Valeria Rivera grew up in Mexico where wafers—obleas— are an all-time favorite snack for celebrations. After moving to America, she noticed there were no wafers here, so along with a partner, they co-founded Cromchies to bring Hispanic families a taste of home and to introduce the fun and healthy snack to locals, but with a twist. That was a little more than two years ago.
From Chula Vista, Rivera said that the original version of this popular Mexican treat was made with white flour, artificial coloring, with nothing healthy in the product.
“My company Cromchies is a healthy version of that kind of treat,’ she said. “It is made of amaranth flour, a super-food grain, they are vegan, sugar free, we add a little vanilla, cinnamon, and we have four different flavors. Amaranth, chocolate, berries, and coffee. All our ingredients are natural.”
Rivera said Cromchies does not have a storefront, but they can be purchased online, and she has several points of sale throughout the county in coffee shops, juice bars, and natural markets.
“For Hispanic people, almost everyone knows this product,” she said. “When they find this kind of treat that is not sold in the U.S., they are a bit nostalgic and happy in having this kind of product. Also, with these wafers, you can add toppings with your favorite spreads like almond butter, Nutella, ice cream, or you can make your own creations.”
Rivera said Cromchies is a healthy snack option.
“They are a wafer cookie,” she said. “They are thin, but they do not break if you add some spreads. It is a small package with about 30 wafers. The good part is if you want something sweet during your day, it only has 110 calories for the whole pack. They are also a very good healthy choice for kids.”
Rivera said one of its most popular sales stores is La Fresheria, a balanced-food and tasty restaurant with four branches. She said you can also find them in Coronado at the Coronado Coffee Company.
