Saipan, MP — Marianas Churisos welcomed its first customers last Saturday with a successful soft opening at the former Grotto Restaurant in Garapan, marking a significant step forward for the local sausage company and the CNMI’s local manufacturing industry. As a Cohort 1 startup of Northern Marianas College’s CNMI Innovation Incubator, the company sold out within its first hour of opening.
Founded by Stephen Sablan, Bill Torres, Ed Hofschneider, Dave Guerrero, and Inas Hocog, Marianas Churisos produces high-quality Chamorro-style sausages inspired by the rich culinary traditions of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Garapan location gives the company a dedicated kitchen space to serve customers directly and expand distribution to local retailers.
“This soft opening is a big milestone for all of us. We have put a lot of work into getting to this point, and seeing our community show up and support us the way they did makes it even more meaningful,” said Stephen Sablan, co-founder and Cohort 1 Innovator with the CNMI Innovation Incubator. “We also want to thank Northern Marianas College and the CNMI Innovation Incubator for the support and resources that helped make this possible.”
Sablan’s participation in the CNMI Innovation Incubator gave Marianas Churisos access to rental assistance, essential kitchen equipment, and mentorship, providing the team with the resources needed to lay the groundwork for its operations and prepare for its new location.
“Marianas Churisos is a strong example of what can happen when local entrepreneurs are given the opportunity and resources to develop their ideas into viable businesses,” said Cherese Palacios, Program Manager of the CNMI Innovation Incubator. “Stephen and his co-founders have continued to put in the work to build their company and share their products with the community. Witnessing them reach this point and receive such a strong response from customers is an exciting achievement for their team and a meaningful accomplishment for our program.”
The soft opening gave the founders valuable firsthand experience operating in a live market, from engaging with customers to gauging demand for their products. Selling out within the first hour provided an encouraging early indication of market interest in Marianas Churisos.
Marianas Churisos’ launch represents the progression of an incubated venture into an operating business, illustrating the entrepreneurial pipeline being cultivated through the CNMI Innovation Incubator. By helping innovators advance their ventures toward commercial readiness, the program creates opportunities for locally developed businesses to establish themselves in the Commonwealth’s economy.
Marianas Churisos will continue building on the momentum of its soft opening as the team prepares for the company’s grand opening. The grand opening date is still being finalized and will be announced through the company’s social media channels.
For more information about Marianas Churisos, follow @marianaschurisoco on Instagram and Marianas Churisos Company on Facebook for updates, announcements, and information about the upcoming grand opening.
Funded in part through a grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.
The Marianas Churisos team poses inside its new kitchen during the company’s soft opening in Garapan. From left are Bill Torres, Dave Guerrero, Stephen Sablan, Inas Hocog, and Ed Hofschneider.
Freshly prepared Marianas Churisos sausages ready for customers at the company’s new Garapan location.
Inas Hocog of Marianas Churisos showcases the company’s packaged sausages during the soft opening.
A customer purchases Marianas Churisos sausages during the company’s soft opening in Garapan.
A customer holds freshly purchased packages of Marianas Churisos sausages during the company’s opening in Garapan.