Velvet Taco: Weekly Taco Feature Out, Velvet Bowls In
Velvet Taco, the nationally acclaimed restaurant brand known for redefining tacos with its daring, flavorful creations, announces a groundbreaking evolution of its globe-trotting menu. This March, for the first time in its 13-year history, the taco concept will retire its legendary Weekly Taco Feature (known as WTF) to introduce a bold new menu item: Velvet Bowls.
Ushering in an entirely new era for the anything-but-ordinary taco brand, Velvet Bowls will debut as rotating weekly specials – known as Weekly Bowl Features – across Velvet Taco locations nationwide starting March 19. While WTFs have long been a hallmark of Velvet Taco, this evolution takes its unique combinations beyond the tortilla, reimagining them into curated flavor-packed bowls. This launch establishes the brand’s commitment to adventurous flavors and culinary creativity, offering guests a fresh way to experience its globally influenced combinations.
“Pushing boundaries through relentless innovation is at the forefront of everything we do at Velvet Taco. Weekly Bowl Features are more than just new limited time items, they are revolutionary for the Velvet Taco brand. Each bowl delivers the bold flavor and creativity that guests appreciate from our tacos in a convenient, health-conscious format,” said Clay Dover, CEO of Velvet Taco. “If you love our Weekly Taco Feature, don’t worry. WTFs will be back to stay in April after four weeks of Weekly Bowl Features. We can’t wait for guests to discover the value and uniqueness of our new Velvet Bowls – they are unlike anything available today.”
Fan-favorite tacos have been reimagined into enticing bowls and will run for one week each as Weekly Bowl Features.
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March 19- 25: Spicy Tikka Chicken Bowl, featuring crisp tenders or roasted chicken, spicy tikka sauce, raita crema, marinated red cabbage, cucumber and Thai basil.
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March 26-April 1: Slow Roasted Angus Brisket, with house-marinated slow-roasted brisket, queso blanco, roasted corn pico, black beans, guacamole, red chile aioli and micro cilantro, complete with two comte cheese crusted tortilla halves.
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April 2-8: Mexi-Cali Shrimp, made with blackened shrimp, napa slaw, roasted corn pico, Sriracha aioli, guacamole and micro-cilantro.
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April 9-15: Rotisserie Chicken or Steak Bowl, available with rotisserie chicken or grilled steak, queso blanco, roasted corn pico, black beans, guacamole, avocado crema, charred tomato poblano salsa and cilantro. Also to be featured during the final week, the Seasonal Veggie Bowl (not offered as a taco), is a premier vegetarian option featuring seasonal roasted veggies, guacamole, roasted corn pico, avocado crema, pickled onion and napa slaw.
All Velvet Bowls feature a cilantro basmati rice base, while a “Make It Lighter” option to swap rice for a carb-free (yet flavorful) napa slaw is also available. All Velvet Bowls are currently available in DFW restaurants.
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O-I Glass Details Strategic Initiatives at NYSE
The New York Stock Exchange welcomes executives and guests of O-I Glass, Inc. on March 14 to the podium. To honor the occasion, Gordon Hardie, President & Chief Executive Officer, joined by Tara Dziedzic, NYSE Head of US Listings, rings The Closing Bell. (Source: NYSE)
O-I Glass, Inc., a leading supplier of glass packaging, detailed a series of strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing its market position and delivering long-term value to shareholders during its Investors Day presentation at the New York Stock Exchange on March 14.
The Investor Day presentation, titled “The Power of Glass,” features insights from O-I Glass’s leadership team, including Gordon Hardie, presidents and CEO, John Haudrich, SVP and CFO, and other key executives. The agenda covered the company’s business strategy, financial review, and future growth plans, highlighting O-I’s dedication to transforming its cost base, optimizing its value chain, and driving profitable growth with an economic profit mindset.
Hardie stated, “Our multi-horizon approach to value creation, focusing on cost competitiveness and productivity, profitable growth, and strategic optionality, will enable us to reshape our business and deliver lasting value to our shareholders.”
Key Points:
- Intent: The company outlined how it intends to put the power of glass within reach of everyone, every day. This will be accomplished through implementation of the company’s three horizon value creation roadmap.
- Horizon 1 – Fit to Win: By taking an economic profit mindset, O-I will radically reduce total enterprise costs as well as optimize its entire network and value chain to improve its competitive position. The company has increased its Fit To Win target to generate savings of at least $650 million by 2027. To further improve its competitive position, O-I will incorporate a unique model to be both the lowest cost producer in mainstream categories and best cost producer in premium.
- Horizon 2 – Profitable Growth: Leveraging a more competitive position, O-I will drive future profitable growth with winning customers. The company will put glass in more hands through a segmented strategy to expand in attractive categories and capitalize on its valuable relationships with customers around the world.
- Horizon 3 – Strategic Optionality: O-I will further grow the business through geographic expansion including potential future corporate development actions as it takes a balanced approach to capital allocation including consistently returning capital to shareholders.
- Financial Overview and Outlook: The company is reaffirming its previously announced 2025 guidance of Adjusted Earnings in the range of $1.20 to $1.50 per share and Free Cash Flow between $150 and $200 million. Reflecting the expected benefits from its Fit To Win initiatives, O-I is also reaffirming its 2027 financial targets, including Adjusted EBITDA of at least $1.45 billion, Free Cash Flow of greater than 5% of sales and Economic Spread of at least 2%. Additionally, the company is introducing preliminary 2029 objectives that include longer-term benefits from its expected Profitable Growth and Strategic Optionality efforts.
Slides for the I-Day presentation are available on the Company’s website, www.o-i.com/investors.
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Parmigiano Reggiano Serves Fun at Miami Open
Parmigiano Reggiano, one of the globe’s most beloved Italian imports, will serve as a first-time, official sponsor of the Miami Open presented by Itaú. Attendees at the annual tennis tournament, which kicks off on March 16 and concludes March 30, can indulge in the Italian cheese courtside and interact with the brand via a series of activations.
“We are delighted to partner with the Miami Open, one of the world’s most prestigious tennis tournaments. Both Parmigiano Reggiano and the Open share the same values of excellence, passion, and well-being,” says Parmigiano Reggiano Chief Marketing Officer Carmine Forbuso. “The U.S. is Parmigiano Reggiano’s largest export market, with an export share of 22 percent – amounting to more than 16,000 tons exported in 2024 – with a daily growing demand from consumers who appreciate high-quality, authentic products.
“We believe the Miami Open is an ideal platform to tell our story and showcase what makes Parmigiano Reggiano unique. We see this as more than a sponsorship, but rather a way to truly connect with both longtime and uninitiated American consumers.”
As the exclusive cheese sponsor at this year’s Miami Open, the brand aims to enhance the fan experience by widely showcasing the DOP product in suite menu packages and concessions – offering both traditional dishes and novel creations such as Parmigiano Reggiano Popsicles. Entire cheese wheels, engraved with the Miami Open logo, will also be on display throughout the tournament, most notably in the Player’s Club.
In addition, the brand will present an array of opportunities for spectators to engage with the brand during the two-week tournament. March 21 will mark Parmigiano Reggiano Day at the stadium, during which celebrity chef David Rocco will put fans to the test with a Parmigiano Reggiano Pronunciation Challenge, quizzing them on the correct pronunciation of the notoriously tricky name of the cheese. Winners will receive Parmigiano Reggiano and additional merchandise.
The lighthearted campaign hopes to bolster the identity of genuine Parmigiano Reggiano, often confused with Italian-sounding hard cheeses and imitators. The activation will also host a crowd-pleasing wheel cracking.
The sponsorship will include social and digital integrations across the tournament, specifically videoboard promotions; visible signage broadcast integration of the Tennis Channel; and dedicated creative within media platforms, social media and in the stadium. The brand will also host media guests, trade partners and retailers throughout tournament sessions.
The Miami Open presented by Itaú attracts nearly 400,000 fans annually to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Founded in 1985, the 15-day event is a 1000-level tournament on both the men’s ATP and women’s WTA tours.
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