What is Masienda?

Rooted in tradition, trusted by chefs — Masienda brings Mexico to your table. 

Since 2014, top chefs — like José Andrés, Enrique Olvera, and Alice Waters — and home cooks around the world have been turning to Masienda for the highest-quality Mexican-made ingredients and kitchen staples. Today, our products are in thousands of restaurants and grocery stores across the US. 

A combination of the words masa and tienda (store), Masienda specializes in culinary experiences that begin and end with masa. What is masa, you ask? Masa is the Spanish word for dough, specifically, the special, nutrient-rich dough prepared from alkalized (aka nixtamalized) corn used for tortillas, tamales, and more. 

From single-origin Mexican corn and heirloom masa flour (aka masa harina) to stone-ground, two-ingredient organic corn tortillas, restaurant-quality prepared meals and acclaimed kitchen tools, Masienda is the James Beard Award-winning deep dive into authentic Mexican flavor. 

Who We Are

Masienda founder Jorge Gaviria was raised by his Mexican- and Cuban-born parents in Miami, the point of convergence for people from many Latin cultures. Despite the widespread availability of dishes made with masa, the flavor and sourcing left much to be desired.

While apprenticing at farm-to-table restaurants in New York, he began to wonder why the same principles weren’t being applied to the staple most elemental to him and the people he grew up with: corn.

He turned to the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico’s heartland of maíz nativo (heirloom corn), in search of answers, and found them in the form of a tortilla: the earthy scent, the chew of the masa, the lingering, nutty, sweet flavor of corn, and the immediate connection to its history and terroir. Something that tastes that good and is so deeply nourishing is worth celebrating, and thus, Masienda was born. 

Our small but mighty company is collectively owned by our team, which is based across the US and Mexico. Representing distinct perspectives from throughout the masa foodway, we are proud to serve professional chefs and home cooks with the ingredients and tools needed to make the very best masa-based dishes in your own kitchens. 

Bienvenidos a Masienda — we’re so glad you’re here.