The sky’s the new limit for an Austin food company whose cookies were picked as the latest addition to Southwest Airlines’ in-flight snack lineup.
Mexican Wedding Cookies from Siete Foods will be the Dallas-based carrier’s first co-branded snack when they take off on select routes later this month. The full launch is set for June 18, the anniversary of Southwest’s first flight in 1971.
“We continue to evolve our offerings with elevated options and we are proud to welcome Siete into our snack lineup for Extra Leg Room customers,” Lisa Hingson, the airline’s vice president of customer experience and innovation, said in a statement. “Siete shares our Texas roots and passion for hospitality, and we look forward to sharing their high-quality, thoughtful snacks with our customers.”
The gluten- and dairy-free cookies made with almond flour, pecans, powdered sugar and cinnamon, were selected by Southwest passengers from more than 200 snack items after extensive testing and sampling, the airline said.
“This new snack choice from Siete offers better-for-you ingredients as a grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free option,” Southwest said in a statement.
Siete was founded in 2014 by the Garza family, who began making grain-free tortillas in their Austin kitchen.
Named for the seven members of the family involved in the company, it quickly became a disrupter in the Mexican-American food sector with its gluten- and dairy-free products, which were created in response to a family member’s food sensitivities. By 2016, Whole Foods began carrying Siete tortillas, chips, salsas and seasonings. By 2019, it had grown into a national brand with its products in nearly 4,500 stores. In 2024, it was acquired by PepsiCo in a deal valued at roughly $1.2 billion.
Southwest’s snack move comes as it is expanding its footprint in the Austin area. In December, city officials approved as much as $5.5 million in financial incentives for a plan that could bring 2,000 Southwest jobs to the region in the next five years. It’s part of a push by the airline to grow its presence at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, which serves one of its fastest-growing markets.
Southwest will begin its rollout of its new snack April 21 on select flights for passengers in Southwest’s Extra Legroom seats, with the full launch set for June 18.