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Marco Roldan, Owner of El Mandado Passes Away After Battling Cancer

Marco Roldan Passed Away At The Age Of 71 June 18th 

Marco Roldan passed away quietly with family at the age of 71 on June 18th after a long battle with Cancer. Roldan was a pioneer in the world of Hispanic food in the Triangle. He established the first Hispanic store in the Triangle that is still the heart Hispanic life in Raleigh. WNCN'S Mike Gonzalez profiled him earlier this year in the above documentary.  


January, 15,2014
By Mike Gonzalez

El Mandado was Raleigh's first Hispanic and Mexican store. If you didn't know where you were, you may mistake it for a store in Mexico."El Mando started on wheels...visiting our customers door by door in 1989," said owner Marco Roldan during an interview I conducted with him in January of 2014.

Roldan said he built the business the old fashioned way. "We started visiting our customers and delivering to them door to door every weekend and then we started expanding," said Roldan.

Roldan never imagined those long days traveling around eastern North Carolina in a delivery van would lead to a 36,000 square foot store of Hispanic Food Heaven. The store serves hundreds of people across the Triangle every single day. Roldan's first store on Atlantic Avenue opened in 1992. It was only 750 square feet but Roldan says the same principles he ran that store with still apply today. "People always felt like we treated them well. "There were times I gave food and supplies free to my customers because they would've have gone hungry. I never wanted to treat anyone like a dollar. Sometimes it would take a month to get paid. But to me it was worth it. And many of those customers are still with me today, 30 years later," said Roldan.

Roldan, 71 years old, passed away on June 18th, 2015 after battling Cancer. Roldan emigrated from Guatemala to North Carolina in the mid 80's for a better life and political freedom. He worked as a Carpenter in Charlotte for several years until he got transferred to Cary,NC. It was almost by chance Roldan got into the grocery business. His wife Ana was taking classes to learn English at a local school and she shared with Marco how people were feeling about grocery selections. “She heard from classmates complaining in the area there's no way to get good tortillas, good cheese or anything that we are used to. So the Roldan’s had an idea, deliver Hispanic products to the Triangle's growing Hispanic population.

"We would go to Chapel Hill, Durham, Wake Forest. But the hardest part was finding where to get the products," said Roldan. Roldan found himself driving to Washington, D.C. on the weekends to get supplies. Roldan thinks part of his success was realizing the Hispanic population, that is now close to a million people in North Carolina, would grow immensely. "Yes this is true, it's why we've been so successful...because we were the first grocery store in Raleigh that opened to the public," says Roldan. 

As Raleigh’s Hispanic population grew, so did El Manado’s reputation and his customer base. Roldan knew he would eventually have to expand."We kept growing and we came to the conclusion that we need to open a really big store. We needed to expand it as big as possible. And this is why we came up with this store in 1999," said Roldan.

El Manado on 4020 Capital Blvd is much more than a grocery store. For many of his customers coming here is like visiting an old friend. "It feels like home here in a way. This is why we try to keep it like that. To make people to make people feel at home, " says Roldan.

El Mandado is filled with everything a shopper needs Hispanic or not.  From Mexican beers, spices and Chile peppers. The store also has a growing aisle of Caribbean products for a new wave of customers from Puerto Rico, Cuba and Central America. Roldan says he also has many Caucasian and African American customers. "We are a regular grocery store as well. We have all the things you need in addition to Hispanic products. So we are growing the diversity of our customer base," says Roldan.

Roldan also has amenities inside the store others can't offer. There's a law firm, clothing store, cell phone shop, a laundry mat and even a travel agency. "We want to give people many options," said Roldan.

But what I really wanted to know was is where did the name El Mandado come from? Roldan says it was a name his customers chose."The Mexican people, they call El Mandado anything relative going to the store with food. When they go to the grocery store they say we are going to get El Mandado.

I asked Marco Roldan if he had advice for people opening a business? "First of all, yes it's hard work. just don't give up the first time that you fail and you can't expect that every single moment that you're going to make a profit. Sometimes you come out with the conclusion that it doesn't always work. You have to make adjustments and realize that customer service is the most important thing," said Roldan.

It was clear by his great personality, amazing work ethic and wonderful store that customer service is why Marco Roldan was so successful. There's no doubt he will be missed.


There's a viewing today (Tuesday June 23 from 10 am -2 pm) at Bright House Funeral Home at 405 Main Street in Wake Forest, NC. A funeral will follow shortly after. You can send flowers to El Mandado or 12312 Penrose Trail Raleigh, NC 271614

Mexican Chicken Recipe From The Hispanic Food Network

About This Recipe"We love this chicken. The marinade whips up in a minute in the food processor or blender. Preparation time does not include time to marinate."

CLICK HERE FOR THIS MEXICAN CHICKEN RECIPE ON OUR WEBSITE

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs or 4 chicken breast halves, on the bone
Marinade ingredients
• 1/2 onion
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 limes, juice of or 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 handful cilantro leaf (optional)

Directions

1. Put all marinade ingredients in the blender or food processor and liquify.
2. Put marinade in a gallon-size zip lock bag and add chicken pieces. Turn a few times to distribute marinade.
3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours I leave it for about 10 hours.
4. Remove chicken from marinade and place on hot grill. Discard marinade.
5. Grill, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through.

Cuban Chicken Recipe From The Hispanic Food Network

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Ready In: 5 Hours 10 Minutes
Servings: 8

"This is a recipe for Cuban-style roasted chicken marinated in 'mojo' sauce."
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 (6 pound) whole chicken, cut into
pieces
DIRECTIONS:
1.Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until very hot. While the oil heats, mash the cumin, salt, oregano, and garlic together into a paste in a heat-proof bowl; whisk the hot oil into the paste. Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Add the lime juice and orange juice; stir. Place the chicken in a large sealable bag; pour the marinade over the chicken and shake to assure an even coating. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, up to overnight.2.Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Arrange the marinated chicken in a roasting pan.3.Bake the chicken in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).

Grilled Carne Asada Recipe

This is another great recipe from The Hispanic Food Network as part of our Summer BBQ Season

Carne asada, or grilled meat, is great backyard grill food. It is enjoyed throughout Central America and Mexico. Many recipes get very elaborate with the marinade ingredients, but the original recipe relies on a simple combination of onions and citrus juice to highlight the flavor of the beef. The ingredient measurements are pretty vague, but it lets you make it according to your own taste. Personally, I would use the maximum amounts of everything. Enjoy!


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INGREDIENTSNutritionSERVINGS 4-6UNITS US

• 2 -3lbs flank steaks or 2 -3 lbs skirt steaks
• 1 -2onion, thinly sliced
• 2 -3oranges, juice only
• salt and pepper, to season
• 1⁄4cup oil

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large stainless steel or glass bowl, mix the meat with the onions, orange juice, salt, pepper and oil. Cover and marinate at least 1 hour, or better yet overnight.
2. Start a good fire in your grill, preferably with mesquite charcoal. Remove the meat from its marinade, pat dry and grill over hot flame until the first side is well browned, from 5-7 minutes.
3. Turn the meat over and grill on the other side until cooked to desired doneness. Remove to a clean platter.
4. Slice meat into thin strips across the grain and serve as a topping for tostadas or as a filling for tacos or burritos.
5. VARIATIONS:.
6. Add some lime juice along with the orange juice in the marinade. Or use sour orange juice (naranja agria) if you can find it.
7. Other possible marinade additions include ground cumin, chili powder and chopped cilantro. Everyone has their own favorites.

CUBAN GRILLED STEAK ON HISPANIC FOOD NETWORK

• MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS ON HFNTV
  Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  Cook Time: 15 Minutes
  Ready In: 1 Hour 5 Minutes
  Servings: 4
  "Rib eye steaks marinate in orange juice, toasted cumin seeds, and a few other seasonings before hitting the grill briefly for delicious, flavorful seared meat."
  INGREDIENTS:
  1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  1/4 cup orange juice
  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  2 tablespoons Montreal-style steak
  seasoning
  2 1/4 teaspoons lime juice
  1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  1 1/2 pounds beef rib-eye steaks
  DIRECTIONS:
  1.Place cumin seeds into a small skillet over medium heat; stir constantly until seeds turn dark brown and smell toasted, about 1 minute. Immediately pour seeds into a bowl to stop the cooking. Mix cumin seeds with orange juice, vegetable oil, steak seasoning, lime juice, and oregano in a bowl.2.Place steaks into a large resealable plastic bag, pour orange juice marinade over the meat, and squeeze out air. Seal bag and turn it over several times to coat meat with marinade. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or longer for extra flavor.3.Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.4.Remove steaks from marinade, shaking off any excess. Discard used marinade. Grill steaks on the preheated grill until seared on the outsides and still slightly pink in the centers, 6 to 8 minutes per side. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted sideways into the center of the thickest steak should read 145 degrees F (65 degrees C). Let steaks rest for 3 minutes before slicing.