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With a record-breaking number of vendors offering more than 90 food, produce and craft vendors, 20 more than last year’s average, the Hollister Downtown Association’s Farmers’ Market kicked off the 2026 season on April 15.
“A lot of our old favorites are back,” Downtown Association Executive Director Omar Rosa said, “and we have a mixture of new people joining us this year. And we’ll have even more vendors in the weeks to come. Hopefully, people will check them out and support all the other downtown businesses.”
One returning vendor, Adrian Villanueva’s Protein Papi, had a particularly great day. Even though he added a second flat-top grill and another chef this year, his food tent proved to be so popular he could barely keep up with the orders, selling out in two hours. .
“I was tripping out,” Villanueva said. “I thought I was overprepared and not even close. Not even halfway close. All those customers were just like a blessing.”
For someone who had never intended to be a chef in the first place, the success of his food tent comes as a bit of a surprise. By trade, Villanueva is a personal trainer with an associate’s degree in sports medicine from Gavilan College.
“I have a nutritional background,” he said. “After learning how to eat like a bodybuilder, I really got into weight loss. One of my clients wanted to learn how to eat like me, so I cooked something for her. It just went viral after that.”
The response was enough for Villanueva to slowly put together his food tent, having saved over the years for all the components.
“It was a matter of finances,” he said. “So, one year it was the 10×10 canopy. Then, $500 just to build this little food trailer from scratch. Another $500 into food, $100 towards help, $100 on propane. You’re already talking over $2,000, including the licenses and permits.”
For all of that expense, Villanueva’s first foray into last year’s Farmers’ Market had a less successful start than he had hoped. With potential customers unfamiliar with his food and ineffective marketing, there were days he ended up discarding his food because of low sales.
“I just had to keep showing up and showing my face,” he said. “I was slowly able to gain more clout as everybody became more familiar with me. But it didn’t come easy.”
Thinking that the market needed healthier options, Villanueva crafted his menu based on a food pyramid that features a choice of four proteins, three carbohydrates and three vegetables. He keeps the fat content to a minimum and uses very little sodium in his seasonings and condiments.
“I believe food is medicine,” he said, “You know, when you keep it really basic, it’s hard to gain weight, you can’t gain fat, and you’re not going to gain water weight. Your cholesterol is going to be awesome. No high blood pressure.”
His current core proteins are salmon, tri-tip, chicken breast and shrimp. Those are paired with steamed or fried rice with egg, and a selection of freshly-chopped vegetables, including zucchini noodles and a blend of bell peppers and chopped zucchini. (Villanueva said he will be introducing tofu, as well, later this year.)
Villanueva uses no marinades, and the only thing not prepared from fresh ingredients is the shrimp, which is frozen. Everything is cut and prepared on-site. Already diabetic-friendly, his menu is also flexible enough to accommodate keto, vegetarian and vegan diets.
Regular customer John Gorena has been a steady fan of Protein Papi since Villanueva opened in the market last year. His favorite, he said, alternates between the shrimp and the chicken.
“The flavors are amazing,” he said, “I like the spices and the way everything is all minced together. Adrian’s really got it, and it shows. If you have a passion for something, you just stick to it, and good things tend to happen.”
Some of those flavors are Protein Papi exclusives, like Villanueva’s healthier version of Yum Yum sauce, which uses Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise for less fat and more protein. There is also his lower-calorie hot honey, a mix of Sriracha, wildflower honey, and a very small amount of brown sugar.
Villanueva admits he was caught completely off-guard by the success of the first day of the 2026 market, saying he was surprised that just doubling his stand and staff from last year was not enough to meet the demand he faced.
“I doubled my stand since last year,” he said, “and it’s at the point where now I may have to quadruple. I’m walking into this like I’m blindfolded, brother. You know what I mean? You know, I’m just asking for God to lead me.”
Protein Papi is just one of more than 40 food vendors at the market this year, as evidenced by the list below. The variety of offerings is “unbelievable,” according to Joseph Elmhorst, whose Steak Stop helped kick off the local food truck scene in Hollister as the first licensed food truck by the city to operate in a fixed location.
“This is my fifth year of doing this,” he said, “and every year, I am seeing great new vendors and even more support from the community. This is really shaping up to be one of the best farmers’ markets in the central coast.”
Protein Papi is on Instagram, and Villanueva can be contacted for catering and events at 408-843-6503 or by email at musclehypertrophy@icloud.com
Food and drink vendors at the opening day of the Farmers’ Market
Meat vendors:
BR Beef
Hammond Livestock
Wolfson’s Meat & Sausage
Produce:
A. Hernandez Produce
Badachi Acosta Flowers and Produce
Berry Fresh
Cielo Farm
Hernandez Produce
Swank Farms
Valois Family Farm
Food trucks, tents and booths:
Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.
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