Alcohol and food pairings are no longer just for haute cuisine diners, with Red Lobster and Taco Bell customers now being offered a cocktail or wine, respectively, to pair with their food.

Taco Bell Canada’s limited-edition Jalapeño Noir wine has been released in tandem with its recommended pairing, the Toasted Cheese Chalupa. 

“Wine and cheese are simply meant to be together, so launching a new wine to go with the cheddary Toasted Cheesy Chalupa made perfect sense,”  says Kat Garcia, director of brand marketing at Taco Bell Canada. 

“We love to raise our glass to big, bold ideas that elevate our menu items, and pairing our Toasted Cheesy Chalupa with this Jalapeño Noir is no exception,” she adds. 

The company details that just like the aged cheddar of the Toasted Cheesy Chalupa’s shell, every bottle of Jalapeño Noir, made by Queenston Mile Vineyard in Ontario, has gotten better over time.

“Together, the duo is irresistible. The rich taste and crunchy texture of the beloved Toasted Cheesy Chalupa complements notes of wild strawberry, cherry and beetroot in this silky limited-edition red wine,” details the company.

The Toasted Cheesy Chalupa features cheddar cheese toasted onto the chalupa shell to create a crispy blanket of flavor and texture. It is then filled with seasoned beef and piled with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheddar cheese and reduced-fat sour cream. Vegetarian customers are not being left out, with bean substitutes available. 

The new products are available already, and the bottle has three unique labels for fans to collect. 

Welcoming the Dew Garita
Across the border, a US collaboration between Red Lobster and PepsiCo has led to the creation of Dew Garita, a Mountain Dew cocktail. While the recipe is being kept secret, the cocktail is said to pair well with Red Lobster’s popular Cheddar Bay Biscuits. 

The drink is already being rolled out to some restaurants this month and will be available across the US by the end of 2020. 

The Red Lobster and PepsiCo innovation teams are also working together to leverage iconic PepsiCo brands across the Frito-Lay and Quaker range of products to co-create menu items.

“The Dew Garita is the first delicious taste of the types of inspired menu items to come. Red Lobster is thrilled to work with PepsiCo, not only because it has a great portfolio of brands, but specifically because of the food and beverage innovation possibilities,” says Nelson Griffin, senior vice-president and chief supply chain officer at Red Lobster. 

“With both of our brands on deck to wow guests, we can’t wait to dream up more flavor pairings together to bring some special offerings and experiences to the table. Red Lobster and PepsiCo both understand how much food and beverages enhance memorable moments,” adds Hugh Roth, chief customer officer, PepsiCo Global Foodservice.The Dew Garita is the first of many products to come from a collaboration between Red Lobster and PepsiCo. 

Hybrids proliferate in foodservice
Consumers looking to get the best of both worlds has led manufacturers across sectors to look for new ways to blur boundaries and cross categories to develop products that appeal to consumers who want to explore bolder flavors, novel color combinations and multisensory food experiences.

With “Hello Hybrids” being one of Innova Market Insights’ Top Ten Trends for 2020, it is no surprise that consumers are receptive to products that blend ingredients, food types and flavor profiles. According to the market researcher, seven in ten US consumers like products that mix flavors, such as salty and sweet. 

These drinks are not the first time that foodservice has created unlikely hybrids. In July, Dunkin’ partnered with Post Consumer Brands to launch two cereals made with Dunkin’ coffee. The company also collaborated with Harpoon Brewery to release a line of coffee- and donut-infused beers.