US Towns Throng with Guatemalan Food Delivered by 'Encomienda' Couriers

Washington D.C., USA - A wave of small deliveries swept through the suburbs of Washington D.C. on a recent Thursday, with packages containing a range of specialty foods originating from Guatemala's Pacific Coast making their way into the hands of local residents.

Maik Chavez, a 36-year-old entrepreneur from Sololá, Guatemala, is at the helm of this delivery operation. With his cousin's cramped Toyota Corolla packed to the brim with dozens of orders, Chavez made his first delivery at 8am soon after clearing Customs at Dulles airport. Over the day, he delivered packages to 20 households in Virginia, as well as several more in Maryland.

The majority of food items on this year's list included traditional Guatemalan dishes such as roasted mojarra fish (smoked from Guatemala's Pacific Coast), piloy de frijole (red kidney beans), and xeca (jam-filled pastries popular in Quetzaltenango). In addition to these staples, Chavez also carried a variety of other goods, including coffee, candies, tamales, cheese, chilis, baby photos, and Mayan dresses for Christmas celebrations.

Chavez's business model relies on Guatemalans living in the US booking his services, who then feed him with packaged food or instruct him to pick up specific items from stores. This collaborative supply chain helps create employment opportunities in both countries and contributes to a thriving industry that pre-dates the national postal system.

While the "encomienda" sector faces competition, its members - often referred to as viajeros, or travelers, are consistently generating new customers due to their personal connections with existing sender-receiver pairs. This reliance on word of mouth helps maintain a high level of trust among couriers and clients alike.

In 2024, the number of deliveries made by Chavez and his brother Aníbal, who also operate in this sector has reached unprecedented levels as they set each other up for successful runs to various cities across five states of the United States.