Andrea Herrera grew up in an entrepreneurial family, working in restaurants throughout high school and college. After college, she worked for 10 years as a general manager, but by 30, she found herself burned out on the hours and workload. “So, I quit my job, rode a motorcycle cross country and decided if I was going to work the schedule I was working and as hard as I was working, I should start my own company, and thus Amazing Edibles Catering was born,” she said.
The Amazing Edible story began with a big dream to bring the best food and service to the Chicagoland area. “We started small, with only a handful of employees and clients before landing Oprah Winfrey as a catering client,” said Herrera, the founder and president. “As the years progressed, each event we catered gave us bigger and better ideas for the future.”
Now, with several expansions of the kitchen space, more than 50 employees, over 12,000 events and over 50,000 satisfied clients, the company continues to keep on growing and is certified as a Minority Woman-owned business working out of a 25,000-square foot venue. “Amazing Edibles has achieved a level of success that would not be possible without the contributions of our staff, a shared philosophy of excellence and the motivation to continue to produce amazing food and service,” said Herrera.
In addition, the company pivoted to Boxexperience, a luxury connection gift box for top CEOs and CROs to connect with their most valued clients. This product created a quarter million in revenue in the first six months.
While expanding the business, it was important to Herrera to also branch out and do more for the community. She sought out an entrepreneurial community and started a journey of learning and growing. As a result, the company has worked with hundreds of nonprofit organizations helping with fundraisers, raising critical funds for Chicago residents. In addition, Amazing Edibles has historically donated 10 percent of revenue to not for profit groups and has supported internship programs.
After 29 years, Herrera is still very involved in the day-to-day operations, said her staff. “Her focus is customer acquisition, client experience and company culture,” they said. “It is her hope that Amazing Edibles is remembered for the amazing way it has cared for its staff, the community and the city at large.”
Her efforts have earned her opportunities to host a national conference on leadership while also guest appearing on over 20 podcasts. She is a contributing author to “From Risk to Reward” and “Lead Like a Woman, Audacity.”
For her entrepreneurial guidance, philanthropy and drive to enhance the food and beverage industry, Herrera has been named a Titan 100. “
