Taco Bell is bringing back its wildly successful Nacho Fries and adding some extra heat this time around.
The item returns to menus Oct. 13 for a limited time and will feature a new option with Truff’s Hotter Hot Sauce. The two Southern California brands tested the product last year and are now bringing it systemwide while supplies last.
“When we tested Loaded Truff Nacho Fries in California last year, we heard from fans all over the country about how bummed they were that they didn’t get a taste,” Taco Bell Global Chief Food Innovation Officer Liz Matthews said in a statement. “The Truff team is truly changing the sauce game and we’re thrilled to partner with them to bring our Nacho Fries to the next level in spice and innovation.”
For the uninitiated, Truff Hot Sauce was launched in 2017 and quickly garnered a dedicated social media following and a vote of approval from Oprah, among other celebrities. The company labels its products as “luxury condiments,” describing its hot sauce “as if truffle and sriracha had a baby.” According to the company, the Truff Hotter Hot sauce is about two to three times the heat level of its original formula, or about 5,000 to 7,000 on the Scoville Scale (for context, Tabasco Sauce measures about 2,500 SHUs).
The partnership with Truff is the first time Taco Bell has collaborated with another brand on a new sauce, which is notable as the brand’s sauces are a signature differentiator. Taco Bell has even gone so far as to launch a sauce packet merchandise collection, with everything from socks and bow ties to bathrobes and blankets.
During the teams’ initial collaboration last year, Nick Guillen, co-founder and co-CEO of Truff, called Taco Bell the perfect partner because of its “ability to evolve with pop culture and create conversation-generating experiences.”
“Our first local test with Taco Bell was enthusiastically embraced by fans all over the world. The positive response showed that Truff Nacho Fries are much more than a plus-up on a fan -favorite menu item,” Guillen said in a statement. “Through thoughtful social media content, the Truff x Taco Bell partnership has fueled the passion behind both brand’s audiences by merging pop culture with culinary in an unexpected way.”
The partnership marks the latest iteration for Taco Bell’s Nacho Fries, which were initially introduced in 2018 and quickly became the chain’s most successful new product launch ever. The fries are part of one in four orders at the chain and, most recently, helped break weekly sales records twice during Q2. The success has inspired Taco Bell to introduce limited-time iterations, like the Rattlesnake Fries and Reaper Ranch Fries, to generate occasional traffic and sales upticks. The Truff’s collaboration should continue the product’s success, as consumer demand for hot sauce grows at a compound annual rate of over 7%.
To ensure guests don’t miss what Taco Bell is calling a “very limited time hot commodity,” the chain is introducing a digital tracking system, called the Truff Tracker, on its app. The feature tracks the supply status of Truff at customers’ local Taco Bell restaurants.
Loaded Truff Nacho Fries feature the sauce on top of seasoned fries and topped with grilled steak, shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, nacho cheese sauce and reduced-fat sour cream for the suggested price of $4.49. Customers can also add Truff to any menu item for an extra $1.
The original Nacho Fries will remain on the menu for an extended period after Truff supplies run out, the company said, though a definitive timeframe was not provided.
