Meet our founder
Bendito Chile was created by a hardworking, entrepreneurial mother: Doña Katia — or rather Doña Katy, as her close friends know her.
Born in Cartago, she and her two siblings were raised by their grandparents. At 16 she met her husband, affectionately known as "Don Shey"; they married and started a family together.
She was always an explorer in the kitchen, inventing her own recipes and reinventing many traditional ones. Raising four boys, she was always looking for ways to cook them "something different".
The venture
As her sons grew up, Doña Katy felt the need to reinvent herself. With no degrees in business or finance, but with all the experience of running a home, she set fear aside and started a project that began at her family table, at social gatherings and family events.
She knew that many people in her circle loved the famous "chileras" (traditional Costa Rican pepper sauces), so she began experimenting with recipes. After endless comments like "this sauce is delicious — you should sell it!", the idea was born as "Chile Doña Katy", as it was known in its early days.
The name
At first she felt unsure — she had no idea what starting a company meant. She put her project in prayer and asked God to guide her path.
In a very special way, the Bible story of 2 Kings 4, "The widow and the oil", came into her hands — and that is where a new name was born for what had started as a pastime among pots and spoons: Bendito Chile.
Today, with the unconditional support of her sons, Bendito Chile is a family project that has become an essential part of the table in many Costa Rican homes.
Our varieties
"I thank everyone who has supported me in one way or another; this project is the result of God and of the many angels I have met along the way. This is where God's promise of leaving a company to my children and grandchildren begins to come true. I invite you to try them — and may they never be missing from your table."With much love — Doña Katy