Our first recommendation was to look at re-naming their company. With their tortillas crafted using the ancient method of Nixtamalization, the name KCMEX did not fully reflect that same authenticity. We landed on the name, Yoli (pronounced yo-lee) which comes from the Aztec word meaning “to live”. This name embraced the owners attitude “to live adventurously as seekers of quality, hand-crafted foods.”

Yoli’s hero is inspired by founder, Marissa’s mother, who had a deep passion for Mexico—an American who married a Mexican and adored its culture. Her bravery, love, and exploration of Mexican culture continue to inspire. Marissa’s mother’s spirit is captured with her round sunglasses and scarf and is often combined with the landscape her family drove on her road trips through Mexico.

Brightly colored packaging not only reinforces the type of corn, but helps them stand out against competitors. A variety of landscapes adorn each variety, representative of the owners road trips throughout Mexico where they feel in love with the culture and food.

Simple patterning adorns the top of the packaging, inspired by the Mexican folk art found within Papel Picado—decorative cut tissue flags used for celebrations. 

Integrating photography within Yoli Tortilleria’s web presence was needed to showcase their process, final product and tortillas used within recipes. We worked with photographer, Amber J. Deery to create a library of images for the website we designed for Yoli. Carpenter Collective was responsible for the overall art direction of the shoot. Food was made and prepared by Yoli’s own, Marissa Gencarelli.