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How 1 couple is proving tacos save lives

Tacos 4 Life is no ordinary taco enterprise. For every taco sold the fast casual provides a meal to a hungry family.

How 1 couple is proving tacos save lives


| by Katie Shipp — intern, networld media group

When married couple Austin and Ashton Samuelson realized that thousands of children were dying every day because of hunger-related issues, they quit their day jobs as a real estate agent and an elementary school teacher in order to do something about it. 

"We visited Swaziland on a mission trip and met two brothers, Phiwo and Sahki, and fell in love with them. They are such amazing kids and we played with them the whole time we were on the trip. They have been such a motivating factor to us because we can see the hope they get in something as little as a consistent meal every day," the couple shared with Fast Casual in an email interview. Their first quest was embarking on a mission trip to South Africa to help children experiencing hunger. 

Brothers Phiwo and Sahki with Austin. 

Two years later, in 2014, the Samuelsons launched Tacos 4 Life, which provides a meal to families in need for every taco purchased. 

"It is really encouraging and sobering all at the same time to see them because we see the fragile environment they are in. But for us, having those small interactions with the kids shows us that we are doing what we can from where we are," said Ashton.

Working closely with the brand's philanthropic partner, Feed My Starving Children, the brand hosts MobilePacks in the cities of Tacos 4 Life locations (Arkansas, Texas, North Carolina) once per year in every location's region. Hundreds of volunteers spend the weekend packing at least 250,000 MannaPack meals, boosting vitamins and minerals, dried vegetables, soy protein and rice. 

The couple and their team still go on mission trips to Swaziland, as well as Honduras and Belize to deliver meals and see firsthand the lives that their brand is giving hope to. 

The couple now has locations in Fayetteville, Little Rock, Benton, Searcy, Jonesboro, Springdale and Rogers, Arkansas, and also in Frisco, Texas and Concord, North Carolina. Eight locations are corporate-owned and four are franchised.

Seeking franchisees

Tacos 4 Life, which has already provided 6 million meals, is expanding with locations in Jackson, Tennessee; and Texas, as well as Arkansas in by early 2019. The Samuelsons are always looking for like-minded people to join the growing family of franchisees, especially in Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee.All franchise opportunities are available on the brand's website.

Choosing which the type of food to sell in their quest to end childhood hunger was pretty simple, said the couple. They just picked their favorite: tacos.

"There are endless possibilities in what you can do with tacos since a tortilla is essentially a blank canvas," Austin said. "We have various flavors that we can mesh together to create some classic combinations, as well as some unique options that are fun for guests to try and fall in love with."  

The challenges

Starting a  brand poses more than a few challenges. One was the couple's lack of experience in the restaurant industry, as neither had worked in any sort of foodservice role. But often times passion trumps experience. 

"We had no restaurant experience and nothing to draw on. We experienced a lot of trial and error and a lot of uncertainty, but we were so passionate about the mission that we knew we could make it work," Ashton said. 

Executive Chef Cindy Malik, who was one of the first employees, played a key factor in helping the couple learn the industry given her deep experience.

Austin and Ashton Samuelson with their children. Photo by Leslie Duffield. 

"Ashton has always been a passionate cook and since opening Tacos 4 Life, has discovered an incredible palette when it comes to flavors and recipes. She has been able to work with our executive chef to craft fresh and flavorful tacos, as well as seasonal tacos that change every couple of months," Austin said.



Katie Shipp

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