How The Original Tamale Co. Uses ChatGPT to Build Tools and Communicate with Confidence

The Original Tamale Co. has evolved across three generations, from handmade tamales sold from car trunks to a full factory operation in California. Today, the third generation is navigating growth and digital tools entirely on their own terms.

Christian Ortega, who handles marketing and operations, identified a gap: customers struggled to find which farmers markets the company would be at on any given day. Building a searchable tracker was the obvious solution, but Christian had never written a line of code. Using ChatGPT, he described what he needed — a location-based tool for the website — and built and launched it the same afternoon it was conceived.

That speed of execution changed how the team thinks about building. Rather than outsourcing or waiting on technical help, the business can act on ideas immediately. The farmers market tracker now makes it easier for customers across Los Angeles and California to find them, directly supporting sales at their most important channel.

For Xochitl Ortega, who runs operations alongside her siblings, ChatGPT addressed a different challenge. As a non-native English speaker, high-stakes communication moments — addressing employees, handling sensitive situations, writing formal letters — carried extra pressure. She now uses ChatGPT to shape what she wants to say, often starting in Spanish and working through tone and clarity until it feels right.

The result is not translation but expression — communicating with the confidence and precision that the business demands.