way to do it is through franchising. We want to focus on being franchisors and helping the franchisees.”
Holy Shakes is designed to be run very easily, and even though the completed shakes look more like artwork, they can be made in only a few minutes. Salama said: “We feel we have the best new shakes on the market, and we work with the best ingredients made in-house to make sure everything is perfect.” Shakes come ready to serve, and then buildable custom toppings are added. Additional menu items are also available, such as sundaes, drinks, and espressos.
For more information about a Holy Shakes franchise, visit holy-shakes.com.
– Cindy Charette