Nechus Brings South American Flavor—and a Dream—To NewBo City Market

Nechus, the newly opened South American restaurant at NewBo City Market, is the realization of a long-held dream for owners Bianca Valles, Vanessa Valles, and Juan Madrid. After living in Colombia and Ecuador before moving to the United States, they saw a unique opportunity to bring the classic flavors of South American cooking to their new home and customers in Cedar Rapids.

Nechus South American Food opened at NewBo City Market on June 27, 2025.

Cooking has always been central to their culture and upbringing. “We learned to cook from our families,” Juan said, “and we use original recipes that came from our families.”

The family relocated from Miami to Cedar Rapids just a few years ago. Although they had some restaurant experience, launching a business of their own was a brand-new challenge. None of them had ever owned a business before—but with vision, determination, and organization, they made it happen. Nechus soft-opened on June 27, and customer response has been enthusiastic.

Reflecting on their first week, Vanessa shared: “The people of Cedar Rapids have been welcoming and supportive and we are so grateful for them. Our way of saying thank you is by offering food that is special, food that is from our hearts that represents who we are. We are so thankful to God and to our wonderful supporters.”

Bianca Valles, Vanessa Valles, and Juan Madrid of Nechus.

Their journey began with a visit to NewBo City Market, which inspired them to finally take the first steps toward launching Nechus. Bianca arranged a meeting in November 2024 to explore the opportunity.

“Bianca got the conversation started but eventually the four of us began meeting more regularly,” said Matt McGrane, Director of Business Development at NewBo City Market. “Each step they took was like a little homework assignment, and they were responsive and thorough. Starting a business is hard work but they are always energetic and optimistic. They are amazing people to work with.”

NewBo City Market is a nonprofit that supports small business development with a focus on food and retail. The owners immediately felt aligned with the Market’s mission. “We appreciated that it was multicultural with all different kinds of businesses,” Vanessa said. “We thought it would be perfect for us.”

Like many first-time entrepreneurs, their biggest challenge was funding. “It’s very hard to get a bank loan for a new business,” Juan stated. “You usually need a few years of business income to qualify.” Fortunately, NewBo City Market connected them with key grant opportunities, including rent discounts through The Hatchery program. Additional funding from Corda Credit Union and Rapids Wholesale helped reduce startup costs.

Eric Schmitt, president of Rapids, shared: “Rapids is proud to support the launch of Nechus, one of NewBo City Market’s newest vendors, as they begin their exciting journey of bringing bold flavors and fresh experiences to our community. Our mission at Rapids has always centered on helping create spaces where communities come together, and NewBo is a shining example of that vision in action. The Market’s ability to unite people around food, creativity, and culture is something we believe deeply in—and it's why we’re thrilled to invest in that mission through our grant to Nechus. This partnership is a small step with the potential for a big impact, and we’re excited to see Nechus become part of the incredible story that is NewBo City Market.”

Nechus offers a variety of traditional South American dishes, including several styles of authentic arepas.

Nechus offers a variety of flavorful South American dishes—some of which are brand new to Cedar Rapids diners. Menu highlights include patacon, a sandwich made with shredded chicken or beef, cheese, and smoked ham between two slices of flattened plantains instead of bread; cachapas, savory corn pancakes with cheese and butter; and empanadas served in either Venezuelan or Colombian style. Other staples like arepas, salchipapas, and tequeños round out their hearty menu, which is paired with a selection of domestic and imported non-alcoholic beverages.

Although Nechus is still in its early days, the family already has their sights set on what’s next. “We want to grow, to offer more kinds of food from other South American countries like Peru and Ecuador. We hope we will continue to help people discover a different kind of food that maybe they haven’t tried and that we can share with them,” Vanessa stated. Juan added, “We also want to show people that if they have dreams, they can make them happen.”

Follow Nechus South American Food and view their menu on Facebook or Instagram.