Friday, July 18, 2025

Couple put their dreams on hold and turn to selling tamales

Brian Orozco and Teresa Morales are artists and now, two years into a global pandemic, they are also successful tamale vendors.

Three years ago, they were pursuing their dreams — Orozco was a theater actor and Morales, a painter — in Mexico City.

But everything changed when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Like many artists and performers, their incomes took a nosedive.

Orozco tried to squeak by with low-paid online performances, but pretty soon the couple were looking for new ways to support themselves.

They tried to start several businesses, including a coffee shop in Jalisco with Orozco’s brother, but nothing took off.

Candelaria de los Patos housing complex Mexico City
Brian Orozco and Teresa Morales got their tamales business started where they lived in the Candelaria de los Patos housing complex in the Venustiano Carranza borough.

Then, in early 2021, the couple decided to try their hand at selling tamales, using a recipe from Teresa’s family in Veracruz. At first, they sold the tamales around the neighborhood where they lived with Orozco’s parents. Teresa made the tamales and Orozco put his acting skills to work as the salesman. It was a hit, and they quickly sold out.

“It was very hard for us to see how after fighting so hard for your dreams, for music, for theater, for art, it all fell apart because of the coronavirus. And it was very difficult starting from zero in other things,” Orozco said.

The pair recently opened a sales location in the Anzures neighborhood, but have not forgotten their artistic dreams.

“I am determined sooner or later to start a theater company. I’ll leave my businesses in the hands of managers and dedicate myself to what I like to do,” Orozco said.

With reports from Reforma

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
A man stands by an open suitcase in an airport revision area

Foreign national caught with over a million pesos of ketamine in Cancún airport

0
Officials confiscated 2 kilograms of ketamine, a controlled substance in Mexico.
two people walkin gby a for rent sign

Can rent control stop gentrification? Mexico City officials plan to find out

9
Political leaders in the nation's capital have reached into their anti-gentrification toolkit and come up with an approach that goes straight to the heart of the problem.
cell phone with Uber

Mexican authorities slam Uber’s price hike: ‘Unilateral and irresponsible’

2
The ride-hailing app insists that the rise is necessary after recent labor reforms gave its drivers full employee rights, including IMSS membership.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity