Alex Gonzalez

“With clear goals and strong determination, this experience can become one of the best decisions of your life.”

Alex Gonzalez

Occupation: Co-Founder and Director of La Tortilla

State of Residency: Western Australia

Favourite Place in Australia: Fremantle, where the La Tortilla factory is.

Upon Arrival: We arrived in March and our first winter surprised us as it was very COLD!

Story edited by Lucy Coulson and digital edition by Johany Ortiz

Alex is a tortilla maker, musician and engineer — and the co-founder and director of La Tortilla. Originally from Mexico, where he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics, he now brings together technical expertise and creativity in both business and music. He produces music for La Tortilla and for his band, Arteria de Hule, which began in Mexico and continues in Australia.

At La Tortilla, Alex and his team craft authentic artisan corn tortillas using the ancient nixtamalization method developed thousands of years ago by the Aztecs and Mayans. Committed to honouring tradition without shortcuts, they cook their corn from scratch, creating tortillas that are naturally gluten-free, preservative-free, vegan-friendly, and made with non-GMO corn grown in Western Australia.

As a small business owner, Alex wears many hats — from director and hands-on producer to sales representative and storyteller through music, photography and videography — finding deep fulfillment in building something meaningful from the ground up.

TELL US YOUR STORY

We arrived in Perth in March 2013 with the hope of finding work in the mining industry, as our migration agent had advised us to move here during the mining boom. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived, that boom was already over. It was a difficult and stressful start, but our determination never wavered, and we refused to let that setback define our journey.

.Alex and Miguel at La Tortilla.

We later moved to Margaret River, where we found work and built a life we truly loved. We almost stayed there for good, however, after three and a half years, a bigger vision had already taken root: the idea of building something of our own. In 2018, that vision became reality when we officially started La Tortilla.

Since then, the business has grown year after year through hard work, persistence and belief in what we do. We knocked on doors, spoke with chefs and introduced authentic Mexican food to a wider audience many of whom had never experienced it before. Along the way, we’ve built strong relationships with local chefs and earned the trust of the community, especially when people try our tortillas and genuinely enjoy them. That trust is what keeps us moving forward.

Looking ahead, our goal is to reach more parts of the country and continue growing the business in a sustainable and meaningful way. We have exciting projects in mind that will allow us to expand while staying true to our values: quality, health, authenticity and a strong local focus.

Alex working at La Tortilla

Australia is now our home, a country full of opportunities that has given us so much. While we miss our family and everything we left behind, this journey has never felt like a sacrifice or a punishment. It was a conscious decision, and without a doubt, the best one we’ve ever made. We remain committed to giving our best every day, growing with purpose and continuing to build something we are proud of.

CHALLENGES

Language, currency, contacts - Moving from Mexico to Australia is a huge challenge on its own. When you add not speaking the language perfectly, dealing with a different currency that affects your finances and having no contacts to make the start easier, everything becomes even harder. The journey was never easy, but we’re still here driven, resilient, and determined to move forward and do things the best way possible.

Alex also enjoys making music.

The uncertainty of starting a business - Starting a business is a different kind of challenge. The beginning is always uncertain, but we were confident that creating a high-quality, healthy product with a strong local focus would help us move forward. Hard work was never something we feared. With the support of the community and the trust we earn when people try our tortillas and love them, we stay motivated to keep going and continue offering a premium product.

Raising a child without family - Adapting to life with a four-year-old adds another layer of challenge. As migrants, we don’t have parents or extended family nearby to help, so we figure it out on our own. Thankfully, my sister and brother-in-law moved to Perth when our son was born, and now they have a child too, so both cousins play and grow together. The challenges keep evolving, as do we. We hope 2026 is a great year. Australia is now home; a country we chose, love deeply and that has given us so much.

CONTRASTS AND SIMMILARITIES

Similar lifestyle, different food - Both my home city in Mexico and Perth share a strong coastal lifestyle, making the transition feel natural. The main difference is food, especially seafood. Tampico offers far more variety, which I miss. At the same time, this represents an opportunity to collaborate with chefs in Perth to recreate those flavours and connect cultures through food.

Alex enjoying a soccer match with his family.

Warm and welcoming people - A strong similarity between Mexico and Australia is the warmth of the people. Both cultures are kind, open, and welcoming. Building genuine friendships and feeling embraced by the community made settling into a new country much easier. That human connection has been essential to our journey, and we are deeply grateful for the support we’ve received along the way.

Work/life balance - In Mexico, a strong work ethic shapes our identity, while Australia offers a more balanced and relaxed work culture. Blending both taught us that focused, purposeful work is more effective than simply working harder. Seeing how everyone’s contributions translate into public services makes being part of this system and this city deeply rewarding.

PIECE OF ADVICE

Set clear goals - Living far from home isn’t for everyone. You miss family and friends, your lifestyle changes drastically, and you may feel like you’re in a completely different world. However, with clear goals and strong determination, this experience can become one of the best decisions of your life.

Be yourself - Opportunities are always there, you just need open eyes and an open heart to recognise them. Meet people, get involved in your community, and don’t underestimate the power of a hobby. It can open doors and take you to places you never imagined.

Ups and downs are part of life - Nothing lasts forever, on either side. Start by clearly identifying what you don’t want, then take control and move forward without looking back. Setting clear short, medium and long term goals is a strong foundation for getting back on track and moving ahead.

IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS

Authentic artisan corn tortillas made with love and honouring the traditional methods of the Aztecs and Mayans.

Looking ahead to the next five to ten years, Alex’s focus is clear: to continue growing the business, expand distribution and strengthen internal processes to become more efficient — all while never compromising the quality that has defined the brand from day one. Alex also sees strong value in expanding collaborations with both Latin and Australian businesses, fostering meaningful working relationships and strengthening trade connections between communities.

On the creative side, Alex has several projects underway — both for La Tortilla and for his rock band — with more to come. He is truly grateful for the interest and opportunity to share these stories in Australia, especially in Perth, where distance from the east coast can sometimes make visibility more challenging. Despite that, Alex considers it a privilege to live in this country. Learning from the journeys of other migrants continues to inspire and motivate him to keep moving forward.

Do you want to follow Alex’s journey? Connect with him on Instagram or Facebook or Tiktok

We invite you to you to take a moment to reflect after reading this inspiring story and invite you to support our work for the community with a tax deductible donation , following us on LinkedIn and Instagram or joining the Latin Stories Australia volunteer group.

With love and gratitude - The Latin Stories Australia team