Taco Bell, Kraft Announce Expanded Grocery Lineup

The beauty of Taco Bell is being able to pick up a meal at virtually any time. But if you’re craving the “Fourthmeal” but can’t make it to a Taco Bell, there is good news for you. Taco Bell and Kraft announce new products coming to your local grocery store shelves with their “Bottle of Awesome” campaign, an exciting digital campaign including Tweets, Vine videos and Instagram posts.

The Kraft/Taco Bell relationship started in 1996 with just a few items and has grown to 28 items and now the partnership sees fit to grow that by 4 more items, two dinner kits and two seasonings. The Taco Bell Ultimate Taco Night Kit, the most exciting of the new products comes as a cheesy taco grande kit or steak and cheese soft taco kit. Both varieties are offered with Velveeta cheese, an option that is not available at Taco Bell restaurants. The seasonings offered include mild and reduced sodium.

Taco Bell did something that not many can, they created a niche in an already crowded field that is the ethnic foods isle. With other brands such as Ortega, El Paso and Goya, Taco Bell has created a brand of Mexican food condiments that is outpacing the sales of its competitors, with the help of Kraft. The success of the partnership lies in the familiarity of the restaurant and the advertising that the partnership employs.

The partnership also announced a new digital advertising campaign, the Bottle of Awesome which attempts to capture the attention of the Taco Bell aficionado. In September 2013 Taco Bell and Kraft rekindled the flame and celebrated with the launch of 2 Taco Bell dessert kits, just add ice cream.

Taco Bell also has a relationship with Frito Lay offering the groundbreaking Doritos Locos taco line. Kraft also works with Starbucks to bring the coffee giant to grocery store shelves nationwide. For now, there are no plans to bring Kraft products to Taco Bell restaurants, although that option is not immediately dismissed by either Kraft or Taco Bell.

Earlier this year, Taco Bell announced plans to release breakfast options to their menu to challenge quick service breakfast giants McDonald’s and Burger King. Taco Bell plans to start offering breakfast in all restaurants by March 27. Menu items will include a waffle taco, the A.M. Crunchwrap, and a variety of breakfast burritos and other popular breakfast options. With Taco Bell’s leap into breakfast Jimmy Dean may have some stiff competition on the horizon.