SOMOS Takes Mexico's Beloved Esquites Flavors to Ready-to-Eat Street Corn Rice, Launching in Whole Foods Nationwide

Mexican food brand champions rice & beans as weeknight staples - also adding Chipotle Refried Black Beans and Poblano Brown Rice to lineup

AUSTIN, Texas, April 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SOMOS, the Mexican food brand dedicated to bringing fun and ease to weeknight meals, delivers the flavors of Mexico's beloved esquites to Americans nationwide with the launch of Mexican Street Corn White Rice. Inspired by the childhood obsessions of SOMOS founders Daniel Lubetzky, Miguel Leal, and Rodrigo Zuloaga, SOMOS' plant-based Mexican Street Corn White Rice combines the fire-roasted charred corn of esquites with long-grain white rice and Aztec spices, like epazote and chile de arbol, taking rice from an overlooked side dish to the main event. SOMOS' Mexican Street Corn White Rice is meant to be enjoyed to fit their customer's needs – from dressed and served with fixings and sides for a weeknight dinner to right out of the bag on your couch or desk.

SOMOS' Mexican Street Corn White Rice is arriving just as the brand debuts in 500 Whole Foods Market locations nationwide, making it easier than ever to prioritize "we time" over cook time and put together a crowd-pleasing Mexican meal sourced entirely from one aisle. The average American spends 67 minutes a day in the kitchen on meal preparation and clean up –– SOMOS aims to cut that in half, if not more, to give people time back with their families, friends, and themselves to focus on what matters most.

As is the case with all SOMOS foods, Mexican Street Corn White Rice ingredients are plant-based, non-GMO, and grown in Mexico. The dish is prepared using heritage techniques to which the Mexico-based culinary team added their own twists:

• Fire-roasted sweet yellow corn: While esquites is typically prepared with steamed corn, SOMOS put its own spin on the tradition by using the heritage process of tatemado (similar to fire roasting) imparting a smokiness and depth of flavor to the sweet yellow corn.
• Fresh epazote: SOMOS uses fresh epazote native to Mexico and Central America and sourced from the Puebla and San Luis Potosi regions. Sometimes referred to as the "Latin Umami," this leafy, intensely aromatic herb adds layers of herbal, citrusy notes to the dish. SOMOS chose fresh over dried epazote, as it imparts a bolder flavor and aroma.
• Spices: Chile de árbol flakes add a hint of mild spiciness, while garlic powder and onion powder provide subtle savory notes.

SOMOS' founders recommend their own variations by adding mayonnaise or crema, cotija cheese, and hot sauce (not necessarily in that order or all together) to the dish. SOMOS co-founder Miguel Leal recommends using its Mexican Street Corn White Rice for "Tosti-Esquites" – combining it with SOMOS' Unusually Thick and Crunchy Chips and Mexican crema, Tajin, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

In recent years, esquites, along with another Latin favorite corn dish, elote, has become increasingly popular on Mexican and contemporary American restaurant menus across the U.S., carving out space from fast casual salads, burgers, pizzas, and more. As of 2022, nearly half (49 percent) of U.S. consumers reported an interest in trying global street foods, global web searches for "Mexican street corn" have increased 83% over the past five years, and TikTok videos under the hashtag #mexicanstreetcorn have over 52 million views to date.

"Esquites are a Mexican street food I grew up eating as a treat and something I crave when I go home to visit my family in Monterrey, Mexico," says Miguel Leal, SOMOS Co-Founder and CEO. "We knew we had to find a way to bring the street corn experience to our consumers but make it SOMOS, which meant staying true to the ingredients, recipes and techniques we cherish in Mexico while making the flavors available with no stress, no wait and more time to just eat and enjoy."

In addition to Mexican Street Corn White Rice, SOMOS is introducing two more products to help every weeknight feel like the weekend, free of stress and being pressed for time:

• SOMOS Chipotle Refried Black Beans: These refried frijoles are packed with chipotles for a deliciously smoky flavor and just a bit of subtle heat. Ideal for spreading on tacos or tostadas, or as a standalone bean dip straight from the bag – ideal for dipping with SOMOS Unusually Thick & Crunchy Tortilla Chips. Each serving has 8g of protein from black beans.
• SOMOS Poblano Brown Rice: The hero ingredient of this traditional rice is the poblano pepper, which originates from Puebla, Mexico, and is truly a staple in every Mexican kitchen. The poblanos give this rice a subtle heat and flavor, as well as a beautiful green hue. This simple and versatile rice goes with anything and everything – but is traditionally enjoyed as a side with chicken or fish.

These new products bring the SOMOS portfolio of plant-based rice, beans, sides, salsas, and tortilla chips to 17. In addition to being available at Whole Foods Market in April, additional retailers carrying SOMOS Mexican Street Corn White Rice include Sprouts Farmers Market, H-E-B, and online retailer Hungryroot. Beginning April 4^th, 2-packs are also available on eatsomos.com for $8.00 and 6-packs are available on Amazon for $20.49.

About SOMOS Foods
Co-founded by Mexican-American friends Daniel Lubetzky, Miguel Leal, and Rodrigo Zuloaga, SOMOS brings vibrant heritage and real Mexican flavors to ready-to-eat foods that serve as complete meals, sides, or snacks that go from pantry to plate in 90 seconds. SOMOS' lineup of chips, salsa, rice, beans, and veggies are grown and made in Mexico using traditional techniques and clean ingredients. Intended to bridge the gap between flavor and convenience, SOMOS takes care of the sourcing, prep time, and cook time, in turn, giving people time back with their families, friends, and themselves to focus on what matters most. SOMOS is being incubated by Camino Partners, a business building and investment platform from KIND Founder and SOMOS Co-Founder Daniel Lubetzky and the team who built KIND from an out-of-the-box idea into a multi-billion-dollar brand. Learn more at eatsomos.com and follow along @eatsomos.

SOURCE SOMOS