Javier Nava, owner
Javi’s Salsa / Brandon
Manufacturer of authentic Mexican salsa
Started in 2010
Mexican native Javier Nava has never forgotten the taste of his mother’s salsa. After 25 years spent working as a Hillsborough County sheriff while selling jars of his own handcrafted salsa at festivals and produce stands on the side, Javier reached out to the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County. He took classes in business basics like accounting and online promotion and learned about the Winn-Dixie Winn-Local competition. Javier entered his salsa and won; now it’s on the shelves of more than 130 Winn-Dixie stores. “I’m good at making salsa, but the SBDC helped me become a businessman. I wouldn’t have known about this opportunity without them.”