Chimi Charm

Nick B’s Chimichurri entices patrons at the Sarasota Farmers’ Market

Every Argentinian family has its own chimichurri recipe, says entrepreneur Maria Albano. And Nick B’s (named after her son and former business partner) is hers.

For the past decade, she has sold her sauce (as well as empanadas) at markets throughout Florida and beyond. Her Saturday morning spot at the Sarasota Farmers Market is especially popular, and the company is now making 5,000 jars of the product every month.

“I chose the name Nick B’s as a dedication to my son and to Americanize the company, making it more approachable (rather than using my name),” says Maria Albano, who first co-launched the line in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “We did not want to put our product in a box marked ‘Hispanic/Latin.’ We want people to know that this is a sauce that can go with anything, not just Argentinian steak.”

From Virginia (where they ran 32 markets) to Nick B’s Restaurant on Snowshoe Mountain to a Miami move, the Albanos have reeled in customers with their signature sauce. Chimichurri is a pesto-like blend that is traditionally made from chopped parsley, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. Maria Albano, who is now the sole owner of the business, makes hers in a production kitchen and also has a restaurant called Nick B’s Artisan Food Market.

“Anyone can make chimichurri, but this is my recipe. My son added his input and we adjusted the recipe to be perfect,” Maria Albano says. “The vision for this company is to be an international supplier to steak restaurants all over, through wholesale, and also to people’s homes, with online shipments on our website.”

The response to the recipe is enthusiastically positive.

“We’ve always had an incredible reputation among our farmers’ markets and customers,” Maria Albano says. “We receive an overwhelming amount of emails, messages, social media tags, and reviews from customers just to tell us how much they love the product and what they have used it on that week. We really believe the product is gold. Everyone who tries it buys it and becomes a returning customer.”

With this in mind, Maria Albano has begun the process of taking her business to the next level by adding new labels, bar codes, and nutrition facts, as well as marketing her wholesale options and seeking out investors.

“Also, our awesome customers have been asking for recipes that incorporate the chimichurri sauce for years,” Maria Albano says.

To keep them happy and to continue expanding her brand, Maria Albano is currently editing a recipe book and arranging the production of YouTube videos. So tune in, take notes, and keep tasting.

>Nick B’s Chimichurri: 239-558-5743, nickbs.chimi@gmail.com, nickbschimi.com.