Our Story
One woman, four daughters...
and lots of tortillas!
We are a family owned company driven by the vision of our owner, Helen Hansen. Our story begins in 1969 when Helen purchased a corn tortilla line after a chance encounter with a grocer looking to sell some equipment. Unsure of where this new path would take her, Helen kept her clerical job with a grain company and used her off hours to develop the newly formed La Tapatia Tortilleria. The original recipes for corn and flour tortillas proved successful.
In the late ‘80s Helen ventured into sales and marketing and realized that her business had the potential to expand greatly. Thus, in 1993 La Tapatia introduced its Tostaditas tortilla chips to the market. The wholesome, authentic taste was an instant success.
Through the years, Helen has remained President and CEO in addition to the Head of Sales, all while raising four daughters. Beginning in 2002, Helen's daughters and one son-in-law, left other endeavors to return to the family business.
Our goal of producing the freshest tasting corn and flour tortillas, using local ingredients has remained unchanged since day one. We now have over 170 employees whom we consider part of the "La Tapatia Family" and produce a full line of tortilla products.
OUR BRANDS
As a family-owned business, our “original” brand is reminiscent of authentic, delicious, homemade tortillas that can be used in all of your Mexican food recipes. The name refers to the people of Jalisco, Mexico. Our tortilla recipes were developed by the family’s ancestors and brought to the Central Valley in the 1940s. Today, La Tapatia is one of the few remaining tortillerias that still practices artisan methods of cooking and baking. This includes the technique of grinding corn against a hand-carved stone. All of our tortillas and chips are still made fresh daily using locally sourced, premium ingredients in the heart of California.
Our Sol de Oro brand is made up of the same high quality, delicious tortillas and chips as our La Tapatia brand but was developed primarily for the Northern California market. Over the years, the line has expanded to offer items that are only sold in this label such as our very popular High Fiber, Low Carb Whole Wheat tortilla. The Spanish phrase, Sol de Oro, translates to Golden Sun – a reminder of the bounty of our Central Valley crops that help us “feed the world.”
Our newest brand, Golden Sun, is centered around the idea of “Tortillas for Life.” Our goal is to provide a delicious product, packed with “better for you” ingredients, for each stage of your life. We believe that “Everything Delicious Grows Under the Golden Sun” and want the flavors of our locally sourced commodities to shine in every wrap. Whether you need a quick snack or a hearty meal, our products will meet your needs and exceed your expectations.
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Our goal is to provide you and your family with a range of products that will fit all your needs. We believe that tortillas are the perfect compliment to any flavor and no one should have to sacrifice taste due to dietary restrictions. Beginning in 2015 we began to revamp our recipes so that we could offer products for every stage of your life. Whether you're following a low-carb or gluten-free diet, we have something for you. For those who are looking to add extra grains, probiotics, or "better-for-you" foods to your meals, rest assured that we have expertly chosen ingredients that will benefit your body the way you want them to.
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