When Veronica Garza was diagnosed with lupus as a teenager, she thought she wouldn’t be able to enjoy delicious food corn chips Which his Mexican grandmother used to do. Now in his forties, he runs a successful family-run gluten-free Mexican food business.
After his illness was discovered, he had to start a grain-free diet, as many of the foods he grew up on were excluded: “I had a feeling I was really missing out on a very important part of my genetics, and I couldn’t eat the meals he liked,” Garza said. CNBC Make It.
corn tortilla or wheat flour, base of mexican foodIt was one of the things I miss the most. But Veronica did not stand still and began making her own almond flour tortillas. After some time and many recipes, he finally felt that his novel was worth putting on the family table.
This is how the adventure began
To everyone’s surprise, almond chips were a sensation and were never lacking in family meals again. Her younger brother Miguel spent years convincing Veronica to sell her, but he still couldn’t.
In 2014, Veronica, Miguel and their mother together founded Siete Family Foods, a small family business that – then – sold Mexican tortillas made with almond flour, which today makes a variety of grain-free Mexican and American foods, such as tortillas, potatoes, cakes, and taco seasoning. Even dairy-free cheese.
The brothers began selling tortillas to a grocery cooperative in Austin, Texas, and it was a very successful product. Little by little it was extended to other stores and began to expand its offer.
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What started as an effort not to lose touch with her Mexican heritage or give up on the delicious dishes she grew up with, has turned into a profitable business that not only attracts people with dietary restrictions like Veronica, but everyone more and more enjoys their ability to eat healthy, delicious meals.
The name was coined after more family members joined the company. Among these seven is Veronica, the president and innovator of the company. His mother, Aida, who goes shopping. His father, Bobby, the lawyer who runs the legal department, and his four brothers, including Miguel, who is the CEO.
Available in 16,000 US stores
Seven Family Foods is based in Austin and this year will reach $200 million in annual retail sales. The family sells their products in more than 16,000 stores in the United States and Canada, and at Walmart, Target, Costco, Sam’s and Whole Foods.
Despite the fact that they currently have close to 100 employees, the core value of the company remains the family and its main objective is to always look like a family business.
For years, one of the goals of this successful family has been to inspire other Hispanic startups in the United States. Last April, the company made that wish come true with the launch of its $25,000 annual prize to support other Latino family food businesses.
The family received more than 100 orders, and eventually the award went to CocoAndre, a small, Dallas-based chocolate company and maker of horchatas founded by a mother and daughter of Mexican descent, a story that reminded them of their own beginnings.
