Through checkoff support, Taco Bell recently launched a second frozen beverage that includes dairy as a main ingredient at all participating U.S. locations for a limited time.
The Mtn Dew® Baja Blast® Colada Freeze features a dairy-based creamer made from real heavy cream, with pineapple and coconut flavors* to give it a tropical feel.
Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) senior dairy scientist who works with Taco Bell, Mike Ciresi, says beverage offerings at Taco Bell that include dairy not only makes customers happy, but also drives additional dairy sales and adds value to the checkoff investment. “Taco Bell fans now have the opportunity to enjoy a delicious tropical, creamy twist on the iconic Baja Blast Freeze,” he says.
Last year’s success of Pineapple Whip Freeze that used a similar dairy creamer allowed checkoffs’ team to execute the recent launch of the Baja Blast Colada Freeze. Ciresi, along with Emil Mashed, who leads DMI’s Global Innovation Partnerships science team, joined by DMI’s product research team and the Midwest Dairy Center at the University of Minnesota.
Vice president of pipeline innovation and product development for Taco Bell, Heather Mottershaw, says the restaurant chain benefits greatly from dairy checkoff resources. “We always love collaborating with DMI scientists and dreaming up amazing ideas together,” Mottershaw added. “The Baja Blast Colada is the perfect blend of signature Baja blast with a pineapple-coconut tropical creamer.”
The checkoff efforts led to a dairy-based, shelf-stable creamer that consists of real cream, meeting Taco Bell’s product requirements. “Once we had a way to unlock the creamer, we had flexibility to experiment with flavors and other types of freezes. Pineapple Whip Freeze was a huge beverage launch for Taco Bell and we’re building off that now,” Ciresi says.
