When Mothers Day is also Bosses Day
A mother-daughter team successfully navigate the recession at the helm of a successful cheese manufacturer

While many businesses are slowing down, a Houston company is doing just the opposite.

Castro Cheese Company, maker of "La Vaquita" products, continues to grow expanding to new markets. Moreover, "La Vaquita" recently reduced the price of its products to pass on savings from recent decreases on the price of milk.

That alone would make for an unusual story, but what makes it more interesting is that the company is being operated by the mother and daughter team of Maria Castro, CEO and founder, and Elizabeth Castro Gray, VP of Marketing and Sales.

"My mother founded "La Vaquita" over 30 years ago driven by her desire to give her daughters the education she couldn't receive as a child, said Elizabeth.

"Her dream was to attend college and earn a medical degree. At that time, her parents couldn't afford to send her to school."

"My mom wanted to give us a better life. She came to America for this reason. In a way, she started the company to be a better mom," said Elizabeth.

According to Elizabeth Castro, the key to the success of their partnership is that they share the same approach to life and work. They also focus on keeping their relationship very professional.

Both mother and daughter realize the importance of establishing a strong connection with their customers. "We receive lots of e-mails from Hispanic and non-Hispanic customers telling us how much they love our cheese.

We pour our love, our culture, our heritage, into making our Queso Fresco and all of our products. And in these products, our customers find the flavors, the tastes, the smells, the memories that take us back to our roots. Back to our mothers' kitchens. That's why they love "La Vaquita".