Born in Colombia and raised in Canada since 1990, María Angélica Pabón leads Sabor Latino, the family-owned Latin American supermarket founded by her parents in 2002. What began as a small shop run by immigrants learning the restaurant business from the ground up has grown into a trusted brand with locations in Montreal, Saint-Laurent, and Brossard, employing more than 100 people.
After completing a degree in biology, María Angélica took an active role in the family business and later pursued business administration studies to lead the company strategically.
In this exclusive interview with Americanos Magazine, she opens up about the challenges of managing a multicultural team, balancing family dynamics within the business, and staying strong during difficult days as a leader and mother. She highlights the importance of delegation, loyalty, and creating an authentic shopping experience rooted in Latin American nostalgia and quality.
Looking ahead, María Angélica dreams of turning Sabor Latino into a franchise and expanding to Ottawa, Quebec City, Manitoba, and Toronto. Her advice to fellow Latino entrepreneurs is clear: embrace the unknown, surround yourself with skilled people, and focus on doing things well rather than competing with others.