When Veronica Garza started experimenting with grain-free tortillas in her Laredo, Texas, kitchen, she wasn’t trying to start a company. She was trying to heal. After being diagnosed with multiple autoimmune conditions as a teenager, including lupus, Garza adopted a low-inflammation, grain-free diet to manage chronic fatigue and pain.
Cutting out grains meant giving up staples of her Mexican-American heritage, especially tortillas. But Garza, determined not to lose the foods that anchored her culture, took matters into her own hands. Using almond flour, she recreated tortillas that met her dietary needs and passed the most important taste test: her grandmother’s.
“Tortillas are the centerpiece of the table,” Garza told CBS News. “It was something I missed so much, so I started experimenting.”
Soon, her whole family was on board—not just with her diet, but with the idea of launching a business. In 2014, Garza, her brother Miguel, and their five family members co-founded Siete Foods, named after the Spanish word for “seven,” representing each member of the Garza family.
Rooted in Family
What started in a home kitchen quickly expanded. The Garzas began by renting a commercial kitchen in Austin, where they pressed tortillas by hand and made deliveries themselves. In 2015, a buyer from Whole Foods discovered their product at a local event. The grocery chain soon picked up their almond flour tortillas, giving Siete its first major break.
“As a Mexican-American family from South Texas, we found that the tortilla wasn’t just something that we use for tacos—it was often our fork and the bread that we had on the table,” Garza told Parents magazine.
From the beginning, the Garzas were clear that their mission was about more than food. “We didn’t necessarily see a brand in the marketplace that was really representative of who we are,” Garza told Food Business News, noting that authenticity and inclusion were central to Siete’s values.
Growth with Purpose
Siete Foods has since become the fastest-growing Latinx-owned company in the natural food space. The brand now offers over 85 products, including chips, salsas, sauces, cookies, tortillas and taco shells—all free of gluten and dairy. Products are now available in more than 37,000 stores nationwide, including Target, Kroger and Walmart.
In 2019, the company received a $90 million minority investment from Stripes Group, a New York-based growth equity firm. In 2021, Siete launched the Juntos Fund, a $2 million initiative that supports Latinx-owned food and beverage businesses, reflecting the founders’ commitment to community uplift.
“Your experiences and culture are strengths, not obstacles,” Veronica said during a panel hosted by the Latino Business Action Network. That ethos drives Siete’s mantra: Juntos es mejor—together is better.
Changing Industry
As a Latina entrepreneur, Veronica Garza is reshaping what leadership looks like in the health food industry, which has often lacked diversity. She has been recognized by Forbes, Fast Company and Inc. Magazine for breaking barriers and building a values-driven business rooted in representation.
“It’s important that the wide variety of experiences, stories and talents within the Latinx community are highlighted and shared with the world,” Garza told Latinitas Magazine.
Her brother and co-founder, Miguel Garza, echoes the importance of people-centered values. “Family first, family second, business third,” he told CNBC Make It, explaining that the team prioritizes culture and relationships as the foundation of long-term success.
What’s Next
Siete entered a new phase this year, with an acquisition by PepsiCo. Despite rapid growth and national visibility, Veronica and her family continue to lead the business with the same principles that shaped it in her kitchen: inclusion, integrity and intentionality.
Veronica Garza SIETE FOODS
Veronica Garza’s story is more than a tale of entrepreneurship—it’s one of resilience, identity and the power of family. As Siete Family Foods continues to flourish, it offers a clear example of how honoring your roots can lead to a future full of possibility.
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