Today we’d like to introduce you to Renato Raposo.
Hi Renato, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The idea for Oca began to take shape after I spent several years living in the U.S. I found myself craving one of my favorite Brazilian snacks—Paçoca, a soft, crumbly peanut treat I grew up with. But here, it was almost impossible to find a version that was fresh and clean. Most of the ones I came across were overly sweet and filled with ingredients I couldn’t recognize. I wanted something simpler. Something made with just a few trusted ingredients—nothing extra, nothing artificial.
After losing my father in 2022, this snack took on an even deeper meaning. It was one of his favorites, too, and we shared countless moments just sitting and enjoying it together. Those memories are some of my most cherished, and they became the fuel behind this project. What started as a nostalgic craving became a way to honor my dad and our connection.
That’s when Oca was born. We originally launched under the name P-Nutz, selling at local farmers’ markets around Austin, TX. It was all about listening—hearing how people responded to the snack and how it could fit into their daily routines. The feedback was amazing. People loved having a tasty, wholesome option they could actually feel good about eating—and our original recipe barely needed tweaking.
By June 2024, I made the leap. I left my job in tech and committed fully to building Oca. What began as a personal project rooted in memory and tradition has grown into something much bigger—something I’m proud to share with the world.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I didn’t have much experience starting a business before Oca, and I’ve learned firsthand that getting something off the ground is never easy—especially when it comes to food. Food means regulations, health and safety standards, certifications… it’s a lot to navigate. I did my homework and prepared as much as I could, but there are just some things you can only learn by going through them.
One of the biggest challenges for me was deciding to go all in. That meant making some serious investments—buying equipment, renting space in a commercial kitchen, and dealing with a long list of unexpected expenses that only came up once I was already in the thick of it.
Another thing I didn’t anticipate was how lonely the journey can feel. Most of the time, I’m figuring things out on my own, and that can be overwhelming. There’s no roadmap, and every decision feels like it really counts.
And then there’s cash flow. That’s probably what keeps me up at night the most. There’s always something to spend on—some “one-time cost” that never seems to be one-time. Balancing the excitement of building something meaningful with the realities of finances and logistics is an ongoing challenge.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I think the entrepreneurial mindset has always been part of who I am—even if I didn’t fully realize it at first. Looking back now, it’s clear. From the start of my career, I was the type of person who would get restless doing the same thing over and over. I’ve always been a builder at heart—someone who constantly brings new ideas to the table (even if a lot of them didn’t go anywhere!). I’ve always enjoyed challenging the status quo and looking for better ways to do things.
That mindset shaped my path in the corporate world. I had the opportunity to work across several areas—including finance, procurement, strategy, product development, and corporate development. I don’t regret taking that path at all. In fact, I believe job rotation and stepping outside your comfort zone should be encouraged more often. There’s so much value in learning how different parts of a business operate—and in seeing how skills from one area can translate into another.
Over time, the breadth of experience I gained and the network I built within those companies became some of my greatest assets. They gave me the tools, perspective, and confidence I needed to eventually carve out my own path.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I would love to share a little bit (or everything) about my personal story.
On a personal level, the road to where I am today has been anything but easy. I was born in the suburbs of São Paulo, Brazil, and attended public schools that were known more for their lack of resources than for academic excellence. I didn’t have access to better education or extra courses, but I knew early on that if I wanted a different life, I had to take a different path. I was determined to challenge the system—and to prove that the zip code you’re born in doesn’t have to define your future.
At 19, I took a huge leap. My girlfriend (now my wife) and I moved to Dublin, Ireland, to learn English. We saved just enough for a short course and one month with a host family. I quickly found a job as a rickshaw “driver”—basically a human-powered cart, and I was the horse. We made almost nothing. At one point, we made a pact to wake up late so we could skip breakfast and stretch our money further. But we never let our circumstances break us. We were driven, and we didn’t let anything stop us from moving forward.
After returning to Brazil, we found good jobs, but the dream of learning English was still alive. I sent out over 200 emails to companies in the U.S. and U.K. asking for an unpaid internship. Only one replied—but that was all I needed. After six months of preparation, I landed in London with almost no money and a strong desire to improve my English. I spent three months working as an intern at Hardman & Co., surviving on one meal a day because that’s all I could afford.
When I got back to Brazil, I learned of a Brazilian company looking for a finance manager for a project in Ghana. I applied, got the job, and in July 2013—at 26 years old—I found myself working in Africa. My time in Ghana could fill an entire book. Later, I spent a year in Montreal learning French, returned to Brazil, and eventually made my way to the U.S. Each step of the journey was on a budget, with a suitcase full of dreams and a mindset to challenge the status quo.
Today, I’m still that same person—an immigrant, an entrepreneur, a dreamer—grounded in where I came from and grateful to those who helped me along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ocafoods.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oca.foods/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ocafoods
