La Tortillería's recipe for business growth
Growing a business is rarely about one big breakthrough. More often, it's a series of decisions, challenges and lessons that build over time. For Mexican food business La Tortillería, growth came from staying true to its purpose while adapting, innovating and learning how to operate at scale.
Founded by Mexican-born entrepreneur Gerardo Lopez and Diana Hull, La Tortillería started with a simple problem: authentic Mexican tortillas were almost impossible to find in Australia.
Start by solving a real problem
For many businesses, growth begins with identifying a genuine gap in the market. In La Tortillería's case, that gap came from personal experience.
'I came to Melbourne in 2009 and the first thing you miss when you live away from home is the food,' Gerardo says.
'Everything in our cooking sits on top of a corn tortilla, so if the tortilla is wrong, nothing on top of it can be right.'
Gerardo and Diana decided to test demand in a practical way. Gerardo cooked for friends on weekends. He paid close attention to their reactions when they tried traditionally made tortillas. Before long, they opened a small tortilla bakery and eatery in Kensington to see whether customers would come.
The response was immediate.
'A few months in, restaurants started calling to ask if we'd supply them wholesale and that was the real test,' Gerardo says. 'Chefs don't buy something twice out of politeness.'
Stay committed to what makes you different
As businesses grow, there can be pressure to take shortcuts. One of La Tortillería's biggest lessons was resisting that temptation.
In the early days, the team faced a major challenge finding suitable corn. The type needed for authentic tortillas wasn't being grown locally, so they spent months speaking with Australian farmers and sourcing specialised equipment from Mexico.
The process would have been easier and cheaper if they had used instant corn flour. Instead, they committed to traditional nixtamalisation. This is an ancient process that involves soaking whole corn kernels before stone-grinding them into dough.
'The best decision was refusing to take the easy road on the corn,' Gerardo says. 'Every serious advantage came out of that one stubborn choice.'
That decision helped create a product that stood out in the market and built trust with customers, chefs and suppliers.
For growing businesses, differentiation is often one of the most valuable long-term assets. The things that make you unique can eventually become the foundation of your competitive advantage.
Adapt without losing your identity
While authenticity remained non-negotiable, the business also recognised the need to adapt.
'Tradition, for us, is the method. It's not the menu,' Gerardo explains.
As the business expanded across Australia, the team invested heavily in product development. Product sizes, packaging and shelf-life requirements were adjusted to meet the needs of retailers and consumers in different parts of the country.
The result was a business that stayed true to its values while remaining flexible enough to meet market demands.
This balance is something many businesses face. Customers' needs evolve, markets change and new opportunities emerge. Growth often requires adapting your products, services or operations while holding on to the core elements that define your brand.
Build systems before you need them
One of the biggest shifts for La Tortillería's growth came when the founders realised they were no longer running a small neighbourhood tortilla bakery.
'We quickly stopped being a small tortilla bakery in Kensington and became a food manufacturer,' Gerardo says.
To support growth, the company invested early in systems and processes.
Food safety certification, quality controls and batch traceability became priorities. The team also focused on documenting knowledge. They realised expertise needed to be shared across the organisation rather than remaining with individual employees.
Planning became equally important. Production decisions were required months in advance.
'Forecasting stopped being a spreadsheet and became a proper system,' Gerardo says.
Many businesses focus heavily on winning customers but delay investing in systems and processes. La Tortillería's experience shows that putting foundations in place early can support growth and reduce future challenges.
Invest in partnerships
Few businesses grow alone. For La Tortillería, building strong partnerships with farmers, chefs, distributors and the broader community has been essential to success.
The company's relationships influenced everything from corn varieties to product quality.
'When your ingredient list is corn and salt, your farmer is your product,' Gerardo says.
Restaurant partnerships also played a major role in building brand awareness. Leading hospitality venues introduced thousands of diners to authentic tortillas. This helped generate demand in retail stores.
For many small businesses, partnerships can provide access to expertise, markets and opportunities that would otherwise be difficult to achieve independently.
Learn when to say no
Growth brings opportunities, but not every opportunity is worth pursuing.
La Tortillería learned this lesson after chasing volume before having the capacity to support it.
'It stretched the team, squeezed the margin and took our attention away from the customers who'd backed us from day one,' Gerardo says.
Today, the business evaluates opportunities through 3 key questions:
- Does it align with the company's values?
- Can the business consistently deliver the required quality?
- Does it make financial sense?
Gerardo believes one of the most important lessons for business owners is understanding the difference between growth and profitability.
Know your numbers and ask for help
Looking back, Gerardo says understanding business finances was one of the most important growth skills he developed.
'Learn your numbers before you need them,' he says. 'Passion will get you open and it'll drag you through the first couple of years, but it will not tell you whether you're making money.'
He also wishes he had sought support earlier.
'I'd ask for help much earlier. I'd hire people better than me, instead of holding on to everything myself.'
Today, La Tortillería has grown from a small tortilla bakery and eatery to supplying hundreds of retailers and food service venues across Australia. Its growth has been guided by the same principle that inspired the business from the start: focus on quality, stay true to your purpose and keep learning along the way.
A taste of what's next
Gerardo says Australians are still missing out on some of Mexico's greatest comfort foods. At the top of his list is sopa de tortilla, a warming tortilla soup packed with tomato broth, avocado, cheese and crispy tortilla strips. Perfect for a Melbourne winter, if you ask him.
He's also hoping more Australians discover mole, a rich sauce made with dozens of ingredients and generations of tradition.
Australians are already starting to embrace chilaquiles for breakfast, which makes Gerardo very happy.
For La Tortillería, that's what the journey has always been about: sharing authentic Mexican food, changing perceptions and bringing a little more of Mexico to Australian tables, one tortilla at a time.