Story by Mike Gonzalez

Call it a good marriage, a great partnership, whatever you call it the story of Sergio’s Tortillas is one of sustainability.

A flour toritlla on display at DeLeon’s in Spokane

The birth of Sergio’s Tortillas start in Dr. Kim Kidwell’s lab at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. Dr. Kidwell designed the Red Tara seed that is used to grow the wheat that’s used in Sergio’s Tortillas. Dr. Kidwell and her team of scientist use DNA marking technology to create seeds that can grow in almost any environment.

Dr. Kim Kidwell In a greenhouse at WSU

Seeds used in Sergio’s Tortillas are engineered in petri dishes in the WSU lab

“The front end is about precision, trying to make sure the plants have the genes we want and that we’re getting enough seed that we want to do in the field. And that we can actually get it to the environments like Fred’s,” says Kidwell.

Fred…is Fred Fleming, owner of Shepherd’s Grain in Reardon, Washington. Fred’s farm was the test site for the WSU Red Tara wheat seed that’s used in Sergio’s Tortillas. Fleming pitched his wheat to Sergio DeLeon three years ago.

Fred Fleming of Shepherd’s Grain talks with Mike Gonzalez about growing the wheat used in Sergio’s Tortillas

“Initially we walked in with a bag of flour and tried to convince Sergio it was the right thing to do, so I gave him a bag to try it out,” said Fleming.

From Shepherd’s Grain the wheat is sent to ADM in Spokane to be processed into flour.

Once at DeLeon’s the flour is turned into Sergio’s Tortillas.

“Our tortillas are the best, we make homemade tortillas daily. We make 500 dozen of the floured, and 1,800 dozen of the corned tortillas per week. They’re just fresh and people love them,” says DeLeon with a sense of pride.

Sergio DeLeon takes a look at his tortillas that include wheat, flour, corn and jalapeño.

Billy Joe Bailes helps to oversee production of the tortillas, she says the process is quite complex. “ The flour goes through a tortilla making machine. Part of the machine cooks the tortillas and the other cools it. Sometimes they don’t come out completely flat so the guys have to pull them apart. They’ll sort them out, put them in bags and get the tortillas ready to ship,” said Bailes.

A tortilla is carfully placed into the tortilla making machine

The circle of the tortilla is completed on the Washington State University campus at Carlita’s, a Mexican restaurant owned and operated by WSU inside the campus CUB (Compton Union Building). Carlita’s uses almost 6,000 of Sergio’s burrito’s a week. WSU Executive Chef Greg Blanchard says it’s gratifying to know what started on campus returns.

Mike Gonzalez waits in line and orders at burrito at Carlita’s on the WSU Campus

“As being part of the university and the actual teaching process it feels really good to be able to utilize things that were started and developed here,” said Blanchard.

Dr. Kidwell says she feels an extreme sense of pride when she sees someone enjoying a burrito at Carlita’s. “It’s my favorite story of all the things I’ve done professionally. Farmers are growing the wheat in our state, it’s being milled into flour in our state, Sergio is using it to make his tortillas and people in our state our eating them. I can actually go to Carlita’s and a take a look at that every day. If I want to have a good day I can just watch people go in and out of there and eat Tortillas and think I’ve at least made a difference, at least in their world,” said Dr. Kidwell.

As for Sergio DeLeon, he says the partnership has been a dream come true. “It’s great teamwork and what has happened is we have a product that’s fresher, more tasty and truly home grown,” says DeLeon with a big smile.

Who ever thought sustainability could taste so good.

YOU CAN PURCHASE SERGIO’S TORTILLAS IN OUR WEB STORE AT www.hispanicfoodnetwork.com OR BY VISITING THEIR STORE NEAR JUST EAST OF DIVISION ON FRANCIS.