16 Latinx-Owned Grocery Brands to Keep Stocked in Your Kitchen

1. SOMOS

Founded by former KIND Snacks executives Daniel Lubetzky, Miguel Leal, and Rodrigo Zuloaga, SOMOS celebrates the vibrant culture and delicious foods of the founders’ homeland of Mexico. While SOMOS has a variety of ready-to-eat foods, including chips and salsa and convenient burrito bowls, the star just might be its salsa macha, which just launched this past June. SOMOS Salsa Macha was inspired by Zuloaga’s beloved family recipe and both flavors — Nuts & Seeds and Mango & Pineapple — contain avocado oil, chiles, nuts, and seeds. The Mango & Pineapple flavor has chunks of these tropical fruits that give it a slightly sweet but still smoky, spicy taste that’s great drizzled on pizza, fruit salads, ice cream, and more. 

Buy: SOMOS Salsa Macha Mexican Chili Crisp Variety Pack, $19.99 for 2 (6.5-ounce) jars at Amazon

2. Melinda’s

Belizean brothers David and Greg Figueroa founded Melinda’s Hot Sauce in 1989, wanting to bring heat, flavor, and a memorable culinary experience to American grocery stores. Since then, they have expanded their line to include a range of condiments and sauces: classic habanero and ghost pepper hot sauces, plus popular spicy ketchup and BBQ sauces. Each product is made with fresh ingredients including garlic, peppers, lime juice, white onion, black pepper, and so much more. Try these sauces and dips with fries, on a burrito or some eggs, or even as a sauce for ribs and wings. 

Buy: Melinda’s Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce, $2.98 for 5 ounces at Walmart

3. HERNÁN México

After years in the fashion industry, Isela Hernandez decided to take on her dream of promoting Mexican cuisine and culture, inspired greatly by her roots and experience growing up in a border town in Texas. HERNÁN México is the result, growing from kitchenware to specialty food items over the course of 16 years. You can find a selection of artisanal goods, including foods like Mexican hot chocolate and prep tools like a molcajete and a molinillo. My favorite, however, is the mole poblano, a robust and complex blend of 28 natural and vegan ingredients that will give a rich, earthy, and smoky taste to chicken, pork, eggs, and so much more.

Buy: Hernán Mole Poblano, $8 for 7.2 ounces at Hernán México

4. Tia Lupita Foods

Founder Hector Saldivar started Tia Lupita Foods to pay homage to his heritage and honor his mother, known affectionately to others as Tía Lupita, or Aunt Lupita. Well-known for her homemade hot sauces, Saldivar decided to bring a taste of his Mexican home to American tables. Whether you need to restock your pantry with some delectable salsa verde and chipotle hot sauce, or you’re feeling adventurous and want to try grain-free cactus tortillas, Tia Lupita Foods has a little something for you. 

Buy: Tia Lupita Chipotle, $9.93 for 8 ounces at Amazon

5. Todo Verde Seasoning

If you prefer a plant-based diet, but can’t seem to satisfy your taste buds when it comes to versatile Latin American cuisine, then you’ll love Todo Verde Seasoning. Chef Jocelyn Ramirez started Todo Verde in 2015 to create delicious plant-based food inspired by her Mexican and Ecuadorian roots. Todo Verde Seasoning includes al pastor, carnitas, and tinga — each one packed with rich and bold flavors to add to either plant-based and meat recipes (the carnitas seasoning is particularly delicious for its porcini mushroom and aged black garlic). Use a sprinkle on your favorite tofu or jackfruit for a dash of Mexican flavor.

Buy: Todo Verde Taco Trio Seasoning Set, $9.99 for 3 (0.6-ounce) packs at Todo Verde

6. Loisa

Outside of New York, finding Dominican and other Caribbean spices and sauces was a challenge for Kenny Luna and Scott Hattis. That’s where Loisa comes in. The co-founders wanted to pass on their families’ Dominican heritage and recipes, ultimately creating Loisa’s flagship seasoning and spices, sazón and adobo, which are made without artificial ingredients. In 2021, Dominican community chef, food activist, and educator Yadira Garcia joined Loisa as an owner to launch the now popular sofrito, based on her own family’s heritage recipe. This versatile and savory cooking sauce is made with ajicito peppers and culantro, which makes it great for elevating rice, eggs, chicken, fish, and even soup.

Buy: Loisa Classic Sofrito, $24 for 2 (12-ounce) jars at Loisa

7. Cacique

Owned by the de Cardenas family for more than 40 years, Cacique has been a staple for many Latinx homes both in the U.S. and Latin America. Jennie and Gilbert de Cardenas immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba, and in their chase of “the American dream” they founded one of the most popular brands of Mexican-style cheeses, cremas, salsas, and more. While I love their vast selection of delicious products, my favorite is the rich, creamy, and crumbly Ranchero Queso Fresco. Made of part skim milk, this cheese is the perfect topping for enchiladas, tostadas, salads, and elote. 

Buy: Cacique Ranchero Queso Fresco, $3.99 for 10 ounces at Target

8. Siete Foods

Founded in 2014 by the Garzas, a family of siete (that’s seven), Siete Foods was a way to let their daughter Veronica, who was diagnosed with autoimmune disorders, enjoy the indulgent foods of their Mexican culture after they all decided to adopt a grain-free diet. Siete Foods has an array of natural and grain-free products, including potato chips, tortillas, churro strips, and beans (The Dip Chip is also a winner of this year’s The Kitchn’s Grocery Essentials). I especially love the Fuego Kettle Chips, made with avocado oil and kettle cooked to perfection, served alongside a burger or sandwich. Look for the brand at Target, Whole Foods, Walmart, and Amazon.

Buy: Siete Fuego Kettle Chips, $3.99 for 5.5 ounces at Target

9. Brazi Bites

When founder Junea Rocha moved to the U.S. from Brazil, she desperately missed her family’s light, fluffy cheese bread better known as paõ de queijo. Rocha called her mother in Brazil to ask for the family recipe, and thus Brazi Bites was born. These perfectly poppable bread bites are a great snack or meal accompaniment (dip them into your tomato soup!). Simply pop them in the air fryer or oven and you’ll love their crispy exterior and cheesy insides. They’re available in a few flavors including Everything, Garlic Asiago, 3 Cheese Pizza, Classic Ranch, and, my favorite, Cheddar & Parmesan.

Buy: Brazi Bites Cheddar & Parmesan Brazilian Cheese Bread, $7.69 for 18 pieces at Instacart

10. Nemi Cactus Sticks

Cactus is not only one of Mexico’s most popular foods, but it’s also a symbol of many Indigenous cultures throughout Mexico. That’s what inspired Regina Trillo, hailing from Mexico City, to create her crunchy snacks, Nemi Cactus Sticks (Nemi deriving from the Náhuatl “to live.”). Each bag is full of nutrient-rich ingredients like chia seeds and flax seeds (both are high in fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids), amaranth, turmeric, and, of course, cactus. These sticks are available in unique flavor combinations, like churro cinnamon and chile turmeric, but I’m partial to the familiar and zesty flavor of Mexican lime. Whether you’re in need of a post-workout snack or just need something to munch on during a road trip, these cactus sticks are delicious.

Buy: Nemi Cactus Sticks Mexican Lime, $4.20 for 1.7 ounces at Walmart

11. Solely

Gummies and fruit strip rolls may seem like snacks for children, but with Solely you can reminisce about recess while eating organic fruits and vegetables that your kid self wouldn’t dare touch (but your adult self will appreciate). CEO Simón Sacal was just 19 years old when he started his own savory snack business in Mexico, later creating Solely as a way to help kids in Mexico gain easy access to fresh fruit. Solely gummies and jerky are made with 100% organic ingredients and contain no gels, gum, sugar, or artificial flavors and colors. Dig into the Organic Pineapple Chocolate Drizzled Fruit Jerky or Organic Mango & Guava Gummies. There’s Organic Spaghetti Squash Pasta if you want to make a meal out of it!

Buy: Solely Organic Organic Mango & Guava Gummies, $7.99 for 5 (0.7-ounce) bags at Amazon

12. La Monarca Bakery

Pan dulce, or sweet bread, and a cup of coffee are an essential part of an evening routine in a Mexican home. Inspired by that nostalgia, La Monarca Bakery founders Ricardo Cervantes and Alfredo Livas created fresh pastries, pan dulce, and traditional Mexican drinks. One of the standouts is the cinnamon cookies, made of shortbread and sprinkled with Mexican cinnamon and sugar (dunk them in the brand’s Café de Olla for the ultimate sweet treat). Best of all, La Monarca Bakery donates 1% of proceeds to its non-profit partner, ECOLIFE Conservation, to support programs that protect and preserve the monarch butterfly — the company’s namesake.

Buy: La Monarca Bakery Mexican Cinnamon Cookies, $5.99 for 6 ounces at La Monarca

13. Agua Bonita

Aguas frescas are a cultural staple for many who grew up in Latin American households, and Agua Bonita combines cultural nostalgia with a modern refreshment. Kayla Castañeda founded Agua Bonita in the middle of the pandemic, deciding to turn lemons into agua fresca. Since her family settled in the fruit fields of the Central Valley of California from Mexico, where 60% of the nation’s produce is grown, she decided to follow her family’s fruit-growing footsteps. With flavors like pineapple cucumber and watermelon chile, these refreshing beverages taste like summertime (any time of year!) without overwhelming sweetness. My favorite flavor, however, is the slightly tart and slightly sweet Hibiscus. 

Buy: Agua Bonita Hibiscus Agua Fresca, $5.38 for 12 ounces at Thrive Market

14. Pinole Blue

Pinole is nutrient-rich ground purple corn that is common in Mexican cuisine, but hard to find in American grocery stores. That’s the sentiment that motivated Eddie Sandoval, born and raised in central Kansas, who frequently traveled back with his family to Chihuahua, Mexico, and always brought back pinole to make a variety of recipes, like champurrado and atole, classic Mexican masa-based drinks that are especially popular during the holidays. Sandoval founded Pinole Blue to ultimately share his heritage with others, creating a line of tortillas, masa mix, protein bites, and atole mix.

Buy: Pinole Blue Atole All Natural Instant Mix, $14.50 for 12.7 oz at Pinole Blue

15. Doña Vega Mezcal

If you’ve entered the tequila vs. mezcal debate as a member of #TeamMezcal, then this is the one for you. Mexican owner and founder Sonya Vega traveled far and wide throughout Oaxaca, the home state of this agave-based drink, and met with mezcaleras Oaxacaeñas to create a light, smoky, smooth drink that’ll turn heads at any dinner party. On its own or in a cocktail, this mezcal has a balanced and earthy finish and it’s hand-crafted in small batches to give new life to this timeless, generational beverage. 

Buy: Doña Vega Espadín, $43.99 for 750 ml at Drizzly

16. La Gritona Reposado Tequila

If you prefer tequila over mezcal, La Gritona Reposado Tequila will be your bar cart’s best friend. Melly Barajas delved into the tequila industry after her father expressed a wish of having a tequila made in his honor. As one of the few female master distillers in Mexico, Barajas and her all-women staff have crafted a delicious and additive-free tequila in Valle De Guadalupe, Jalisco, Mexico for much of the U.S. to enjoy. With notes of caramelized fruit, ginger, and pepper, this tequila is just as smooth and herbaceous when enjoyed neat or on the rocks.

Buy: La Gritona Reposado Tequila, $40.99 for 750 mL at Total Wine & More