Ricodely: the startup conquering the health market

By: Alejandro García Suárez – Advisory Office of Communications

Combining academic knowledge with family tradition was key for Brayan Camilo Pardo Granados, a 2022 Business Administration graduate (Fusagasugá campus), to move from theory to business creation. Today, together with his family, he leads Ricodely, a gluten-free snack business that generates job opportunities and real impact in Fusagasugá.

La idea nació en 2022, cuando Brayan, junto con su madre y su hermano Christian, decidió apostarle a una empresa familiar que aprovechara la experiencia que cada uno tenía en el sector de alimentos. Su madre contaba con más de una década de trayectoria en la industria de las achiras; su hermano, con experiencia en calidad de alimentos, y Brayan aportaba su formación profesional y los aprendizajes adquiridos durante su paso por la Universidad.

“Fueron cinco años de aprendizaje permanente que se quedan para la vida”, recuerda Brayan al hablar de su experiencia universitaria. Para él, la formación recibida en la UCundinamarca no solo le permitió adquirir conocimientos relacionados con la Administración de Empresas, sino que también fortaleció su liderazgo y su visión para asumir nuevos retos.

Learn from your mistakes too

Before establishing Ricodely, Brayan experimented with various ventures. During the pandemic, he created a marketing company for agricultural products with the intention of reducing intermediaries and facilitating access to fresh food at better prices in Fusagasugá. The result wasn't what he had hoped for, but the experience taught him a fundamental lesson: entrepreneurship also means learning from difficulties, having patience, and persevering.

Upon graduating, he decided to work for approximately nine months as a restaurant manager. This experience allowed him to strengthen his knowledge and gain valuable skills for his professional life. Meanwhile, the family project continued to take shape.

A gamble that changed the course

At the beginning of 2023, a new opportunity arose: a company in Fusagasugá put its production equipment up for sale. Although the family budget wasn't sufficient, Brayan and his family decided to take the risk and apply for a loan to purchase it. In February of that year, they finalized the purchase and began a new chapter.

“We took the risk because it was a very high risk,” says Brayan, who acknowledges that that moment was decisive in turning a family idea into a company with production capacity.

With the new equipment, they began working on their products, researching, improving formulas, and building their own identity. This is how “Ricodely” began to gain momentum, a brand that aimed to be easy to remember and was born from a simple idea: people who tried their products kept saying they were “very rich” and “very delicious.” The brand name emerged from combining these expressions.

The next big challenge came with the SENA's Fondo Emprender program in 2023. The company managed to pass the first round of funding with a score close to 80 points, but didn't receive the available resources. Far from giving up, Brayan and his family tried again in 2024. This time, they were better prepared, having strengthened their financial model, projected sales, employment, and impact, organized their proposal, and participated in various pitches. The result was a score above 90 points and the approval of the funding.

The opportunity came with a great responsibility: to meet the financial and business goals projected during the implementation process. “It was an extremely tough year for me personally, and also for the company and for us partners,” Brayan recalls about that period. The effort allowed them to increase installed capacity, acquire new equipment, strengthen the brand, and win over new clients, including restaurants and other businesses in the food service industry.

A company that transforms its territory

Today, Ricodely represents much more than a family business; the company has generated more than 10 direct jobs and more than 5 indirect jobs in Fusagasugá, contributing to the regional economic dynamic.

In addition to offering quality food products, the company works with restaurants, cafes and other establishments to contribute to their gastronomic offerings and promote new consumption alternatives.

Its growth has also allowed it to gain recognition from the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, consolidating a trajectory that was born from an idea, faced difficulties and found in perseverance one of its main strengths.

For Brayan, his time at the University of Cundinamarca has been a fundamental part of his journey. The administrative knowledge, experiences, leadership of his professors, and learning opportunities gave him tools that he now applies to managing his company. “I really enjoyed my profession, and the leadership of many professors continued to motivate me more and more. It inspired me greatly to create my own ventures,” he says.

Brayan's story reflects how the Transmodern Digital Educational Model (MEDIT) transcends the classroom and connects knowledge with the realities of the region. His experience demonstrates that educating transhuman individuals means providing them with the tools to learn, undertake projects, face challenges, and generate transformations that positively impact society. From Fusagasugá, the knowledge acquired at the University thus translates into opportunities, employment, and development for the region.

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