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Founded by local resident Shane Nobles, Pain Train Salsa has been a Tomball staple for nearly a decade. The Tomball-based business built a loyal following soon after debuting at the Tomball Farmers Market. Nobles, a former high school football coach and educator, has the company set to move into a new space in Old Town Tomball that will accommodate the company’s enormous growth.
Nobles kicked off his salsa ventures by making it for fellow coaches to enjoy after games and while watching film. The positive feedback from his peers got him thinking that he might be able to turn this hobby into a business.
Pain Train Salsa was launched at the Tomball Farmers Market with 51 jars of homemade salsa. Every jar was sold within 90 minutes, foreshadowing the company’s future.
Bianca Nobles, Shane’s wife, helped put the company on the fast track to success with a salsa idea that has become a best seller. The invention of “Green-Go Creamy Avocado” took Pain Train’s popularity to the next level. Self-proclaimed as the best green sauce on the planet, it has become what Pain Train’s best known product.
A few years after his first farmer’s market, Nobles saw the opportunity to make a career out of selling his salsas. He took the leap in 2017 to focus on Pain Train full-time. Since then, business has increased every year.
In addition to the original roasted salsa and the creamy avocado, Nobles’ research and development has led Pain Train to release several other salsas, ranging from a pineapple and raw honey concoction to a black bean and corn variety. The key to all Pain Train salsas is that they are made with 100% natural ingredients and do not include additives, preservatives, or added sugar.
“We live by a simple rule that I made up a while back. We don’t put anything in the salsa that I can’t spell,” said Nobles. “That’s why our salsas are so good. We are unique and we don’t cut corners.”
Pain Train’s success at Tomball Farmers Market, and in other farmers markets in the region, got the attention of local retailers. Thanks to strong sales and Nobles’ persistence, Pain Train was soon being sold across the state. Today Pain Train can be found in places like Whole Foods, Spec’s, Harvest Market, and Brookshire Brothers. Several local outlets, like Smitty’s Meat Market in Tomball, proudly carry the products as well.
“If you make the best salsa and try to price it as fair as you can, people are going to buy it. Fresh salsa is something people are passionate about and we give them a reason to be extra passionate. Nobody ever buys it once,” added Nobles
As demand for Pain Train’s salsas increased, the company developed a need for a larger space to make, store, and sell their products. Earlier this year, Pain Train broke ground on an expansion in Old Town Tomball that is more than 1.5 times bigger than their current space. The new building is being designed as a commercial kitchen with a retail shop so customers can purchase and enjoy chips and salsa in store. The additional space will allow Pain Train to make more salsa and have more refrigerated storage. Nobles hopes to open in the fall and become another piece of Tomball’s foodie culture.
“I think we’re going to add to the charm of Old Town. We want to be an attraction, so it’s going to be done right,” said Nobles.
One thing Pain Train has already done right, is hire quality people. The diverse team helps the company everywhere from the kitchen to the dozen or so farmers markets a week where Pain Train is represented.
“I’ve got the best people. We’ve been so blessed and that’s what’s made it work,” added Nobles.
From the people to the salsa, Pain Train has endeared themselves to customers in Tomball and beyond. The local selection has turned into a regional favorite for salsa connoisseurs. With exciting plans for the future and a commitment to the best products available, Pain Train Salsa’s story is just getting started.