ROSEMONT, ILL. – A Taco Bell burrito originally created as a limited-time item with the help of the dairy checkoff now has earned a permanent spot on the chain’s menu.

Mike Ciresi, a Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) senior dairy scientist who works with Taco Bell, said the Grilled Cheese Burrito, which debuted in July 2020, was so popular the company brought it back three times on a limited basis before making it a permanent fixture due to demand.

“We work on so many projects but this one hit the sweet spot with Taco Bell, its brand and its consumers,” Ciresi said. “This is another proof point that adding dairy in unique ways that resonates with consumers can deliver a home run. This success inspires us to work on the next innovative cheese-centric menu item at Taco Bell.”

The Grilled Cheese Burrito’s ingredients include mozzarella, cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, reduced fat sour cream, plus a layer of cheese grilled onto the tortilla.

“Highlighting cheese is a long-term core equity of Taco Bell’s business model and this burrito brings this to life for us,” said Heather Mottershaw, Taco Bell’s vice president of pipeline innovation and product development. “This is another great example of how dairy is enhancing our menu and we are grateful to Mike, the checkoff team and America’s dairy farmers for their innovative spirit and teamwork in getting us to this moment.”

DMI shared that Taco Bell’s television and digital media strategy aimed at the Gen Z audience features the Grilled Cheese Burrito, as well as music from up-and-coming artists, such as bludnymph.

“It’s really about making the Grilled Cheese Burrito part of culture and part of making something bigger than just a new product launch,” said Nancy Gannon, DMI’s vice president of global innovation partnerships.