Pizza Hut launches ‘pizza wine’ made from basil-infused fermented tomatoesPizza Hut launches ‘pizza wine’ made from basil-infused fermented tomatoes

Joanna Fantozzi

Pizza Hut is selling its own branded wine for the first time. The Yum Brands-owned pizza chain partnered with Kansas-based Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise Winery to develop a basil-infused tomato wine, available for a limited time only.

The pizza wine “offers an aromatic blend of fresh herbs and spices with rich, sun-ripened tomato notes and a subtle hint of toasted oak,” according to Pizza Hut. While tomato wine is not a new invention, tomatoes do not contain anthocyanin (which is the chemical in red grape skins that stains red wines), so Pizza Hut added vegetable juice to the wine to give it a tomato-red color.

“As a brand who has pioneered many firsts in the industry, we took a beloved, classic pairing of pizza and red wine and flipped it on its head as we aim to spark intrigue and create a more memorable holiday pizza party,” Pizza Hut’s director of advertising, Elyse Slayton, said in a statement.

Pizza Hut is marketing this wine in conjunction with its annual holiday season offer, the Triple Treat Box, which offers two medium pizzas, five breadsticks, and a choice of dessert in a festive box, starting at $19.99.

“The holidays are a time for many gatherings, but often the gift of a bottle of wine can feel expected,” Slayton said. “Why not be the one to bring the pizza party with the gift of pizza wine and a Triple Treat Box designed to ignite fun and conversation?”

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The pizza wine can be purchased as part of a limited-edition gift set, which also includes two Pizza Hut-branded wine glasses and a wine bottle opener.

Pizza Hut is not the only restaurant chain offering limited-edition holiday gifts this year. Shake Shack has an ugly Christmas sweater for sale, KFC has a fried chicken-scented candle for sale, and Chipotle launched an entire “All I Want is Chipotle” merch line that includes cilantro-scented soap.

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