XILLI is a Mexican food brand creating small-batch, artisanal salsas, moles, escabeches and adobos rooted in traditional recipes and techniques. Founded by a team of Mexicans, chefs, researchers and food scientists, it researches regional culinary traditions from places such as Oaxaca, Veracruz and the Yucatán while adapting them for contemporary kitchens. Its mission extends beyond the jar: XILLI aims to educate people about Mexican food and empower local communities and food producers.
Jose Madrid SalsaFrom a Zanesville restaurant kitchen to a growing Ohio food brand, Jose Madrid Salsa makes New Mexico-style salsa shaped by the Zakany family’s Mexican heritage. Mike Zakany developed the recipes through research, experimentation and customer feedback before launching the company in 1987, naming it for his beloved grandfather from Clovis, New Mexico. First sold in gourmet and grocery stores in 1988, the company now offers 25 different salsas, with fruit-forward flavors and heat levels that reflect its willingness to move beyond traditional red salsa.COLUMBUS, OH
Cantina Royal Hot SauceBorn from the Williamsburg Mexican restaurant and bar Cantina Royal, Diana Beshara and Executive Chef Julio MM make inventive hot sauces in Brooklyn using chiles thoughtfully sourced from Mexico. The proudly woman-owned and minority-owned company became a three-season Hot Ones feature, while its Tamaulipeka sauce was named Saveur’s “Best Overall Hot Sauce.”
Mezcal GüeyBorn in Oaxaca and shaped by street culture, Mezcal Güey makes mezcal through a family-owned distillery in San Dionisio Ocotepec, where third-generation Maestro Mezcalero Eleuterio García Martinez produces micro-batches the traditional way. Its Ensamble blends Espadín and Cuishe into a lightly smoky, subtly sweet pour, while the brand extends that spirit of friendship into creative goods meant to be shared.New York, NY
Entre Nōs MezcalFounded by friends Alexa and Krizia, Entre Nōs Mezcal makes artisanal 100% agave mezcal rooted in Oaxaca’s traditions. Its Espadín agave is cultivated by Master Héctor Gómez in Yaxe, cooked in earthen ovens, milled with a tahona, and double-distilled in copper. The brand grew from the founders’ time learning from mezcaleros and their desire to make a spirit for the shared moments around a table.