By Shayna Mace | Photography by Hillary Schave
Leticia Torres Zaldivar, co-owner of Tortillas Los Angeles, never imagined that making tortillas — a tradition passed down by her grandmother and mother — would become her family’s livelihood. But when her life shifted in a profound way, she transformed her skills into a thriving business.
Torres Zaldivar and her husband, Ángel Flores, founded Tortillas Los Angeles in 2016. She oversees production and staff training, while Flores manages administration.
Prior to founding Tortillas Los Angeles, Torres Zaldivar made tortillas for family and friends with corn she grew herself. But when the couple’s second child was diagnosed with autism and needed intensive therapy, she left working in restaurants to care for him full time. At night, she made tortillas to support her family.
As she juggled her son’s appointments, another family crisis unfolded: Her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in Mexico and needed financial support for chemotherapy.
Torres Zaldivar’s tortillas became a lifeline.
“This business is our only family income, and I am happy I did everything this way, because I was able to help the two people who needed me most,” says Torres Zaldivar.
Torres Zaldivar began making tortillas at 10 years old in her hometown in Mexico, where she says girls were traditionally taught the nixtamalization process early on. Nixtamalization is a practice in which dried corn is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution (usually limewater) to improve its nutritional value, flavor and texture before being ground into masa for tortillas and other dishes.
She took her tortilla-making process one step further by adapting the corn seed she wanted to use — which took her 10 years to perfect. Tortillas Los Angeles uses only whole corn (unlike mass-produced tortillas made from corn flour), which is grown on farms in Wyocena and Pardeeville, and nixtamalized in house.
The company has worked out of FEED Kitchens since 2016, but is in the process of building its own tortilla factory.
“We’re almost done — just a couple more investments are needed to finish it — and we’re very eager to complete the project,” says Torres Zaldivar.
Find Tortillas Los Angeles’ products at the Sun Prairie Farmers’ Market, Westside Community Market, Monroe Street Farmers’ Market, Fitchburg Market, Eastside Farmers’ Market and at local restaurants, including La Playita Tacos y Mariscos, Marigold Kitchen, Taco Madre and El Gran Taco Gato.
