What COCINA does

COCINA is a privately held digital media company (operated by SASA VENTURES LLC, founded 2017, headquartered in Hawthorne, CA) that produces Latin food recipes and lifestyle content targeting U.S. Latino/a and Latin American audiences. The platform distributes editorial articles, recipes, video series, and podcasts through its owned website (wearecocina.com), social channels (Instagram, Reddit, Facebook, X), and podcast platforms (Spotify). The content portfolio includes multiple branded franchises: the 'Takeout & Talk' flagship podcast hosted by Xorje Olivares, 'Fit Check Food Check' (fashion and food), 'Culture Makers' (cultural profiles), 'Mediocre Bunny' (Bad Bunny cultural journey), 'Nine Innings In' (baseball podcast), and 'Reddit Roundup' (community-sourced content).

The platform is built on commodity infrastructure — the Logic CMX content management system with design by Cyber-NY — and does not disclose any proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, or differentiated data assets. The site is free to access with no subscription, membership, or paid content tiers. Editorial coverage spans food, lifestyle, health and wellness, occasions, and sports and gaming, with content addressing audiences in the U.S. and across Latin America (Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Cuba, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela, El Salvador).

COCINA's business model centers on three revenue streams: (1) sponsored/branded content partnerships, with Mazola (ACH Food Companies) identified as the core brand partner producing co-branded recipes; (2) merchandise e-commerce via an integrated shopping cart, currently anchored by the 'Mediocre Bunny' bowl; and (3) original content series that may be licensed or distributed through partnerships, including a syndication deal with Starpicks.tv. The company operates with 11-50 employees, has not disclosed any external funding, and has no institutional investors, indicating a bootstrapped operating profile.

Name

COCINA

Legal name

SASA VENTURES LLC

Website

https://wearecocina.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

COCINA is a privately held digital media company (SASA VENTURES LLC) that publishes Latin food recipes, lifestyle articles, podcasts, and video content targeting U.S. Latino and Latin American audiences. It monetizes primarily through sponsored content, branded merchandise, and content partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hawthorne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Sponsored/ Promoted Content: The platform publishes sponsored content marked as 'Promoted' in partnership with brands like Mazola for recipe development and branded content.
2. Merchandise E-commerce: COCINA operates an online store selling branded merchandise including the 'Mediocre Bunny' bowl and potentially other products through an integrated Shopify-style cart.
3. Media Series and Content Licensing: The company produces original content series (Fit Check Food Check, Takeout & Talk, Reddit Roundup, Culture Makers) that may be licensed or distributed through partnerships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

COCINA operates a free digital media platform delivering Latin food recipes, lifestyle articles, and cultural content aimed at Latino/a and Latin American audiences. Its portfolio includes original podcast series (Takeout & Talk, Nine Innings In), video/content series (Fit Check Food Check, Culture Makers, Mediocre Bunny, Reddit Roundup), and a small branded merchandise e-commerce store selling items like the Mediocre Bunny bowl.

Product overview

COCINA is a Latin food recipes and lifestyle digital media platform that operates as a content-driven media company rather than a traditional SaaS product. The platform's main offerings include the core COCINA Media Platform website, complemented by multiple content series: Takeout & Talk (podcast), Fit Check Food Check (fashion and food series), Culture Makers (profile series), Mediocre Bunny (Bad Bunny cultural journey), Nine Innings In (baseball podcast), Reddit Roundup (community-sourced content), and Starpicks Watchlist (entertainment watchlist). The platform is owned by SASA VENTURES LLC and features sponsored content partnerships with brands like Mazola.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Starpicks: A watchlist/entertainment platform featuring content from multiple media partners including El País and others
• Culture Makers
• Takeout & Talk
• Fit Check, Food Check
• Mediocre Bunny

Products and services

• COCINA Media Platform Latin food recipes and lifestyle digital media platform featuring articles, recipes, videos, and cultural content focused on Latino cuisine and lifestyle, free to access.
• Takeout & Talk

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mazola (ACH Food Companies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMazola is a key brand partner for COCINA, sponsoring recipe development and producing co-branded content including recipes featuring Mazola Corn Oil. Content includes Pollo a la Brasa Sauce, Chorizo Roast Cod, Tomato Bruschetta, and various baking recipes with Mazola products prominently featured.
• StarpicksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCOCINA integrates with Starpicks.tv for video content syndication. The 'WHAT TO WATCH TONIGHT' section on the homepage links to Starpicks watchlist platform.
• SASA VENTURES LLCcoreOthersParent company/holding entity. Referenced in footer as the owning entity of COCINA.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Remezcla: Latino-focused digital media outlet covering food, culture, music, and lifestyle. Comparable in audience target and content breadth, though with a stronger cultural/news orientation.
• Tastemade: Food-focused video and digital media company producing original recipe, travel, and lifestyle content. Comparable in content-led food media model and brand partnership monetization.
• Food52: Food media and recipe platform combining editorial content, community, and commerce. Comparable in diversified monetization (content, community, commerce) within the food media space.
• Mitu: Major Latino-focused digital media company covering culture, food, lifestyle, and entertainment. Most directly comparable peer given shared Latino audience focus and multi-format content model.
• Eater: Established food media brand covering restaurants, recipes, and food culture across multiple cities. Comparable as a major food content publisher, though with a restaurant/critical lens rather than cultural/ethnic.

Direct peers

• Piloncillo y Vainilla: Mexican-American food blog with recipes, cultural content, and cookbook publishing. Comparable in combining authentic Mexican recipes with cultural storytelling and lifestyle content.
• My Latina Table: Latin food recipe website and blog with recipes, videos, and cultural content targeting home cooks interested in Latin American cuisine. Closest direct niche competitor.
• Pati Jinich: Mexican food content creator with PBS TV show, recipe website, and digital presence. Directly comparable in combining authoritative Latin food content with multi-format distribution (TV, web, video).
• Muy Bueno Cookbook: Mexican food blog featuring recipes, cultural stories, and videos. Direct niche competitor focused on the same Latin/Mexican food content vertical.
• Hola Jalapeño: Mexican-American food blog and digital content brand with recipes, photography, and cultural features. Direct peer in the Latin food creator/blogger space with similar content-led monetization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wearecocina_
• Facebookfacebook.com/wearecocina
• Instagraminstagram.com/wearecocina
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cocina

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about COCINA