For Scott Porter, building a business was never about entrepreneurship.
It was about human connection.
Long before Scott created San Diablo Churros, he carried a simple idea with him: rooted in experience, culture, and a belief that food has the power to bring people together. What began as a spark of inspiration eventually turned into a business in 2016. He launched it in just three days, fueled by equal parts intuition, risk, and optimism.
Today, San Diablo Artisan Churros has grown into a full-service catering company, a consumer packaged goods brand, and a familiar name at some of Utah’s biggest events. Along the way, Scott has built more than a company — he’s built a mission-driven brand focused on joy, generosity, and meaningful experiences.
Years in the Making
Scott’s fascination with churros began long before San Diablo existed. While living in Mexico City years earlier, he experienced freshly made, filled churros. These weren’t your ordinary churros, however. They came in multiple flavors, stuffed with a variety of fillings. The contrast of these churros stuck with him.
Back home, churros were everywhere. But they weren’t the same. They smelled incredible, but often failed to deliver on the same taste or texture. Scott couldn’t shake the feeling that something better was possible.
For years, the idea sat quietly in the back of his mind as Scott pursued other professional paths. Then, in 2016, an unexpected opportunity came his way.
Launching a Business in Three Days
When Scott began to seriously consider a churro business, he faced a familiar entrepreneurial question: How do you actually start? The answer came from an unlikely place: Cornbelly’s fall festival in Utah County.
Encouraged by friends, Scott reached out to Cornbelly’s to see if they needed food vendors. When he mentioned artisan-filled churros, the response was astounding enthusiasm.
Scott didn’t hesitate. He got to work immediately.
With just three days before a tasting with Cornbelly’s team, Scott rallied a small team, developed recipes, created a brand name, designed a logo, and prepared for launch. Against all odds, Cornbelly’s said yes.
San Diablo Artisan Churros officially launched at Cornbelly’s, and Scott learned a lesson that would shape the company’s future: sometimes the best marketing is simply getting your product into people’s hands.
Building Through Experience
From the beginning, San Diablo relied on experience-driven growth. Guests tasted the churros and immediately wanted more. The question Scott heard most often was, “Where can I get these again?”
Instead of pushing customers toward a storefront, Scott leaned into mobility. San Diablo went where the people were: weddings, festivals, corporate events, sporting venues, and private celebrations. Catering became the backbone of the business, allowing the brand to grow through shared experiences and word-of-mouth.
Over time, San Diablo expanded into major venues across Utah. But it remained true to its roots, serving clients personally throughout the region.
From Catering to Grocery Store Shelves
After nearly a decade as a catering business, San Diablo entered a new chapter. The pandemic forced Scott to rethink the company’s model and explore ways to bring the churro experience into people’s homes.
That period of experimentation led to churro-making kits, take-and-bake churros, and eventually retail distribution.
Target agreed to launch San Diablo’s frozen churros, recognizing there was a gap in the market. While “churro-flavored” products were everywhere, actual high-quality churros were not. Their partnership marked a major shift, transforming San Diablo from a regional events company into a growing consumer-based brand.
Today, San Diablo’s products can be found not only through catering but in grocery stores and national retail channels, with new ideas still continuing to emerge.
Innovation and Collaboration
Scott had ideas to create more products that San Diablo could sell. But one of the most successful products, the “itty bitty churros,” was never part of the original plan.
The shelf-stable snack was born through experimentation and collaboration with freeze-drying techniques at trade shows. What started as a concept quickly gained traction, landing San Diablo in regional grocery stores not only with their original churros, but with their many new products. This began opening doors to conversations with airlines and national partners.
For Scott, innovation has never been about rigid planning. It’s about listening, testing, and being willing to pivot when something resonates.
The Entrepreneurial Rollercoaster
While San Diablo’s story includes moments of rapid growth and exciting partnerships, Scott is no stranger to the challenges every business owner faces. Entrepreneurship is a constant cycle of highs and lows; big wins followed closely by unexpected setbacks.
Scott has faced many of the realities that come with scaling a business. What keeps him moving forward is a deep-rooted drive to tackle challenges that others might avoid.
Time and time again, Scott has chosen to lean into complexity rather than retreat from it, trusting that solutions will emerge through persistence and creativity.
Purpose Beyond the Product
Scott has always been clear that the company’s mission extends far beyond churros.
At its core, San Diablo exists to “fill lives with happiness.” That philosophy shows up not only in customer experiences, but in the company’s commitment to service and giving back. Through its annual Churros for Change event, San Diablo has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for nonprofits, supporting causes both locally and internationally.
Giving back, for Scott, isn’t an afterthought: it’s foundational. Service, community, and generosity are woven into the company’s culture and identity. And he intends to keep it that way.
Building a Team Worthy of the Brand
As San Diablo has grown, Scott has remained focused on building a team that embodies the brand’s values. With approximately 40 team members across events, production, and operations, the company places strong emphasis on hiring people who deliver warmth, kindness, and professionalism.
Scott believes the team is the brand. Customer experiences are shaped as much by people as by product. Creating opportunities for team members and supporting their growth remains one of the most meaningful aspects of leadership for him.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
- Say yes even if you don’t have all the answers. San Diablo launched because Scott was willing to act first and figure things out along the way.
- Let experience drive your growth. Getting the product directly into customers’ hands creates organic momentum that nothing else can replace.
- Be open to unexpected innovation. Some of San Diablo’s most successful products came from experimentation and collaboration.
- Expect the rollercoaster and stay on it. Highs and lows are part of the journey; resilience is what sustains progress.
- Build purpose into the business from the start. Giving back and serving others isn’t separate from success; it’s part of it.
Looking Ahead
Nearly a decade after launching at Cornbelly’s, San Diablo Artisan Churros is entering an exciting new phase. With expanding retail distribution and continued catering growth, Scott remains focused on what matters most: creating joy, fostering community, and building something meaningful.
In Scott’s words, this was never just about churros.
It was about happiness and finding a way to share it.
Want the full story behind Scott Porter’s journey?
Listen to the complete MountainWest Capital Network Podcast episode, where he shares how his business came together in three days and is still a huge connector for clients today.
[Listen to Scott’s full story here →]
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0OZgyZVidEOYbegVxxmU9s?si=12a0543e721e4acc