Cardi B may have given Chipotle’s new Chili Lime Chips more attention than any traditional rollout could have planned after accidentally revealing the new menu item days before the company was ready to announce it.
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Cardi jumped on Instagram Live on Thursday, August 27, with a bag of the unreleased chips while talking about her love for Chipotle. Someone off camera quickly let her know she was sharing the news too soon. Cardi responded, “I wasn’t supposed to tell y’all about the chips because the chips come out on Monday. Oops! My bad! I’m too excited!”
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Cardi was clearly ready to talk about the Chili Lime Chips. She held up one of the seasoned chips while explaining just how much flavor was on it. “This is more than just a sprinkle,” she said. During the same Live, Cardi also joked about Chipotle responding to customers who had been bringing their own seasoned chips, saying, “Chipotle said, ‘ Oh, word?’ That’s what y’all doing? Aight.”
By Monday, August 31, there was no longer anything to hide. Cardi shared another video on Instagram showing herself trying the chips and directing fans to Chipotle’s app. She captioned the post, “Y’all know I don’t play about my @Chipotle. The official Bardi Bowl + the new Chili Lime Chips are officially in the Chipotle app. Get into it!!!!!”
The same day, Chipotle formally announced the Chili Lime Chips alongside the return of Pollo Asado. According to the company, Chipotle Rewards members received first access to the chips on August 31 through the app and website, while all customers will be able to order them beginning September 4.
Chipotle said the Chili Lime Chips grew out of a “viral fan food hack” involving customers pairing restaurant meals with packaged seasoned chips. According to the company, social media mentions of seasoned chips paired with Chipotle entrees have increased more than 1,500 percent since 2022, while related Instagram and TikTok content generated approximately 96 million engagements. Chipotle says its version is tossed fresh daily with real lime and chili seasoning and contains “real ingredients and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.”
Cardi’s connection to food brands did not begin with Chipotle. In February 2023, McDonald’s launched the Cardi B & Offset Meal as the chain’s first celebrity duo meal. The Valentine’s Day promotion combined both artists’ preferred orders, including Cardi’s cheeseburger with barbecue sauce and a large Coca-Cola, Offset’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese and Hi-C Orange Lavaburst, plus fries and an apple pie to share.
At the time, Cardi said, “Whether it’s going for a date night or grabbing a bite after late-night studio sessions… I’m always asking Offset to take me to McDonald’s. And now, Offset and I have a meal named after us! I want all my fans to try it – especially with that BBQ sauce.”
Just months later, Cardi took the food partnership route into the home kitchen. According to Knorr’s June 2023 announcement, the rapper partnered with the brand on its Taste Combos campaign, which promoted meals made with vegetables, protein, and Knorr products that could be prepared in under 30 minutes and for under $4 per serving.
Knorr also introduced “Cardi B’s Taste Combo,” which used chicken, vegetables, and Knorr Chicken Bouillon. Cardi explained her connection to the product by saying, “Knorr is a staple in my kitchen and an ingredient I have been cooking with for many years. My Cardi B Taste Combo brings together protein, veggies, and Knorr Bouillon. That bouillon, by the way, is my secret ingredient to turn up the taste for my family! With Knorr, everyone can create their own delicious combos in their own kitchens.”
Her food and beverage portfolio also includes Whipshots. According to Starco Brands’ original partnership announcement, Cardi joined the company in 2021 to launch the vodka-infused whipped cream brand and participate in its creative direction. Cardi described the concept at launch by saying, “Whipshots matches my style—over the top, sexy, unique,” adding, “Together we’re completely innovating whipped cream and giving it an extra pop. Whipshots is Cardi in a can.”
Now, the Chili Lime Chips put Cardi back in the middle of a major food launch, only this time the promotion started before the official announcement did. Between the accidental reveal, the Bardi Bowl, and Cardi’s very public excitement about the flavor, Chipotle’s newest chips entered the conversation before most customers even had the chance to order them.
