Taco Bell unveils “Craving Kits” to recreate and personalize restaurant dishes at home

10 Jan 2024 --- Kraft Heinz’s Taco Bell at Home line has released its Crunchwrap Supreme and Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla “Cravings Kits,” which contain proprietary Taco Bell restaurant ingredients, seasonings and sauces and allow consumers to “recreate and personalize” the tacos snacks at home.

The package includes four servings of essential ingredients, to which consumers can add a protein and any personalized additions to customize the creation and prepare the tacos at home.

“As we kick off 2024, we’re focused on finding the white spaces at retail where we can make an impact for fans and develop products we know they will be excited to try. Our partnership with Taco Bell is a great example of this,” says Alan Kleinerman, VP of Disruptive Innovation at The Kraft Heinz Company.

He adds that the Cravings Kits is the “first of several Taco Bell at Home innovations planned for this year” and is a way for the company to deliver its goal of food innovations.

Straight from the supermarket to home
The Crunchwrap Supreme is the most popular Taco Bell product in its history, notes the company.  

“Fans have created their own versions – garnering more than 50 million views on TikTok as of December 2023.”

Meanwhile, the quesadilla was one of Taco Bell’s best-selling menu items in 2023 and the chipotle sauce adds a kick of flavor to the comforting and consistent classic.

Consumers like experimenting with flavors at home and consider it value for money.With this innovation, using the packed ingredients, consumers can prepare the snack themselves and experience “Taco Bell-approved” versions of both.

“Grounded in this core mission, our innovation strategy focuses on creating new products inspired by beloved Taco Bell classics that encourage fans to customize their at-home creations and take them to new heights,” says Danielle Coopersmith, associate director of marketing for Taco Bell at Home.

The product will be launched in Walmart stores and online across the US.

Home cooking rises
With the work from home increasingly being the norm, consumers are turning to home-cooked meals, such as pizzas, with comfort food becoming the new normal.

Supermarkets are witnessing the trend too. Last year, the sales of ingredients and meal kits at Tesco showed a continuous upward trend. This can be attributed to the customer’s preference for cooking at home over takeaways and experimenting with international flavors while saving money.

Tesco research conducted last year stated that Indian curry ingredients’ sales were at the top with an increase of 33% since 2022, closely followed by Chinese meals at 32%. Pan-Asian products for making Korean, Japanese or Thai meals rose by 15%,while Caribbean meal kits and ingredients also witnessed a 14% rise.

According to ofi, as inflation continues, value for money is crucial to consumers. In such a scenario, convenient options can add a touch of luxury for consumers replacing expensive takeout with at-home cooking.

By Insha Naureen