Taco Bell is testing Agua Refrescas, a new line of beverages infused with fruit flavors, mixed with real fruit pieces and a green tea base. Flavors include Strawberry Passionfruit, Peach Mango, and Dragonfruit Berry, and the drinks are available in a 16-ounce cup for $3.99. The test is taking place for the next five weeks at a single location in Irvine, Calif. (2222 Barranca Pkwy.)

“We want to make our beverages just as iconic as our food,” Taco Bell CMO Taylor Montgomery said in a statement. “Our new Agua Refrescas are a perfect, vibrant pairing with everything our fans crave from Taco Bell and will help us on our journey to make Taco Bell a beverage destination.”

Indeed, Taco Bell’s beverage lineup has become more robust of late. Taco Bell began testing cold brew options in 2022, while last year, it began testing Coffee Chillers and Churro Chillers, as well as Baja Blast Charged Berry and Mtn Dew Energy Baja Blast.

Taco Bell’s

latest test comes as the conversation surrounding specialty beverages picks up significantly, thanks in large part to McDonald’s launch of its new CosMc’s concept, as well as the staggering growth of concepts such as Dutch Bros, 7 Brew, Biggby’s, Scooter’s, and more. According to Technomic Ignite data, the overall sales growth of cold beverages outpaced hot beverage growth in 2022, with cold beverage sales growing at a rate of nearly 15%. And, a recently released survey from Revenue Management Solutions found that 80% of 600-plus respondents ordered a specialty beverage “a few times a week” in Q1 2024.

As for Agua Fresca, Technomic Ignite data finds that the offering has grown on menus throughout the past five years, with concepts like Another Broken Egg Café, Jason’s Deli, Pollo Tropical, and Tender Greens recently adding some sort of variation of the beverage.

Original Article:
[H/T] RestaurantBusinessOnline.com