All Eyes on the Big Enchilada

From a humble Juarez taco stand, El Taco Tote grew into a thriving chain of cross-border eateries. Hector Heras Jr. explains how his family did it

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February 26, 2004 at 5:00 AM UTC

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The Heras family of El Paso, Tex. and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, aren't running a billion-dollar corporation -- at least not yet, but they have a unique perspective on the challenges of international business. Hector Heras Sr. and his seven sons are the founders of El Taco Tote, a fast-growing Mexican restaurant franchise.

Hector's son, Pacifico, opened the family's first eatery in Mexico in 1988. Today, with 10 restaurants in the U.S. and Mexico, the family has launched an aggressive growth campaign and aims to open 100 franchised locations in the U.S. over the next three years. Smart Answers columnist Karen E. Klein spoke recently to Hector Heras Jr. about operating a cross-border company, family ties, and the virtues of patting out tortillas by hand. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow: