Taco Bell is reintroducing its popular Nacho Fries, but this time with a plant-based twist. The fast-food chain is launching the dish with Vegan Nacho Sauce, marking its first national release of a vegan limited-time offering.
On October 12th, the Nacho Fries with Vegan Nacho Sauce will be available at participating Taco Bell locations across the entire United States as part of the chain’s aim to expand its appeal to customers with various dietary preferences.
In 2022, vegetarian options accounted for 23% of Taco Bell’s product sales, prompting trials of a Vegan Crunchwrap at select US locations in June 2023, which also featured Vegan Nacho Cheese. After receiving positive feedback, the company began working on ways to offer the sauce on a broader scale.
Liz Matthews, global chief food innovation officer at Taco Bell, commented, “We are reintroducing Nacho Fries with the addition of our Vegan Nacho Sauce, inspired by the success of our Vegan Crunchwrap. This move reflects Taco Bell’s commitment to providing diverse menu options that cater to a variety of dietary preferences, including vegan and flexitarian choices.”
Gauging consumer demand
Taco Bell’s venture into plant-based offerings has involved other trial phases to gauge consumer demand. Beyond the successful trial of the Vegan Crunchwrap earlier this year, Taco Bell also conducted trials of a new meat substitute made from pea and soy protein at 50 restaurant locations in Birmingham, AL. All plant-based substitutes were priced equivalently with their meat counterparts.
Additionally, Taco Bell UK introduced plant-based protein options at all 132 of its UK restaurants in July 2023, at price parity with its meat options.
The Nacho Fries with Vegan Nacho Sauce will be available for a limited time in two different sizes: regular for $2.19 and a larger size priced at $2.99.
