Taco Bell Pitches Healthy Menu via P-O-P, Sampling
Taco Bell is one of a number of food and beverage companies offering healthier menu items and is using in-store signage and some sampling to pitch the products.
Taco Bell launched its new “Fresco” menu on Monday, which offers nine items with less than nine grams of fat. The Fresco selections are made without the cheese and cheese-based sauce and instead features Fiesta Salsa—a mix of tomatoes, onions and cilantro.
“We wanted to provide consumers with more choices with less fat and less calories,” Taco Bell spokesman Rob Poetsch said. “The Fresco menu is designed to do that.”
For example, a Fresco Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco has four grams of fat and 170 calories compared to a regular Chicken Soft Taco with 14 grams of fat and 270 calories, Poetsch said.
Other items include Fresco Crunchy Taco, Fresco Burrito Supreme Chicken, Fresco Burrito Supreme Steak, Fresco Bean Burrito, Fresco Fiesta Burrito, Fresco Soft Taco, Fresco Zesty Chicken Border Bowl and Fresco Grilled Steak Soft Taco.
The firm is primarily relying on in-store P-O-P, including tray liners, posters and brochures and banner ads for its marketing campaign. Some restaurants will offer sampling of the new items to drive sales.
Taco Bell also plans to run print ads in fitness and women’s publications. Some ads show the headline, “It’s Your Choice” and compare the new menu items to hamburgers.
Draftfcb handles print and banner ads for Taco Bell.
It’s the first time Taco Bell has added lower-fat alternatives as a permanent addition to its menu boards, the company said.
Other companies, including Starbucks Corp. have launched health conscious products.
Starbucks is promoting an alternative to its latte and mocha drinks. This month, people can order a “Skinny” drink, a new link of beverages made with sugar-free syrup and skim milk. The new offering is one way the coffee chain is trying to meet customers’ needs for healthier options, the company said.
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