Editor’s Note
This article highlights Zahui, a new sparkling beverage born from a three-year development process. Founded by mothers and entrepreneurs Perla Ealy Díaz and Valeria Navarro, the drink was created to be a wholesome option they could feel good about giving to their own children.
In a time when wellness is trending, Zahui appears as a proposition that doesn’t need much explanation. It is a lightly sparkling beverage with delicate notes of orange and grapefruit, which was conceived, tested, and rethought for three years before reaching the market.
Behind each can are Perla Ealy Díaz and Valeria Navarro, sisters-in-law, mothers, and entrepreneurs, who decided to create a drink they themselves could give to their children. The result is Zahui: free of sodium, sugar, sweeteners, and colorings; a responsible alternative in a market historically saturated with excess.
In a country that now ranks among the top globally for obesity, creating a clean-label beverage was not only a competitive advantage: it was a stance.
Zahui comes from Dzahui, the Mixtec god of rain, lightning, and storms, one of the most important deities in Mixtec culture. The choice was neither casual nor immediate. There were brainstorming sessions, tests with friends and family, and many conversations, until the name began to resonate not only for its sound but for what it evoked: water, origin, and nature.
With a knowing smile, Valeria recalls that Zahui was born from family conversations and the shared desire to create something of their own.
But starting up was neither immediate nor simple. The project took three years of development before reaching the market. One of the key moments was understanding that not everything that seemed ideal on paper was viable in practice.
Choosing orange and grapefruit was, therefore, a strategic decision to maintain a clean, light, and honest product.
Being new to the beverage industry meant facing suppliers who were not willing to bet on small quantities.
To that was added the challenge of starting a business as family.
However, despite being very different—one more creative and the other more structured—they have managed to find a balance that is now reflected in the brand.
Beyond the product, Zahui has become an extension of their daily lives.
For both, the message is clear: entrepreneurship is not at odds with motherhood.
Today Zahui is present in Mexico City, with national shipping and a community that is starting to grow. The dream of Perla Ealy Díaz and Valeria Navarro is clear: to see the brand grow without losing the quality standard that defines them.
First, consolidate locally, then expand to other cities and, eventually, to Latin America, always maintaining transparency and the philosophy of a clean label.
In addition to their orange and grapefruit flavored sparkling beverages, Zahui extends through its merch: caps, sweatshirts, and coasters. All under the same premise that has governed the brand from the start: less is more.
