Think of a customer at the food shelf in a retail store, scanning row after row for seasonings and pantry staples. That shopper has only a few seconds to decide whether a product feels worth taking home based on quality and presentation. When both align, the product earns the consumer’s confidence. In a crowded aisle where budgets are tight and choices are endless, that split-second trust is what keeps shoppers coming back. That is exactly where Mi Costenita earns its place on the shelf. The company supplies high-quality dried peppers, spices, seasonings, candies, snacks, and salsas to retailers across the country. About 80 percent of its customers are small, independent grocers, while the remaining 20 percent includes major chains such as Walmart, Albertsons, Kroger, Piggly Wiggly, and Heritage Grocers. For the past thirty years, the company has operated with the belief that great pantry staples start with uncompromising quality and end with a product that looks as good as it is. “Porque lo más importante es usted - Because what matters most is you,” says Juan Valerio, CEO of Mi Costenita. That commitment shows up in everything Mi Costenita does, from sourcing only products that meet its standards, to designing bold, culturally rooted packaging, to keeping shelves stocked exactly when retailers need them.

When consumers repeatedly reach for the same product, brand value is built. For many food companies, achieving that repeat purchase is the hardest outcome to design. Success is not just about flavor, it requires balancing manufacturability, cost, shelf life, packaging, and how a product fits into consumers’ routines. Integrated Culinary Systems (ICS) partners with food brands to navigate these challenges, embedding its culinary and R&D expertise into clients’ development processes. Working side by side with internal teams, the company aligns with a brand’s vision and integrates operational, commercial, and culinary insight to develop, refine, commercialize, and launch high-performing products with crave appeal. From concept ideation and formulation to packaging, marketing, and sales support, ICS ensures every product resonates with consumers and performs seamlessly across the supply chain. “Our passion and understanding of food help us create products that truly connect with consumers, whether in food service or retail,” says Michael Robins, president. A well-respected leader in his field, Robins is one of fewer than 75 globally certified Master Chefs with over 40 years of R&D experience. That blend of craft and commercial fluency defines how ICS approaches every project, every client, and every challenge. The company acts as an à la carte partner, offering tailored solutions to a range of needs. Whether it is solving a shelf-life issue by rethinking ingredients within tight declaration constraints, designing recipe formulations for a new processing line, or addressing a marketing or packaging challenge, ICS is equipped to deliver. With a chef’s eye for presentation and an engineer’s mind for scale, the company ensures solutions that meet both culinary and operational requirements..