EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A family business that got its start in Ciudad Juarez is now an international chain with its star product: the churro relleno (filled churro).
Churro Time is a family-run business led by CEO Rogelio Cantaño, his wife and his two daughters.
They have returned to Cielo Vista Mall after several years’ hiatus — located on the bottom floor, across from the Build-A-Bear Workshop.
Churro Time. Photos taken by Jocelyn Flores/KTSM
The newest location of Churro Time has been open for business for roughly a year and a half. They had previously been located at the mall from 2012 to 2018.
In this tight corner of the mall is where the magic happens: the making of the classic churro. But what makes this churro different from others and what has made it international?
KTSM.com is profiling Hispanic business and community leaders in the El Paso region during Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
“We have our own recipe that we came up with. We’ve made it into an instant mix for sale,” said Cantaño in Spanish.
After opening the first store in Cuidad Juarez 38 years ago, it was Cantaño’s dream to make his shop be something bigger than just a mom-and-pop shop.
“What makes us different from other churro stores is our quality of the churro recipe. Even though the churro is fried in oil, our churro isn’t greasy. I worked hard perfecting our recipe, by visiting universities and other institutes to create a dough that would not absorb the grease,” Cantaño said.
Churro-making process in Churro Time. Photos taken by Jocelyn Flores/KTSM
“We lived in Puebla, Mexico where we had a business with chemical products. When we moved to Juarez, we had a Mexican-French restaurant; my brother-in-law is French,” Cantaño said.
“My grandpa’s brother was a baker and we used a recipe of his to make the churros. I started to practice perfecting the recipe before I immigrated to the U.S., before the birth of my daughters,” Cantaño said.
Cantaño, having studied business administration, said they sell franchises of Churro Time internationally and have over 140 stores in Europe, South America, Central America and Asia.
“We came to Juarez in 1987 and in 2009 we came to the U.S. Both of my daughters attended UTEP,” Cantaño said.
Jennifer Cantaño, Rogelio Cantaño’s daughter and president of Churro Time, eventually plans to take over the business in El Paso when she completes her bachelor’s degree in business adminstration from the University of Texas at El Paso.
With their franchise locations, they cater to a local region’s favorite flavors, like offering an orange-flavored filling in China. But the original churro remains the supreme best-seller at all their stores.
After the birth of his two daughters, Cantaño taught them the importance of hard work and dedication to your dream, no matter how far it may seem. Jennifer Cantaño says when she takes over, she also wants to instill the same values she was taught.
“I would like to continue the business for my father, especially because of all the hard work that he and my mom have put into creating this business. It’s a popular business because of the quality of the products that we sell. I wouldn’t want all of their work and dedication to be lost,” Jennifer Cantaño said.
Churro Time’s best-seller is a classic loved by most Mexicans, a warm churro filled with cajeta, a Mexican caramel.
“The first store we opened back in 1987 in Juarez, is still open today and the reason is because our churros are addictive due to their high quality, our customers become frequent visitors to our shop,” Rogelio Cantaño said.
Another treat that Churro Time offers is its wide variety of fillings and coatings for the churros. They don’t hesitate to fill and glaze the churro if the customer wants.
One tasty offering they have is their “Flaming Hot” churro.
You can find their Cielo Vista Mall store on Instagram by clicking here.
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