Archive
Mar 16, 2014

News: Taco Bell Sauce Packets Now Available by the Bottle

As part of a larger update of the Taco Bell retail/grocery line of products made in partnership by Kraft, you can now get Taco Bell sauce packet flavors by the bottle (complete with witty sayings).

The full line up is available including Mild , Hot, and Fire sauces, plus Verde Salsa.

The introduction of the new bottles are part of an expansion and update of the line, which includes a redesign of all the packages to reflect Taco Bell's current "Live Mas" slogan. New products include sauces, dressings, desserts, and dinner kits.

Here's a full list of what's new on the Taco Bell grocery line (with suggested retail prices):

- Mild Sauce $1.59
- Hot Sauce - $1.59
- Fire Sauce - $1.59
- Verde Sauce - $1.59
- Southwest Ranch Salad Dressing - $3.49
- Spicy Ranch Salad Dressing - $3.49
- Cinnamon Nachos Dessert Kit - $2.99
- Chocolate Taco Dessert Kit - $2.99
- Mild Taco Seasoning - 79 cents
- Reduced Sodium Taco Seasoning - 79 cents
- Ultimate Taco Night Kit: Cheesy Taco Grande - $2.99
- Ultimate Taco Night Kit: Steak & Cheese Soft Taco Kit (yes, you still have to provide the steak) - $2.99

I posed a few questions regarding the update/expansion to Kraft's Taco Bell Sr. Brand Manager Adam Grablick. Here are the questions and the responses I received:

Q: Are some of the products such as some of the sauces or the taco seasoning exactly the same as you'd find in Taco Bell restaurants? If not, what are some of the difficulties/challenges in getting it pretty close to the original? And what are the reasons they're not the same?

A: We work to match the QSR formulas as best we can. Some products are the exact same formula, some are slightly different. Any differences are driven by shelf life requirements, shipping requirements, packaging forms, or how consumers interact with the product at home.

Q: How did you come up with desserts like Cinnamon Nachos and Chocolate Tacos since they don't have any similar products on the Taco Bell menu? Where did you draw your inspiration?

A: We continually look for ideas that fit with the Taco Bell brand. The dessert items were an outcome of a larger new product ideation between YUM and Kraft. We strive to bring the QSR menu items to the grocery store where applicable, but there are also many ideas that fit the Liv Mas branding that are not in the QSR, but will work in grocery, like the dessert items. These dessert items allow us to extend the taco night experience to the dessert occasion at home.

Q: Were there any products that were tested that didn't quite make the cut? If so, can you talk about them?

A: As with any brand at Kraft, we start with a large number of ideas, and then cull them down based on consumer preference. Only the best ideas make it all the way to a market launch.

I followed up by asking if any of the products were exactly as you'd find at a Taco Bell restaurant and was told the taco shells and restaurants sauces are the same.

You can find Taco Bell grocery store products using Kraft's Product Locator on their website.