La Tiara is coming back to shelves around the metro, as well as across the country.
Thanks to the desperate pleas of fans, Kansas City’s La Tiara taco shells and seasonings will be returning to shelves soon.
The taco brand’s new owner, General Mills, announced Monday that it would reopen its original manufacturing facility in the Northland and bring La Tiara to Walmarts around the country beginning in April.
The yellow and white corn shells will be available, as will be the original taco seasoning.
La Tiara is also launching three new seasoning flavors: chorizo, tinga and reduced sodium.
“We have heard loud and clear that consumers want this tiara taco shell,” Merideth Nelson Uram, Mexican business unit director for General Mills, told The Star.
Uram assured fans they can expect the same beloved taste and texture of the ultra-thin, crispy taco shells. She said General Mills has put months of effort into making sure the product stays consistent with the original design.
La Tiara’s products will still be made at 607 NE 69th St. in Gladstone., securing more than 100 jobs to the region, according to the company.
“Nothing compares to these La Tiara shells,” Uram said.
La Tiara, which has been part of Kansas Citians’ taco nights since 1960, was previously owned by Gladstone Food Products.
Last year, the shells quietly disappeared from shelves.
Their absence was a source of distress for fans and members of the “Please Bring La Tiara Taco Shells” Facebook group.
In the group, the more than 20,000 members quipped and commiserated about the loss of La Tiara (“Unopened box of La Tiara expiring 5/25, opening bid $2,000”).
The chatter led General Mills to buy La Tiara’s assets in June for $10 million.
“It’s so fun to have a brand and a product that has so much love. … It’s not often that you come across that very, very deep love for a product,” Uram said. “It’s very exciting to share that with more people.”
General Mills also owns taco brand Old El Paso. Its other brands include Cheerios, Nature Valley, Pillsbury and Betty Crocker.
A Fortune 500 company, General Mills has been around for over a century. In 2025, it generated $19 billion net sales in the U.S., according to a release from the company.
This story was originally published March 16, 2026 at 11:00 AM.
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Jenna Thompson
The Kansas City Star
Jenna Thompson covers retail news for The Kansas City Star. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she previously reported for the Lincoln Journal Star and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism and English.
