Mi Tienda store manager on how employees help shape H-E-B's Latino brand

When Manny Colunga started working at H-E-B after high school, he didn't expect the job to become such a large part of his life.

"My goal was just to work three months while I was going to school," Colunga told Mando Rayo, host of the podcast. "My dad was struggling while I was going to college and I said, 'Dad, don't worry about it, I'm going to help you out. I'm going to go work at H-E-B.'"

Three years later, Colunga was promoted to produce manager and he continued to move up in ranks. Today, he manages the Mi Tienda grocery store in Houston. H-E-B opened the store to offer a curated selection of ingredients and grocery items for its large number of Latino and Hispanic customers.

In the latest episode of , Colunga gives a tour of the store and talks with Rayo about the nuances of building community around a hub for food. They discuss the difference it makes to be able to access the ingredients of your cultural cuisine.

"Back in 2005, the projections for the Latino population [in Texas] were going to skyrocket," Colunga said. "So we wanted to give a store to that customer and give them the authentic feel, the right assortment, the things that they're looking for that you may not find at a regular H-E-B."

Colunga said Mi Tienda is one of H-E-B's fastest-growing brands. It is the latest of H-E-B's offshoot grocery brands, like Central Market and H-E-B Plus, that aim to serve the needs of demographic-specific customers.

The brand's success has felt personal for Colunga.

"It's been one of the biggest success stories in my career," he said, "to be part of this beautiful store concept ... and to see the Mi Tienda brand grow."

As they walk through the aisles of the store, Colunga pointed out food items like the Mi Tienda brand of salsas, as well as areas of the store that reflect employees' ideas.

"When people come here for the very first time, they say, well, this is an authentic store—that there's a good vibe here," Colunga said. "Partners are the ones that make the vibe."

Along with curating the ambiance at the Mi Tienda store, Colunga said his store associates curate the selection of Mi Tienda branded grocery items on H-E-B shelves across Texas.

"My partners played a role in creating that product," Colunga said. "It's such a good feeling whenever a partner has an idea and it just flourishes."

According to Colunga, it can sometimes take as long as six months of employee taste-testing before a product hits H-E-B shelves. He said the process is worth it for everyone involved.

"We know that customers are going to try that product somewhere else and they want that taste," he said.

Colunga said the team takes pride in seeing their ideas and culture reflected through the Mi Tienda brand.

"My partners played a role in creating that product," he said. "It's such a good feeling whenever a partner has an idea and it just flourishes."

Even though the store is in Houston, the products H-E-B developed in collaboration with Mi Tienda employees can be seen on shelves across Texas.