Bridge Builder:
​Felipe Vieyra, Co-Founder, OSO Adventure Meals

“It all started on a backpacking trip with my friend Dom. One evening, about 50 miles into our trip, I pulled out a package of backpacking food to share with my friend. It was beef stroganoff and it was not very good. As we shared this mediocre meal, Dom and I started talking about the home cooking we grew up with…enchiladas, posole, huevos…and how there is a lack of representation for these types of ethnic foods in the food that is created for outdoor experiences. We got to wondering, what would it look like to have meals that represent different people in the outdoors?” 
-Felipe Vieyra

Felipe Vieyra was born in Michoacán, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States with his family when he was two years old. He grew up in northern Colorado, and as a young adult, fell in love with the outdoors. However, the more time he spent hiking and camping, the more he realized a lack of representation of people from BIPOC backgrounds in outdoor gear and outdoor supplies. Black, Indigenous, and Immigrant Americans have long faced cultural and institutional barriers to participation in outdoor activities. Despite making up 40% of the country, they represent less than 15% of public land users.

Especially with the shift that occurred during the pandemic which generated greater interest and access to the outdoors for everyone, Felipe knew there was an opportunity to create outdoor-specific brands that represent diverse cultures. Felipe’s feelings were solidified on the backpacking trip with his friend Dom. After the trip, they dove deep into the concept of creating meals for camping and backpacking that represent different cultures, and at a minimum included better flavors! Soon thereafter, OSO Adventure Meals was born.

Giving Back

“Our brand is a wonderful representation of culture,” shares Felipe. “There is no better way to celebrate a culture than through its food. But our hope is that OSO Meals can also build bridges through social impact.

Positive Impact

“After the backpacking trip, my brother Marco, Dom, our friend Connor, and I launched a kickstarter with the goal of generating $20,000 in funding to start OSO Meals,” shared Felipe. The four partners met their goal within thirty days, all by word of mouth, and presold 500 meals within the first month of their website launch. OSO Meals also won first place in the Denver BIPOC pitch contest.  The company was also part of the inaugural class of the The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) and nationally ranked startup accelerator gener8tor gBETA Opportunity Zone Capital Accelerator program, which helped the founders develop their pitch deck, funding opportunities, and provides guidance on managing growth and building capital to gain traction. In the fall of 2021, OSO Meals began production. OSO Meals now sells meals via their e-commerce platform and just earned a spot in their first retail location at FERAL Outdoor shops.

Not only is OSO Adventure Meals set on changing the definition of what camping food can look like, the company is also highly focused on giving back to the community. “Our brand is a wonderful representation of culture,” shares Felipe. “There is no better way to celebrate a culture than through its food. But our hope is that OSO Meals can also build bridges through social impact. Giving back is really important to us so part of our sales will go towards supporting our non-profit partner, Ski Noir 5280.” 

In addition, OSO Adventure Meals hopes to create its headquarters and production site in a smaller mountain community. “I believe that OSO Adventure Meals could have a big impact on a small mountain community through job creation, and the investment we would make back in that community,” shares Felipe. “We want to look at every aspect of this business and build it with intentionality. We are thinking about how and where our investments in building this company can positively impact those around us.”

OSO Adventure Meals allows everyday adventurers to take their favorite culturally relevant meal anywhere in the world, making outdoor activities feel more welcoming and enjoyable. The company makes products that fulfill the need for tasty, spicy, and culturally authentic foods in the backcountry. Oso Adventure Meals are high in protein and include tasty options such as Enchilada Bowls, Posole, and Huevos Rancheros. For more information on OSO Adventure Meals, visit their website osomeals.com or follow the company on social media @osoadventuremeals.

“We want to look at every aspect of this business and build it with intentionality. We are thinking about how and where our investments in building this company can positively impact those around us.”

- FELIPE VIERYA