After much anticipation and speculation, Taco Bell has finally revealed the newest flavor of its wildly popular line of Doritos Locos Tacos.
According to the Huffington Post, Taco Bell, the world's biggest Mexican fast food chain, newest Doritos Locos Tacos flavor is Flamas. The bright vermillion color and the spicy taste, with a touch of lime detected once bitten into the shell sans beef, was confirmed by taste testers at the Huffington Post office in New York.
In December, David Novak, the CEO of Taco Bell owner Yum! Brands, told investors he expected a Flamas Doritos Locos Taco to be released in the middle of 2013.
Taco Bell had been testing the Flamas flavor in select stores for months and the company told Foodbeast.com it has been "very successfully."
According to the Business Journal, during the company's annual investor update, Yum executives discussed a number of topics, including the Doritos Locos Taco brand.
"Combine 123 Doritos flavors worldwide with one of the most popular items in Taco Bell's history, and the potential is limitless," Taco Bell CEO, Greg Creed, said.
Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco was released in the first half of 2013, and he expects a Flamas-flavored taco to be introduced in the latter half of 2013. Taco Bell had planned to introduce the Cool Ranch Tacos in 2012, but it was unable to do so because of supply problems, Creed said.
Taco Bell is working with PepsiCo Inc., which owns Doritos maker Frito-Lay, to make sure it has additional production capacity to meet Taco Bell's demand. Doritos Locos Tacos were introduced in March 2012, and Creed said the company expects to sell 300 million of them this year.
"The good news is that Doritos Locos Tacos have made us a better Taco Bell," Creed said. "It has driven frequency amongst our core male user group"
According to the Huffington Post, the entire Doritos Locos Taco suite of products, which revitalized the Taco Bell brand, had led to 15,000 new jobs and over 500 million sales so far. According to a Taco Bell spokesperson, Americans have already bought 550 million of the first two flavors of Doritos Locos Tacos, it's not nothing, either..
The new flavor will be available starting Aug. 22.