From ice cream shop to a growing sweet and savory empire, Mango Crazy has been on a roll since 2014. Childhood friends Andy Lopez and Larry Rivera have created a healthy food sensation that is spreading happiness over a growing area in the Western USA. If you know, you know. Their entrepreneurial move from from ice cream to a menu inspired by the culinary magic of the mangonada honors cultural heritage and is bringing a mouth-watering experience to a widening audience of seasoned and new fans.

Mango Crazy’s rapid expansion is a testament to the team’s focus and hard work. Now up to fourteen locations including San Francisco and Arizona, Mango Crazy has developed a winning formula that is already a legend in the Modesto business success playbook.

Larry and Andy graciously interrupted their whirlwind activity to share some of their story. We’re so happy to put a spotlight on their success and enduring values.

Early in your friendship did you think about having a business?

Larry – Yes, since we were kids we talked about having a business. Andy and have always been a team.

Andy - (laughs) Larry’s older, he used to bully me… but yes, we always thought about having a business together.

How did you decide on your first business concept?

Andy – Mango Crazy was actually our first business. We always were interested in the restaurant business but neither of us had much experience. We were looking for a safe way to get into the market. We spotted an ice cream shop for sale, and watched how that business operated. It was in a good location, and there isn’t much risk with ice cream as a product. We felt that improving management and customer satisfaction were the keys and we could do that. It seemed better to us to buy an ice cream shop and fix it than start a restaurant!

How did you shift from ice cream into Mango Crazy?

Andy – We didn’t have a set plan to do Mango Crazy at the beginning. But we always asked our customers what they wanted and how we could improve, and they gave us a lot of great feedback. We tried a lot of new products, and we would give them away to get our customers’ opinions. We had very good acceptance of mangonadas and the related products that have become Mango Crazy.

Larry – I have a customer service background, and always wanted our customers to be happy. Andy used his construction background to make sure everything we put into our stores, our products and the way we do it is perfect. The products evolved from what we learned from our customers.

Your name is great… how did it happen?

Andy – We came up to a 36-hour deadline to pick a name. Mangonadas were already a signature item for us. Culturally, it’s typical to use the location of origin of the people or the product in a store name, but the word Mango just kept coming up. Mango has a lot of cultural significance, it brings people together all over the world. And, we were going crazy trying to come up with the name… so Mango Crazy!

*How can something be so healthy and addictive at the same time? That’s Mango Crazy!*

When did you know you were on the right track?

Larry – (laughs) That was before we even hired our first employee…. we were amazed at the lines of customers out the door.

What made Modesto a good place to launch and grow your business?

Larry – We have such great community support! It started with a lot of friends and family and has grown from there. We really didn’t find a need to advertise; the business developed with word of mouth. It has been easy to be recognized here. That changed as we expanded into locations further away, like San Francisco, where we had to work on creating brand awareness. We’ve rethought marketing and are incorporating that as part of our expansion to Arizona. You know, people advised us to open in areas with a high percentage of Hispanic residents, but we found Mango Crazy has a universal appeal; a majority of our customers are not Hispanic.

How has your dream evolved with your success?

Larry – We’ve had a lot of challenges with COVID and supply chain issues. Early on we thought about success meaning retiring to a beach, but we’re committed to this journey. It’s like rafting, we have to keep guiding the raft, managing the challenges, working hard, and always being honest and direct.

What do you wish you would be asked?

Larry – (laughs) What motivates you? Why do you work 18-hour days? Our teamwork is motivating. We put pressure on ourselves to be better and always take responsibility for our actions. We always have the uncomfortable-but-necessary conversations.

Your story is so inspiring - what advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?

Andy – Always work hard, and don’t take no for an answer!

Larry – Always adapt. Take that leap of faith, and dive into the unknown. When we started Andy had a newborn, and I was a newlywed. Keep working, you can do it!

Thanks to Larry and Andy and the Mango Crazy team for bringing so much happiness to our community, and for lighting the path for other Modestans who dream of opening their own business!

Mango Crazy's Incredible Journey