Flor Rodriguez

  “Integration has never meant leaving your identity behind. It’s about bringing the best of where you come from, embracing the country that welcomed you, and allowing both to become part of who you are.”

Flor Rodriguez

Occupation: Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Hispanic Pantry and MOAH

State of Residency: Victoria

Favourite place in Australia: My home. After almost 12 years in Australia, the place I love most is the home we have built here as a family.

Upon arrival: It surprised me how early everything closes! It was a cultural shock to see shops closing at 5 pm when, in my mind, the evening was just getting started!

 Story edited by Phoebe McKenzie. Digital edition by Cristy Abela

Flor is an Argentinian who has called Melbourne home for almost 12 years. With a background in Business Administration and a successful corporate career in Buenos Aires, she migrated to Australia with her husband and young son, embarking on a journey that would transform both her personal and professional life. From corporate professional to full-time mum and, eventually, entrepreneur, Flor's journey has been shaped by unexpected opportunities, important decisions and a willingness to embrace change.

Today, Flor is the co-founder of Hispanic Pantry, an online business bringing Latin American and Spanish products to people across Australia, and MOAH, a brand celebrating mate and the traditions surrounding this iconic South American drink. Through both businesses, she is passionate about keeping Latin American culture alive while sharing it with the wider Australian community. At the heart of everything she does is a simple philosophy: bringing cultures together, embracing her Argentinian roots while building a meaningful life in the country she now calls home.

TELL US YOUR STORY

From a very young age, I was independent, determined and endlessly curious about the world. I loved travelling, discovering new places and learning about different cultures. I love Argentina deeply, but growing up I often had the strange feeling that perhaps I had been born in the wrong place – that there was another part of the world where I was meant to experience life.

I travelled alone through Europe when I was quite young, and when I returned to Buenos Aires, I made myself a promise: I would not go through life without experiencing what it was like to live in another country. For reasons I still can't fully explain, that country was always Australia. I had never been here. I simply felt drawn to it. Intuition, perhaps.

Years later, while my husband and I were studying and building our careers and life together in Buenos Aires, we first explored migrating to Australia. I had studied Business Administration and was working for large corporations in Argentina. I had always been very career-driven, loved studying and was passionate about professional development. At that stage, I imagined my future continuing in the corporate world.

The timing wasn't right for us to migrate, so I remember thinking, "Not now, but one day." The dream never left me.

Our son was born, and when he was almost two, my mum passed away. She was not only my mother but one of my closest friends and my unconditional companion. Losing her changed something in me. Together with our desire to give our son a different quality of life, her passing became the catalyst for us to stop postponing that dream.

We began the permanent residency process. People constantly asked us, "Why Australia? Why would you leave everything behind?" The truth was, we didn't have a concrete answer. Some looked at us as if we were crazy – neither of us had ever even been to Australia. We couldn't fully explain it to others, but somehow, we knew. And we never doubted it.

Exactly one year later, our residency was granted. We sold everything and moved to Melbourne – the three of us and nine suitcases carrying our life in Argentina.

Flor with her two kids

I still remember landing in Melbourne and being unable to hold back my tears. I had finally arrived in the place I had dreamed about for so many years. Within days, I had a strong feeling that Australia would become home.

We adapted remarkably well, slowly building friendships, a support network and a new life. As a family, we decided I would put my corporate career on hold and dedicate those years to being a full-time mum.

It was a complete change of direction for me. I went from leading a team in a corporate environment to organising playdates with toddlers! But I have never regretted that decision. It was an important chapter of my life, and one I feel very fortunate to have experienced.

When my son started primary school, our daughter was born, so I continued being a full-time mum until she started kindergarten. By then, I was ready to explore what might come next professionally.

I found myself at another crossroads: return to the corporate world I knew or take a chance on an idea my husband and I had been considering. I chose the unknown.

That idea became Hispanic Pantry, an online business bringing Latin American and Spanish products to people across Australia. Almost without planning it, I had become an entrepreneur – something I had never imagined for myself after always pursuing a corporate career.

As Hispanic Pantry grew, we created MOAH, our own brand dedicated to mate and the culture surrounding this traditional South American drink. Today, I run both businesses while raising our family, with my husband supporting the businesses alongside his full-time career.

Looking back, my professional journey has been very different from the one I once imagined, but I believe every chapter – corporate professional, full-time mum and entrepreneur – has helped shape who I am today.

One of the things I value most about our businesses is the opportunity to keep Latin American culture alive while sharing it with the wider Australian community.

For us, Hispanic Pantry and MOAH are about much more than selling products. Food and traditions have an incredible ability to connect us to our roots. When you have migrated, finding a familiar product, preparing mate or tasting something you grew up with can bring back memories and create an instant connection with home.

At the same time, I love introducing these flavours and traditions to Australians and people from many other backgrounds. It's a wonderful way of creating opportunities for cultures to meet, connect and learn from one another. This is very much at the heart of what we do: bringing cultures together.

I also believe that contributing to Australian society happens through everyday actions. For me, that includes raising our children here while keeping them connected to their Argentinian heritage, creating employment opportunities through our businesses, participating in our local community and building a life in Australia without losing where we come from.

I've always believed that integration doesn't mean leaving your identity behind. It's about bringing the best of where you come from, embracing the country that welcomed you, and allowing both to become part of who you are.

Almost twelve years after arriving with nine suitcases, I sometimes think about that younger version of myself who simply had a feeling about Australia.

Somehow, she knew.

CHALLENGES

Language, accent and cultural connection - I arrived with a good level of English. I had studied with a private teacher and passed the IELTS, but I was mostly used to an American accent. On our Qantas flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, as we were making our way to Australia to start our new life, I could barely understand the Australian crew asking what I wanted to eat! I looked at my husband and said, “I’m in trouble — I can’t understand anything!” I was never embarrassed to speak English and have always been proud of my accent because it is part of who I am. Over time, understanding Australian English became natural, but I also learnt that language is only one part of communication. Even after almost twelve years, I know I will never feel completely native — and I’m comfortable with that. With other Latinos, there is an immediate connection through shared culture, humour, customs and experiences that goes beyond language. Learning to belong in Australia while embracing that part of my identity has been an ongoing part of my migrant journey.

Flor at the Day of the Death celebrations at Federation square in Melbourne Victoria

 Learning how everyday life works again - One of the unexpected challenges of migrating was having to learn how everyday life worked all over again. I arrived as an independent adult, yet suddenly I didn’t know things as simple as where to buy yerba mate, how the healthcare system worked or how to navigate my son’s education.In Argentina, I was used to accessing specialists directly through private healthcare. Here, I had to understand GPs, Medicare, private health insurance and even what would happen if I became pregnant. Our son was also starting three-year-old kinder, and the education system was completely unfamiliar to us.Then there were the smaller cultural adjustments – shops closing at 5 pm and moving our Buenos Aires-style 10 pm dinners closer to 7 pm! None of these things were major obstacles individually, but together they made me realise how much of daily life we take for granted when we know how a country works. The first year involved lots of asking, researching, observing and learning. Eventually, what initially felt unfamiliar simply became our normal.

Redefining my professional identity Putting my corporate career on hold to become a full-time mum was a conscious family decision and one I have never regretted. I loved those years with my children, but after being a very independent and career-driven woman, it also meant redefining an important part of my identity.Years later, when I was ready to return to work, I faced another challenge: after being away from the corporate world for so long, did I want to go back to the career I knew, or was I ready to reinvent myself completely? Choosing entrepreneurship meant stepping into unfamiliar territory and learning everything from scratch. I had never imagined myself running a business, let alone two. It pushed me outside my professional comfort zone, but it also taught me that a career doesn’t have to follow a straight line. Sometimes stepping away from the path you planned allows you to discover one that suits the person you have become.

CONTRASTS AND SIMILARITIES     

Some of the products Hispanic Pantry sells best enjoyed at an Aussie beach.

Living to work vs working to live - One of the biggest differences I noticed was the relationship with work. In Argentina, I grew up with a culture where work often comes first, and long hours are almost worn as a badge of honour. In Australia, I discovered a much healthier work-life balance. People genuinely make time for family, weekends, sport and holidays, and that completely changed my perspective. It taught me that success is also measured by the life you build outside of work.

 Community looks different - Australians are incredibly respectful of personal space and independence, while Latin culture is naturally warmer, more spontaneous and community oriented. I initially missed the spontaneity of simply calling a friend and saying, “Are you free? I’m coming over!” rather than planning a catch-up weeks in advance. Over time, I learnt to appreciate both. Australia taught me to respect boundaries and planning, while my Latin roots remind me of the importance of spontaneity, creating connection, making people feel welcome and building community wherever I go.

Keeping my roots while embracing a new country - Migrating taught me that embracing a new country doesn’t mean letting go of where you come from. We speak Spanish at home, drink mate, celebrate Argentinian traditions and share them with our children, while at the same time embracing Australian values and raising them here. I’ve learnt that identity doesn’t have to be one or the other – it can be both, and that has been one of the greatest gifts of living in Australia.

PIECE OF ADVICE 

Be brave – If you’re thinking of moving to Australia, do it! Be brave and allow yourself to experience it. Don’t expect quite the same level of “fiesta” as Argentina, but expect an incredible country full of opportunities. Prepare and do your research, but don’t wait until you have every answer – you never will. Beyond Australia, I believe living in another country is one of life’s greatest lessons. It makes you grow, mature, accept differences and appreciate things you once took for granted.

Be curious – Don’t be too attached to the life or career you thought you were supposed to have. Be curious, stay open to opportunities and don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself. My own journey took me from the corporate world to full-time motherhood and eventually entrepreneurship – none of which I had planned. Work hard, keep learning and trust yourself. Sometimes the unexpected path ends up being exactly where you were meant to go.

Reach out – If you’re struggling, reach out. Don’t feel that you have to navigate difficult times alone, especially when you are far from the support network you once knew. The Latin American community in Australia has wonderful people, groups and resources, and Australia also offers many organisations and support services. Asking for

Flor and her family celebrating in 2020 their first of many years of Hispanic Pantry.

IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS

Flor sees herself continuing to grow – personally, professionally and with a much deeper sense of purpose. She hopes Hispanic Pantry and MOAH will continue to grow while becoming less dependent on her day-to-day involvement, allowing her to dedicate more time to a new project very close to my heart: creating meaningful spaces for migrant women to connect, grow and experience a genuine sense of belonging and community.

Personally, with her children becoming young adults, she sees more space to continue discovering herself, explore new interests and travel more with her family – particularly with her husband. Ultimately, she hopes the next chapter of her life is about growth, connection and creating something that has a positive impact beyond herself. 

Do you want to follow Flor’s journey? Connect with her on Instagram @hispanicpantry & @moah_aus, LinkedIN or Facebook >  Hispanic Pantry , MOAH .

We invite you to take a moment to reflect on Flor’s inspiring story and the experiences that connect us all.

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