TABASCO^®, POPEYES^® WICKED CHICKEN MAKE HOT SALES EVEN HOTTER

Two powerhouse brands from Louisiana have teamed up for a national promotion with a wickedly powerful punch!

Popeyes^® Louisiana Kitchen’s customers love boneless, handheld chicken because it offers on-the-go portability — they also like the innovative ways Popeyes^® delivers handheld chicken and the Wicked Chicken snack box was no exception. This partnership with the bold flavor of Original TABASCO^® brand Pepper Sauce, an American icon and top Louisiana brand for more than 140 years, was a match made in Cajun Country heaven!

So what was in the box? The Popeyes^® Wicked Chicken offering included thin strips of juicy, all white meat chicken marinated with authentic Louisiana seasonings and cooked in the uniquely crispy coating until twisty and curly, all served in an on-the-go snack box piled high with Cajun Fries, a buttery biscuit, and ranch dipping sauce. And the kicker: also included was a mini bottle of Original TABASCO^® Sauce — the perfect complement to personalize the meal with just the right amount of kick.

Popeyes^® Wicked Chicken snack boxes containing TABASCO^® mini bottles was market tested in January 2010 in 231 restaurants located in 15 select U.S. cities and quickly became a strong seller on Popeyes^® menus. According to Popeyes^® consumer research conducted after the initial pilot, the inclusion of the mini TABASCO^® bottle was a selling point for a number of repeat customers. In addition, the findings showed 75 percent of consumers who tested the product were extremely satisfied with the level of spiciness.

The promotion was so popular, with customers making repeat visits just for the spicy snack boxes, Wicked Chicken immediately became a featured menu item for a limited time offer at 1,900 Popeyes^® locations nationwide.