IRVING, Texas -- 7-Eleven has a new chip brand on its shelves. As of today, the Irving, Texas-based convenience-store retailer is selling Taco Bell’s Diablo Tortilla Chips in a new, exclusive partnership with the fast-food company.
This marks Taco Bell's third foray into the chip aisle. In March 2012, in a deal with Plano, Texas-based Frito-Lay, Taco Bell introduced Doritos Locos Tacos to its menu featuring a shell made out of Nacho Cheese Doritos snack chips. Then in 2013, the companies launched Doritos Locos Tacos Tortilla Chips in stores. In May 2018, the quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain debuted its own tortilla chips in convenience stores in three flavors, two of which were based on its Mild and Fire sauces.
The new Diablo Tortilla Chips will remain exclusively on 7-Eleven shelves until Oct. 31; after Halloween, the chips will expand to additional c-stores nationwide.
"7-Eleven customers are adventurous and always looking for new taste sensations and unusual flavor combinations to try," said Jack Stout, senior vice president of merchandising for 7-Eleven. "If they thought the Taco Bell-flavored chips 7-Eleven introduced earlier were something, just wait until the Diablo spice hits the shelves. An ice-cold Slurpee drink may be necessary to put out the fire."
The spicy chips mimic Taco Bell’s Diablo sauce, which contains hot peppers and lime. They are vegan, kosher, gluten-free and made with natural vegetable juice. Consumers can purchase them in 3.5-ounce bags.
"Our iconic sauce packets were our original inspiration for how to give fans a new way to access a taste of Taco Bell at retail," said Marisa Thalberg, chief global brand officer of Taco Bell. "The new Diablo Tortilla Chips build from that inspiration, letting us serve up our hottest chip yet that's completely unique to Taco Bell, from its dark and smoky packaging with saucy wisdoms to the flavor of the chip itself."
Irvine, Calif.-based Taco Bell Corp., a subsidiary of Louisville, Ky.-based Yum Brands Inc., has more than 350 franchise organizations and nearly 7,000 restaurants in the United States.
7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 66,000 stores in 17 countries, including 11,800 in North America. It is No. 1 in CSP’s 2018 Top 202 ranking of c-store chains by number of company-owned retail outlets.
Photograph courtesy of Taco Bell
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