Australian Company Harvests Blue Corn to Produce Traditional Mexican Tortillas
Melbourne‑based La Tortilleria has completed six years of research to grow blue corn in Victoria for authentic tortilla making.
Melbourne‑based Mexican food company La Tortilleria spent six years on agricultural research and development to import blue corn seeds and grow the crop under Australian conditions.
The company has now harvested a crop of blue corn that will be used to make traditional tortillas, a milestone the firm says is the first of its kind outside Mexico.
Co‑founder Gerardo Lopez described the project as challenging but rewarding, noting his desire to taste the blue corn tortillas found in small Mexican towns and villages.
Lopez recalled childhood memories of eating blue corn tortillas after mountain climbing in Mexico and being drawn to the flavor of a street‑side vendor’s hand‑made blue corn quesadillas.
La Tortilleria’s ongoing work will focus on increasing the grain’s yield, while the company also has its sights set on new export markets for the product.
Blue corn has been cultivated in Mexico for thousands of years, and its commercial production in Victoria marks a new chapter for the grain in Australia.
