Demo Day Spotlight: Natalia Rooks and Tati Tortillas
Tati Tortillas not only taste good – it does good. VCU School of Business student, Natalia Rooks, started the idea for Tati Tortillas with one simple mission: to bring delicious, authentic tortillas to the United States. Natalia first joined the Shelfie program in the Spring of 2025 to start testing her idea, “I lived abroad in 5 countries. Tortillas are the heart of daily life in Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Mexico’s main cities—fresh, warm, and made with care on every street corner. In the U.S., store-bought tortillas don’t capture that same authenticity, flavor, or tradition. My mission is to bring the joy of real, fresh tortillas to American tables, sharing the culture, craftsmanship, and rich heritage that make them so special.” In the Shelfie Program, she was able to test her concept, prototype her business, and further refine her brand. With this experience under her belt, she pitched Tati Tortillas at the Shift Retail Lab Spring Demo Day, and won the Early Stage Category Judge’s Choice Award as well as the Food and Beverage Award! But she didn’t stop there…
In the Fall of 2025, Natalia rejoined the Shelfie Program. This time, she was ready to grow the mission of Tati Tortillas. “Beyond food, a portion of our efforts will directly support the Tati Foundation, a nonprofit working to empower Latino communities in the U.S., ensuring real celebration of Latino culture here in the U.S.,” said Natalia about the next phase of her business idea. Furthermore, her concept included using artwork by Latino artists on the packaging of her tortillas to promote the cultures she’s representing. With the help of a group of da Vinci Center Communications interns, she was able to narrow down her branding, and brainstorm the structure of her packaging.
Natalia pitched Tati Tortillas again at two Fall Feedback Friday events, and won two more awards! She also went on to compete at the Shift Retail Lab Fall Demo Day and won the Early Stage Category Judge’s Choice Award for the second semester in a row. “Natalia has an incredible entrepreneurial spirit. She’s hardworking, understands the problem she’s trying to solve, and loves to collaborate with the people around her. It’s been a joy to watch her idea develop and grow,” said Ashley Wenger, Shift Retail Lab and Shelfie Program Manager, “With the number of awards she’s won so far, she’ll need to start a business bank account!” We can’t wait for the day that we can find Tati Tortillas in stores!
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