ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – Wendy’s chili, which has had a cult following since it was introduced in November 1969, will soon reach grocery stores. The chili will now be canned and available for purchase outside the restaurant.
In February, Conagra Brands, a packaged food company that owns dozens of popular brands, revealed the news during a Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference.
“When the Wendy’s chili craving hits, you now have two delicious ways to get your fix: at retail stores or in our restaurants,” Wendy’s Global Chief Marketing Officer Carl Loredo said in a Wednesday press release.
Wendy’s began offering chili over 50 years ago as a way to use leftover hamburger meat and cut down waste, founder Dave Thomas explained in his memoir “Dave’s Way,” according to Mashed.
Wendy’s Chili with Beans will be available in the chili section of grocery stores and “select online retailers” this summer.
The fast food chain is just the latest to offer certain menu items at nationwide retailers. Taco Bell, for example, sells taco seasonings at grocery stores while Chick-fil-A recently brought its sauces to store shelves.
WXIN’s Izzy Karpinski contributed to this report.
