What we do
Santa Anna’s manufactures authentic Mexican style tortillas, corn chips, and salsas. Santa Anna’s is the original and leading producer of naturally gluten free, non-GMO, certified organic corn chips & Mexican style products, using certified organic, locally sourced ingredients wherever possible.
How we do it
Our company ethos has always centred around sustainability, organic local produce, and producing products as close to the original natural methods as possible. All our products are preservative, colourant, and additive free and we will continue to create Mexican style products with a South African GEES!
Find out more about the Santa Anna’s journey below.
Unexpected beginnings...
Two amigos joined forces for a food stall in 2012, and were inspired to serve small, delicious, healthy, Mexican inspired street-food.
They realised soon after, that there were no traditional Mexican corn tacos served in South Africa...
...and so, Santa Anna's was founded.
They realised soon after, that there were no traditional Mexican corn tacos served in South Africa...
...and so, Santa Anna's was founded.
Our search for an authentic Mexican style...
What do you need for a Mexican style taco?
Corn tortillas form the base
A texture that is soft and pliable with an almost ethereal, perfume-like corn flavour.
Using authentic production methods
We discovered the original ancient Aztec process of Nixtamalization to make fresh masa.
The right equipment
We used a volcanic stone mollino (Mexican wet grinder) and a homemade tortilla press. Then we topped them with our favourite fillings, adding a touch of South African GEES!
A texture that is soft and pliable with an almost ethereal, perfume-like corn flavour.
Using authentic production methods
We discovered the original ancient Aztec process of Nixtamalization to make fresh masa.
The right equipment
We used a volcanic stone mollino (Mexican wet grinder) and a homemade tortilla press. Then we topped them with our favourite fillings, adding a touch of South African GEES!
Finding compadres...
Testing the market
We needed to see if our fellow South African compadres felt the same way about Mexican food as we did. Santa Anna’s started serving our tacos at local food markets. We decided to package and sell our tortillas and crispy taco shells as separate products. When we started frying our tortillas, seasoning them, and offering them as chips, new compadres came running.
Finding organic corn
We knew from the start that we wanted to offer not only delicious food, but also environmentally conscious, ethically sourced, healthy food. It turned out that finding organic corn was tricky though... Our first batch came from a small shop in Somerset West. As demand grew, we found an about-to-retire Ficksburg farmer that sold us his last 20 tons of organic corn.
We needed to see if our fellow South African compadres felt the same way about Mexican food as we did. Santa Anna’s started serving our tacos at local food markets. We decided to package and sell our tortillas and crispy taco shells as separate products. When we started frying our tortillas, seasoning them, and offering them as chips, new compadres came running.
Finding organic corn
We knew from the start that we wanted to offer not only delicious food, but also environmentally conscious, ethically sourced, healthy food. It turned out that finding organic corn was tricky though... Our first batch came from a small shop in Somerset West. As demand grew, we found an about-to-retire Ficksburg farmer that sold us his last 20 tons of organic corn.
Things got real...
Growing demand
The two original amigos quit their full-time chef jobs to expand Santa Anna's. They set up a small factory in Gordon's Bay using specialist equipment imported from Mexico to produce organic tortillas and corn chips.
We needed more organic corn
In 2017 we started getting our organic corn from Lowerland, a certified organic, regenerative, family farm under the watchful eye of Bertie Coetzee (formerly from Zinkplaat, now passionate farmer from Prieska).
The two original amigos quit their full-time chef jobs to expand Santa Anna's. They set up a small factory in Gordon's Bay using specialist equipment imported from Mexico to produce organic tortillas and corn chips.
We needed more organic corn
In 2017 we started getting our organic corn from Lowerland, a certified organic, regenerative, family farm under the watchful eye of Bertie Coetzee (formerly from Zinkplaat, now passionate farmer from Prieska).
Making our mark...
Breaking new grounds
In 2019 Santa Anna's produced the first certified organic corn product (that we know of) in South Africa!
Expanding
In 2020 we moved to a bigger premises and added more team members to our GEES familia!
Lockdown did not dampen our GEES
We started experimenting with exciting new salsas during the nationwide lockdown. We are beyond excited to bring you three flavour-packed Mexican style salsas early in 2021, as well as a new taco seasoning.
In 2019 Santa Anna's produced the first certified organic corn product (that we know of) in South Africa!
Expanding
In 2020 we moved to a bigger premises and added more team members to our GEES familia!
Lockdown did not dampen our GEES
We started experimenting with exciting new salsas during the nationwide lockdown. We are beyond excited to bring you three flavour-packed Mexican style salsas early in 2021, as well as a new taco seasoning.
