Taco Bell menu adds new items with an iconic partner

Taco Bell set a high bar when it comes to collaborations.

The fast-food chain’s partnership with PepsiCo’s Doritos brand was never supposed to set the world on fire or become the new bar for fast-food limited-time offers.

The Doritos Locos Taco, which launched in 2012, was a gimmick when it first hit menus. It was not the first partnership between a snack-chip brand and a fast-food chain, but it was fairly high-profile and meant to be a limited-time offer.

Instead it became a cultural phenomenon that has rarely been equaled. It wasn’t the same as the Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich craze, where people stood in line for hours, but that might be because the popularity built slowly over the first year, with the chain selling enough at first to justify staying on the menu.

In that first year, 350 million tacos were sold in 12 months. And it was a product that revitalized the chain, generating more than $1 billion in revenue in that first year and forcing the (YUM) Brands chain to add 15,000 workers.

The Doritos Locos Taco craze also created a blueprint the company went back to repeatedly. It offered all sorts of variants on the original and has partnered with other snack chips, including Kellanova’s Cheez-Its.

Now, the chain has returned to the collaboration well with a beloved sauce for a range of new menu items.

Taco Bell has offered a steady stream of new menu items. Image source: Taco Bell

Taco Bell has a new partner

Taco Bell has pushed the boundaries of partnerships with its relationship with PepsiCo’s (PEP) Mountain Dew brand and its Cinnabon relationship. Its latest partnership, however, brings a classic Mexican flavor to its menu.

“In an exciting culinary fusion, Taco Bell is joining forces with Tajín, blending the iconic flavors of Tajín with Taco Bell classics to create a menu bursting with tangy and spicy goodness,” ChewBoom reported.

A popular spice mix, Tajin has a cult following, sort of like Sriracha before it became the go-to spice sauce for new menu items.

“Tajín was born on December 23, 1985. A tasty blend of mild chili peppers, lime and sea salt, Tajín enhances the flavor of your fruits and veggies. Sold store to store, one bottle at a time, the very early stages of the product clearly marked a humble beginning,” the company says on its website.

The brand has steadily grown since then.

“By 2012, Tajín expanded its marketing and communications efforts to cross over into mainstream American stores and satisfy U.S. consumers’ receptive palate of unique, international flavors,” the company added.

It’s now sold in more than 30 countries and has made its way to Taco Bell.

A look at the Taco Bell Tajin menu 

The chain introduced the partnership at its “Live Mas” live event earlier this year. The new-product lineup will include the Tajín Crunchy Taco, Tajín Twists, and a Tajín Strawberry Freeze.

For now, however, the new menu items are being offered only in select California locations through March 6. ChewBoom reported details on the new items:

• The Tajín Crunchy Taco features a crunchy corn shell seasoned with a special Tajín Clasico, paired with seasoned beef, flavorful ranch sauce, crisp lettuce, real shredded cheddar cheese, and mango salsa, available for $2.89.
• Tajín Twists offer a savory delight with crispy puffed corn twists sprinkled with bold Tajín seasoning for $1.29.
• The Tajín Strawberry Freeze features a Wild Strawberry Freeze with real mango pieces and Tajín Chamoy sauce for $3.59.

The chain also sells a combination box of all three items for $6.99.

All the items come with a packet of Tajin, so customers can customize how much of the spice mix they want.