Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalia Kalloo.
Hi Natalia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Thank you for the interview and your interest in our current and future initiatives.
I served in the DC Government for several years, departing my role as Chief of Operations in 2019. During that time, I deepened my passion for all-natural, preservative-free spices, rigorously testing them for commercial viability. I subsequently launched a spice company, distributing products via Amazon, Walmart Marketplace, Etsy, and local retailers—including the Takoma Park–Silver Spring Co-op, Living Well, GLUT in Brentwood, MD, and Fresh Food Factory in DC.
I expanded into prepackaged meals for local stores, which led to catering services and farmers market participation across the DMV.
Positive customer response to spice-infused samples and meals inspired the creation of the Trini Vybez food truck. Building on its success and supported by local grants, I opened a full-service, bi-level restaurant featuring a wine bar and coffee shop on the lower level and dining upstairs.
We plan to operate the food truck full-time at a new Northeast DC location starting spring 2026, while fulfilling existing contractual obligations with key clients; the site will be announced early that year.
Leveraging the restaurant’s achievements, I founded Victual Solutions, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing technical and financial support to small food enterprises. I am committed to empowering entrepreneurs by demystifying accessible yet complex resources. Currently, we are fundraising to hire a full-time Community Outreach Manager to enhance visibility and forge partnerships. Our services—based in DC but available across the DMV as applicable—include guidance on licensing and permitting, grant and loan procurement, and referrals for legal and accounting expertise.
I currently serve as a Board Member and active Co-Chair of the DC Food Policy Council’s Entrepreneurship and Food Jobs committee, now in my second term. In this role, I advocate for streamlined processes in licensing, permitting, capital access, and navigating challenges like Initiative 82 for local food entrepreneurs.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The food industry faces relentless headwinds, with escalating food and labor costs eroding margins like never before. In DC, we’ve witnessed a heartbreaking wave of closures—yet for every shuttered door, a well-capitalized chain often rises in its place, sidelining the independent, family-run spots that truly define our city’s soul.
Labor, in particular, has become an existential threat for us mom-and-pop operators. As Shaun Townsend, President and CEO of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington warned in his May 2025 Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington viewpoint, “Why D.C. Must Repeal Initiative 82”:
“Unfortunately, what we’re seeing today is a result of well-funded, out-of-town interest groups coming into DC to push an agenda that doesn’t reflect the lived realities of our workforce or business owners. These groups spent millions to influence voters, painting a misleading picture of restaurant owners as exploitative and workers as helpless. That’s not who we are.”
RAMW’s latest survey paints a grim picture: 44% of full-service casual restaurants in D.C. expect to close by the end of 2025, driven largely by Initiative 82’s phased elimination of the tipped wage—now paused at $10 per hour, but still forcing abrupt menu price hikes, slashed hours, and eliminated shifts.ramw.org
I echo Shaun’s frustration; in my own restaurant, labor was the beast that kept me up at night. A stellar team can breathe life into your vision, but when foot traffic lags and payroll looms, you’re left scrambling with shortages that ripple through every service. Without the buffer of investor backing, one bad month could—and did—threaten everything.
Compounding this was our limited initial following. Introducing authentic Trinidadian cuisine—rich with East Indian and Creole influences, featuring fried breads and robust sauces—required educating the market. Many assumed the food would be overwhelmingly spicy simply due to its Caribbean origins. Additionally, guest expectations often clashed with the concept: Trini fare is inherently street-oriented and meant for quick, hot service. Translating staples like doubles—two fried breads layered with condiments—into a full-service dining experience posed logistical challenges, from kitchen pacing to floor delivery.
These experiences have only deepened my commitment to supporting fellow independent operators through Victual Solutions.
(Reference: RAMW Viewpoint: Why D.C. Must Repeal Initiative 82)
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are thrilled to keep the Trini Vybez food truck rolling and to launch our new brick-and-mortar home for authentic Trinidadian cuisine in Northeast DC come spring 2026. The exact address will appear on the Trini Vybez homepage the moment it’s finalized—we can’t wait to welcome both loyal fans and curious newcomers. With sufficient support, we also plan to launch an exciting new community-driven initiative through our non profit that will further connect local producers and consumers in DC; details will follow as funding allows.
Looking ahead, my deepest passion lies in giving back through Victual Solutions, the 501(c)(3) I founded to lift the next generation of food entrepreneurs. Our board members are also food industry partners and professionals. I’ve lived every corner of this industry: product retailer, caterer, mobile concession, full-service restaurant, wine bar, and coffee shop—often juggling multiple licenses and permits at once. I did it all bootstrapped, without investors or partners, on razor-thin margins. That precarious path taught me how easily a dream can falter for lack of guidance, partners, and capital investment.
Countless talented cooks in the DMV prepare extraordinary food at home yet stall because loans are denied, grants feel out of reach, or paperwork overwhelms. Victual Solutions steps in as that steady advocate—aligning real-world experience with local regulations, never dictating decisions, simply clearing the path so creators can focus on their craft.
Our mission: To provide technical and financial assistance for small, underrepresented food businesses through the eyes of real-world experience.
Your contribution to our current fundraiser will directly fund a full-time Community Outreach Manager. This role will amplify our impact by forging partnerships, engaging volunteers, and building sustainable infrastructure—all while keeping overhead low in resource-tight communities.
Though rooted in DC, we’re eager to extend support across the DMV, including vibrant scenes like Baltimore.
Every donation is an investment you can redeem for our consulting services. Whether you join us for a plate of doubles or need help navigating your own food venture, we’re here to ensure talent rises above red tape.
Support Victual Solutions today: https://givebutter.com/c/VictualSolutions
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Wallace Wattles’ The Science of Getting Rich—not for its promise of wealth, but for its profound insights into manifestation. Like the best works in this genre, it illuminates the quiet power of aligning thought with purposeful action to shape reality.
Pricing:
- $925 – 1 month technical assistance with discussion on buildout of business structures, plans, financing options, and more
- $500 – 3 weeks of hybrid technical assistance (remote/in person) as well as address marketing plans and strategies
- $275 – 2 weeks of remote technical assistance addressing permitting and licensing matters, tax structure, and more
- $150 – 3 days remote assistance to include layout of business plan, structure, and more
- $75 – 1 hour consultation. Discussion of ideas, brainstorming plans, and more
Contact Info:
- Website: www.victualsolutions.org and www.trinivybez.com
- Instagram: trinivybezfood
- Facebook: trinivybezfood
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/trini-vybez-by-kalus-seasoning-blends-and-catering-washington
