Sauce Bosses

An enterprising group of high school students in rural northern Collier County covet a taste of the business big-time.

The students, at Immokalee High School, are behind Taste of Immokalee, run under the support of several seasoned Naples area business leaders who mentor the students. Taste of Immokalee sells salsa, hot sauces, spices and barbecue sauces, and its products are in Publix, Winn Dixie and several Naples area independent retailers, including Wynn's Market. It also has an e-commerce website, www.tasteofimmokalee.com.

“People compare us to Junior Achievement,” says Taste of Immokalee Executive Director Marie Capita, an attorney and former Collier County official. “But we are Junior Achievement on steroids. We give the kids a real-life experience.”

Taste of Immokalee has some other unique features. For one, it's a benefit corporation, which, under a 2014 Florida law, allows it to pursue both profits and community benefits. Also, the company's board of adult leaders includes former college basketball star Ralph Sampson.