Frito-Lay and Taco Bell Team Up: Frito-Lay...

Frito-Lay and Taco Bell Team Up: Frito-Lay Inc. and Taco Bell Corp. are introducing taco-flavored tortilla chips, the first time two PepsiCo Inc. units have collaborated on a co-branded item. Dorito’s Taco Supreme chips, flavored with seasonings and spices used by Taco Bell in its Taco Supremes, will be available in stores on Monday. Taco Bell restaurants won’t offer the chips.

“We’re confident that this new addition to our brand lineup will bring the millions of Taco Supreme lovers to the salty snack aisle,” said Brock Leach, Frito-Lay’s senior vice president for marketing.

Frito-Lay’s products--including Lay’s potato chips, Fritos, Cheetos, Tostitos and Rold Gold pretzels--hold almost half the salty snack market in the United States.

Irvine-based Taco Bell is the largest fast-food Mexican restaurant chain, serving more than 50 million people each week at its more than 20,000 units.

Although co-developing a new product is a first for the two companies, they did launch a line of “prepare-at-home” Taco Bell products together two years ago. The line of 22 items is sold in supermarkets in the Southeast, Southwest and Midwest, and will be launched nationally next year.