In Mexican-American cuisine, grains, like corn and wheat, are both common ingredients. They make up the base of tortillas, for example, as well as chips and tacos. So it’s unsurprising that, when Veronica Garza was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition and had to change her diet, she was more than a little concerned that she would miss out on some of her favorite culinary traditions.

But instead of settling for lettuce leaves in the place of tacos or tortillas, she decided to make versions of Mexican-American classic dishes that she could eat, without the grains. And this kitchen experiment eventually evolved into a brand—and a hugely popular one at that. Garza is now the president of Siete Foods and her younger brother, Miguel, is also a co-founder and CEO. Garza’s parents and four other siblings also continue to help run Siete Foods alongside them. While the family grew up in the southern Texas city of Laredo on the Mexico-US border, the brand is now based in Austin.

“I knew we had something really special when my Grandma Campos told me that my tortillas tasted better than the homemade flour tortillas she’d made for decades,” Garza notes on the brand’s website. 

“My family knew that we couldn’t keep our delicious Mexican-American food to ourselves. So we’re delighted to share it with you in a variety of dietary offerings, from our table to yours.” —Veronica Garza

All of the brand’s offerings are, of course, grain-free, and all of them are vegan, too. Right now, you can find its lime tortilla chips, dairy-free queso puffs, avocado oil tacos, almond flour tortillas, and much more in major grocery stores, like Target and Walmart, across the US, as well as online at Amazon.

While it started from humble beginnings, as of October 2024, Siete Foods is being bought by PepsiCo for $1.2 billion. It has been the fastest-growing Hispanic company in the US. In recent years, PepsiCo has been shifting its portfolio to include healthy snacks such as Sabra, Bubly, Bare Snacks, Health Warrior, and PopCorners. PepsiCo and Siete Foods are set to close the deal by the first half of 2025.

“We look forward to expanding our multicultural portfolio with these incredible products and even more consumers discovering and enjoying Siete,” Pepsi CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a statement.

Siete Foods

Siete Foods, Eva Longoria, and uplifting the Latinx Community

This May, Siete Foods announced that Eva Longoria had invested an undisclosed sum in the company, and would serve as a strategic advisor. The Mexican-American actor, director, and philanthropist has launched several of her own business ventures, including the tequila brand Casa Del Sol and a cookware line called Risa.

In 2012, she also launched her own foundation to support Latin Americans in the US with education and entrepreneurship, and she shares this passion for uplifting the community with Garza.

Four years ago, Siete Foods launched its Juntos Fund, and through that fund, it aims to give away $2 million to Latina business founders.

“In this nation, there are over 2 million businesses with Latina founders, but Latinas only receive 2 percent of venture capital funds. We can help them find success,” Veronica Garza said to Fox 7.

Businesses that have received support from the Juntos Fund so far include Nana’s Taqueria in Weslaco, Texas, and Comadre Panaderia and La Santa Barbacha in Austin.

Longoria–who has long been a big fan of Siete Foods’ products—resonated deeply with this mission. “As a fellow Texan who is dedicated to elevating Latinos in business, I’m very excited to partner with Siete and contribute to their next chapter,” she said in a statement. To Forbes, she explained that she would like to turn Siete Foods into a “food empire that celebrates our heritage, culturally inspired foods, and really shines a light on Latinos.”

Siete Foods

Garza—who has actually known Longoria for more than 30 years after they met at a cheer camp—was also thrilled about the partnership. “Siete represents a dream realized and gives us a platform to share our culture through food,” she said in a statement. “Now we have an incredible opportunity to shine a greater spotlight on Latino heritage and entrepreneurship through our partnership with Eva Longoria.”

This post was originally published on VegNews.com.