After working in his parent’s restaurant for years, Jaime Soltero Jr. struck out on his own and founded Tamale Boy in 2008 with a vision of bringing authentic Mexican flavors to Portland. Tamale Boy started as a catering business and food truck called Mayahuel Catering, named after the Aztec and Mayan goddess of food and nutrition. Soltero Jr. says his restaurant is rooted in that philosophy while also “trying to bring our culture forward in Portland.”
Hungry Portlanders responded and now Tamale Boy has grown into four restaurant locations across the Portland metro area, each with a strong commitment to sustainability, efficiency and, of course, a fun, clever name that anchors it all.
“I was doing a catering gig at the Jupiter Hotel and people recognized me from doing weddings and whatnot and they’re like, ‘oh, it’s the tamale boy.’ So, that’s how I got the name.” After positive online reviews, the Tamale Boy brand took off and moved to a brick-and-mortar space. “I needed a kitchen to move out and separate myself from my parents and it grew from there to four locations,” Soltero Jr. says.
But as Tamale Boy grew, so did the energy demands of running a commercial kitchen. Soltero Jr. knew that investing in durable, efficient equipment would help him control utility costs and improve operations, but those up-front expenses could add up fast.
A decade of savings
Soltero Jr. began working with Energy Trust of Oregon in 2015 to install energy-efficient hot food cabinets and gas fryers at locations in North and Northeast Portland. Over the past decade, Tamale Boy has received cash incentives from Energy Trust to purchase an impressive 27 hot food cabinets and two gas fryers for these original two locations – or as Soltero Jr. calls them, his “workhorses.” These upgrades have helped lower operational costs while reducing energy use.
At these original locations, he’s received $13,300 in incentives for hot food cabinets, which are expected to save an estimated $7,600 in energy costs annually. He also received a $2,000 incentive for high-efficiency gas fryers, projected to save about $1,000 each year. Combined, these upgrades are estimated to save nearly $8,600 annually on energy costs.
“It wasn’t until I got my first hot food cabinet through an incentive in 2015 that I realized how much I could save,” he says.
The latest in savings
That savings legacy continued with Soltero Jr.’s newest Tamale Boy location in Happy Valley. Once again, he turned to Energy Trust incentives to help purchase three hot food cabinets. The cabinets are used to store beans, rice and meats at the perfect temperature for both in-house orders and large-scale catering gigs.
With $1,400 in cash incentives, the new equipment not only reduced upfront costs but also contributes to ongoing energy savings of nearly $400 annually. And because he purchased the cabinets through Rose’s Equipment & Supply, an Energy Trust trade ally contractor, the process was practically seamless.
“Rose’s made it super easy. They gave me the paperwork, I filled it out, submitted it, and got reimbursed. That kind of partnership makes a huge difference when you’re trying to open a restaurant.” – Jaime Soltero Jr
Efficiency that goes beyond the bottom line
Tamale Boy’s commitment to energy efficiency isn’t just about saving money, it’s about doing right by the environment and the community, too.
“We’re always looking for ways to reduce waste, whether it’s food waste, packaging, or energy use,” says Soltero Jr. “Making these smart equipment choices helps us do that, while also cutting costs over time.”
It’s also about the bottom line.
“If you want to save money and get support with your restaurant build-out, it really is a no-brainer,” he says. “It’s also about being conscious of our community and doing our part to help the environment. Energy Trust helps make that possible.”
Learn more about how your foodservice business can save energy and money with cash incentives for energy-efficient equipment including ovens, vent hoods, fryers, HVAC equipment and more. Visit our equipment incentives page or email existingbuildings@energytrust.org to get started on your energy-saving project today.