#IBuiltThis: How Siete Family Foods Sparked a Tortilla Revolution

They say “it takes a village”, but if you’re the Garza Family, it only takes seven passionate sets of hands.

Veronica Garza and her family, a lively Mexican-American clan hailing from South Texas, grew up on tacos, fajitas and the like. Her love for Tex-Mex, however, was unexpectedly interrupted when she was diagnosed with several health issues that prevented her from eating corn and flour. Garza refused to accept the fact that she could no longer eat tortillas. Instead, she began making her own grain-free tortillas, just for herself and her family to enjoy.

Fast-forward to today, where Siete Family Foods creates thousands of delicious, grain-free options for all to enjoy. We spoke with Veronica Garza on her tortilla inspiration and creating a revolutionary product. Here’s what she had to say. [pagebreak]

Let’s start from the beginning! How did your health issues and diet change bring you to develop Siete?

I changed my diet to alleviate autoimmune symptoms I had been experiencing for years. Removing inflammation-causing foods helped me feel better, but the change wasn’t easy. As a Mexican-American, I grew up eating tortillas on a daily basis, and I have beautiful memories of visiting my grandmother, always being welcomed with a pile of hot flour tortillas. Eating gluten free and grain free meant that all tortillas were literally off the table for me. I scoured grocery shelves for options and couldn’t find anything that resembled the tortillas I loved and grew up eating. I looked to the Internet for ideas and then found myself wrapping delicious fajitas in a piece of lettuce and calling it a “taco.” It wasn’t fun showing up to carne asadas on the weekends with friends, and being the girl that eats lettuce wrapped tacos. It might seem silly now, but in 2010, eating gluten free was not very well understood or even accepted. 

It was out of this “tortilla void” that I created a grain-free almond based tortilla. I made them in my kitchen for years, sharing them first with my family that had adopted a grain-free diet with me, and then with friends. I was excited when I’d show up to parties with my tortillas and people chose to eat mine over the flour or corn variety. “These are gluten free?” they’d ask. “They taste like a normal tortilla! You should sell these!” So, I did!

What was it like transitioning to a grain-free diet, being that so much Mexican food relies on corn and flour products?

I was forced to get creative in the kitchen. I didn’t want to feel like I was depriving myself of anything, so I took traditional dishes and gave them my own spin, substituting corn or flour for grain-free flours like almond and coconut, and adding more vegetables to everything. [pagebreak]

Aside from being gluten and grain-free, how do your tortillas differ from the hundreds of others on the market? 

They are made with just a few simple ingredients and have no artificial preservatives. They also have my grandma’s stamp of approval. No other tortilla on the market can say that!

How did you develop the ingredient combinations and flavors of the tortillas?

With every recipe I’ve developed, my goal has been to create something that I would personally eat because it’s better for me. But, making something tasty and reminiscent of my culture’s traditions and foods is equally important. The process in choosing ingredient combinations and flavors always keeps these two things in mind.

What are your favorite preparations or recipes with the tortillas?

Growing up, I ate sandwiches daily, so the tortillas have helped fill that void for me too. They make the perfect wrap for a quick and easy lunch. They have so many functions for so many recipes: tacos, enchiladas, pizza crust, noodles for lasagna, or fried and cut into triangles for the perfect chip to accompany a bowl of guacamole. [pagebreak]

What exactly is your role in the product’s creation, including packaging and other details?

We are a family-owned business, consisting of a small team of family members and extended family of employees. As Chief Innovation Officer and President, I am responsible for the ideation and creation of new products. I’m involved in every aspect of getting products on shelves, but the process is really a team effort.  We all contribute to brainstorming new products, getting new products on the shelf, providing input on package designs, marketing, and strategy. 

As a Latina entrepreneur, tell us how it feels to be creating a delicious, authentic food product that’s making a difference.

It’s an honor and testament to all of the hard work of Latino/as of generations before me. Attending the University of Texas at Austin, and receiving a degree in Mexican American Studies was a time of self-discovery and an eye opener to the reality that I am a Latina. It was hard seeing this distinction growing up in Laredo, TX, a town with a 95% Hispanic population. It wasn’t until college that I learned about the efforts made by many Latinos – including my own grandfather, Antonio Campos – to ensure that I could have a place in the college classroom, and eventually an opportunity to start my own business.

Latinos are still underrepresented in business and as entrepreneurs, but we are making moves and growing in number quickly. I’m very proud to be part of that. I feel incredibly blessed that I’ve been given the opportunity to lead a business, especially one that is helping people by providing them with healthy, delicious food options.