General Mills readies return of La Tiara taco brand

MINNEAPOLIS — General Mills Inc. is set to bring the La Tiara taco shells and seasoning brand back to store shelves next month.

Minneapolis-based General Mills announced the plan on March 16, roughly 10 months after acquiring the assets of defunct Gladstone Food Products – including the La Tiara business – in May 2025. General Mills said it reopened the brand’s Gladstone, Mo., production facility this year.

Plans call for La Tiara taco shells and seasoning to roll out nationwide exclusively at Walmart in April. General Mills said the relaunch will usher in national availability for La Tiara, which has been a regional Kansas City brand.

In addition, General Mills is expanding the La Tiara taco shell line with three new varieties: chorizo, tinga and reduced sodium. The shells, formulated with masa and available in yellow and white corn, offer the same taste and texture, while the taco seasoning retains its original flavor, according to the company.

Consumer loyalty played a key role in the La Tiara relaunch, General Mills said, noting that the brand’s shells attracted a strong following in the Kansas City area – illustrated by the public Facebook group “Please Bring Back La Tiara Taco Shells” that drew more than 20,000 members.

“We’ve answered the call from an incredibly engaged group of local superfans,” said Meredith Nelson Uram, director of General Mill’s Mexican business unit, which includes the Old El Paso brand of taco shells, tortillas, seasonings and dinner kits. “We’re not just bringing back a cherished product. We’re reigniting a legacy, creating jobs and — for the first time ever — making the crunch of a La Tiara taco shell available to families across the country. We’re thrilled for the next chapter of La Tiara.”

Citing construction-related disruptions and costs, Gladstone Food Products ceased operations in January 2025 and then entered receivership in mid-March, with a live final auction held on May 19. General Mills never announced its acquisition of Gladstone’s assets but confirmed the transaction, without disclosing financial terms. Published reports pegged the purchase price at around $10 million.