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Track record

The record behind the advice.

Before and alongside Practical Solutions, Nacho Varela ran supply chain, manufacturing and operations for food companies. These are the projects and roles, what he did in them and what changed.

Track record

  • Consulting project

    Northgate Markets · 2023

    A 110,000 sq ft commissary for 45 supermarkets

    Consulting project, Practical Solutions

    • Designed a USDA/FDA commissary for raw proteins, ready-to-eat and WIP products
    • Added a tamal area built for 60,000 tamales per shift
    • Ran the plant for its first six months, then handed it to a new management team

    Read the full record: Northgate Markets

  • Everytable · 2020–2021

    7.6× daily output in seven weeks

    Vice President of Supply Chain, Manufacturing and R&D

    • Opened a new 35,000 sq ft FDA facility and hired 250+ employees
    • Built quality assurance and sanitation departments from scratch
    • Helped the company turn profitable for the first time in five years, within six months

    Read the full record: Everytable

  • Lemonade Restaurant Group · 2018–2020

    Three commissaries became one

    Vice President of Supply Chain, Manufacturing and R&D

    • Designed a commissary built to support 120–130 restaurants
    • Wrote the industrial recipes and COGS sheets behind the company's first accurate P&L
    • Scored 98.5 on the plant's first third-party audit

    Read the full record: Lemonade Restaurant Group

  • Del Real Foods · 2010–2012

    A turnaround in twelve months

    Vice President of Operations

    • Over $1M saved on labor, overtime and double time with new schedules
    • Food cost cut by more than 5.2% through portion control of cooked proteins
    • Over $300K saved on workers' compensation premiums through safety training

    Read the full record: Del Real Foods

  • Real Mex Foods · 1999–2010

    Built the plant, then its outside sales

    Senior Vice President of Operations, Sales and Research & Development

    • Designed, opened and managed the entire operation
    • Outside manufacturing sales grown from $80K to $128M a year
    • Plant EBITDA taken to 12% and sustained

    Read the full record: Real Mex Foods

  • Tomatek · 2013–2015

    A union plant at full seasonal scale

    General Manager

    • 380 full-time employees and 1,600 during fresh-pack season
    • Total incident rate cut from 2.70 to 1.40
    • Negotiated the 2015 union contract with Teamsters DC 2

    Read the full record: Tomatek

Before manufacturing: twenty years in kitchens.

From 1977 to 1999 Nacho was an executive chef and R&D leader for restaurant chains including El Torito, Sizzler, Ninfa's, Joe's Crab Shack and American Golf. That background is why his plants make food that still tastes like the recipe.

Read Nacho's full background

Facing something similar?

Tell us about your operation and what you need to change. We'll tell you honestly whether we can help.

Start a conversationBook a call with Nacho562.234.1322