Intense Nacho Takis Review: This New Cheesy Snack (Mostly) Hits The Mark
Do we as a society need more cheesy snack foods in 2023? Between old standards like Cheetos, Cheez-Its, which have a bit of an untold truth, and nacho cheese-flavored Doritos (to name a select few), the market is decidedly flush with cheese-centric foodstuffs. Then again, a product's lack of necessity never seemed to stop a company from releasing a relatively redundant item — a fact somewhat demonstrated by Takis' new Intense Nacho flavor line.
Now, we don't mean to denigrate the newest flavor from the crunchy, taquitos-inspired snack brand Takis. After all, the Intense Nacho Takis flavor (first announced on March 20, 2023) isn't just a cheesy collaborative concept developed with Grammy award-winning DJ Steve Aoki and the first non-spicy flavor produced by Takis in its history. Of course, since the Intense Nacho flavor line represents Takis' initial foray outside its signature spiciness, we were eager to taste it — and see firsthand how the heatless offering measures up to its cheesy competition.
We were able to obtain a bag of each of the three available Intense Nacho Takis varieties (classic tortilla chips, Waves rippled potato chips, and Pop! popcorn) to sample. If you're wondering how the new product retains "all the intensity" but "none of the spice" of other Takis flavors, keep reading as we give you the details on Intense Nacho Takis (including our review of each version).
What's in Intense Nacho Takis?
Like other ultra-processed, made-for-moderation snack foods, you might not expect a bounty of natural (or even natural-sounding) ingredients to be present in the new Intense Nacho Takis — and that hunch would prove spot-on. In fact, perusing the ingredient list on each variety's label demonstrates that the new Takis flavor line is hardly a beacon of wholesomeness (which should shock nobody).
Now, the ingredients found in each Intense Nacho Takis variety differ slightly, though the variations appear minute. For instance, potatoes are the first listed ingredient for the Waves potato chips variety, and corn flour leads off the order on the tortilla chip version. But a number of additional preservatives and additives are found in each type of Intense Nachos Takis, as well — including the dreaded (and painfully unclear) presence of "natural and artificial flavors."
Frankly, ingredients such as medium chain triglycerides (in the Pop! popcorn), silicon dioxide (in tortilla chips), and yellow 6 lake (found in each Intense Nacho Takis variety) are hardly inspiring to the average consumer. Of course, it's not exactly unheard of with this type of snack food, either, meaning what's in the Intense Nacho Takis is pretty much what you'd expect.
How much do Intense Nacho Takis cost?
We'd love nothing more than to tell you exactly how much each Intense Nacho Takis variety is likely to run a person in every corner of the U.S. But, like a professional wrestling card, the cost of Intense Nacho Takis is unfortunately subject to change based on a number of different factors.
For one thing, there's a notable lack of homogeneity when it comes to pricing across the U.S. Additionally, how much a person pays for a bag of Intense Nacho Takis will vary depending on the exact size one chooses. After all, each of the three varieties comes in a smaller and larger version (ranging between 2 ounces and 9.9 ounces) — and we simply can't predict the precise amount a store will charge for each bag.
Of course, we can tell you the suggested retail price point Takis offered when announcing its Intense Nacho line. For each of the three varieties, Takis notes the smaller portioned bag should cost $2.19, with the larger, share-sized bags pegged at $4.49. In other words, expect to pay between $2 and $3 for a small bag, and between $4 and $5 for a larger one.
How long are Intense Nacho Takis available and where?
You're likely aware by now that the Intense Nacho Takis line is available in three different varieties: classic tortilla chips, Waves rippled potato chips, and Pop! popcorn. Now, as far as we can tell, each of these three varieties is potentially available anywhere Takis products are sold across the U.S. — meaning you may be able to find a bag of Intense Nacho Takis at a convenience store, the supermarket, or online. Of course, while where to purchase Intense Nacho Takis is fairly obvious, we weren't able to find any specific information regarding an expected window of time it's likely to remain available.
Then again, given the brand's apparent excitement surrounding its very first entry into the non-spicy snack food arena, we'd presume the Intense Nacho Takis are set to stick around for the foreseeable future. Will the Intense Nacho Takis flavor be discontinued at some point? Perhaps. But as of its release in March 2023, there's no set-in-stone date for the eventual removal of this new Takis flavor.
What is the nutrition info for Intense Nacho Takis?
When we discussed the ingredients for the new Intense Nacho Takis line of products, we weren't trying to be coy regarding its nutritional potential. After all, we may not have addressed any specific nutritional details when noting what's in each of the three Intense Nacho Takis varieties. But it doesn't take a large leap of logic to conclude that snack foods' unwholesome combination of ingredients means their nutritional value is relatively slim.
Actually, when you consider the hodgepodge of components comprising each version, the nutritional facts for each Intense Nacho Takis variety aren't terribly disconcerting. For instance, while there's very little value, nutritionally speaking, each item's overall impact is less detrimental than we presumed — and each version even contains at least 1 gram of dietary fiber per bag, as well.
Additionally, the nutritional info is fairly similar in each Intense Nacho Takis variety. For the smaller-sized bags (between 2 and 3.25 ounces), the Pop! popcorn contains 350 calories per bag, the Waves chips contain 370 calories, and the tortilla chips rack up 525 calories. Furthermore, each variety contains between 22 and 29 grams of fat and 2 to 3 grams of protein.
How does it compare to other Takis products?
If you mention Takis to another person, the odds you both envision a spicy snack that leaves your lips and tongue numb upon ingestion are enormously high. Of course, the brand is clearly trying to pivot away from that all-encompassing viewpoint with the introduction of its Intense Nacho flavor line. In that sense, if you're curious how the new Takis flavor compares to other Takis products, well, the main takeaway? It's certainly not spicy.
Now, that genuine contrast is the entire point of the new Intense Nacho Takis, so the fact it delivers on that promise in spades is no surprise. Frankly, without divulging our overall opinion, we can say the Intense Nacho flavor truly does contain "none of the spice" of other Takis products. However, does the newest Takis flavor line retain "all the intensity" of its spicier siblings? Not really. And since the heat-induced intensity of standard Takis was notably lacking in the so-called Intense Nacho varieties, we'd be remiss if we glossed over that aspect of comparison without acknowledging it.
Intense Nacho Takis Waves Verdict: A worthy competitor to cheddar and sour cream Ruffles
When it comes to our overall impressions of the new Intense Nacho Takis varieties, we'd have to admit each new product feels sort of derivative of already-available (and popular) snack items. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. After all, a new item is modeled after something successful and beloved doesn't mean a pale imitation should be expected. And in the case of the Intense Nacho Takis Waves chips, its undeniable similarity to the classic chip brand Ruffles cheddar and sour cream flavor isn't a burden — it's a boon.
Frankly, we couldn't entirely separate the legitimately creamy and cheesy flavors bursting in each Intense Nacho chip from our memories of consuming the staggeringly-similar Ruffles flavor. In fact, we might even argue the Intense Nacho Takis Waves provide a sharper sense of sour creaminess in each bite than its Ruffles counterpart (though we'd classify the cheese component as a draw).
We wouldn't go so far as to declare the sour cream and cheddar Ruffles flavor is about to be usurped by the new Intense Nacho Takis Waves. But if you're looking to pivot away from the same old cheesy chip brand, we have no doubts you'll be delighted by this new Takis product.
Intense Nacho Takis Pop! Verdict: Stay away from this artificial-tasting abomination
Are you a fan of the cheddar popcorn found in popcorn tins (like the kind you'd use when enjoying a Christmas meal entirely by can)? If so, you're likely more apt to enjoy the Intense Nacho Takis Pop! popcorn than the average person. Of course, if you're relatively turned off by that type of popcorn flavor (like this writer), you're not going to be won over by this Takis product.
There was just something off (and off-putting) about the unidentifiable cheese flavor coating the popcorn. While the popcorn itself was pleasant enough, the cheese-flavored coating tasted notably artificial, as if it was derived from a cheese-type product rather than actual cheese. The way it lingered on our palate didn't help its cause, either, as the flavor became rather revolting the longer it remained.
To be perfectly honest, we aren't entirely sure why Takis needed to produce an Intense Nacho-flavored popcorn. Frankly, the world would've been fine and dandy without this version of Intense Nacho Takis — and you'd be well-served by skipping the Pop! version yourself.
Intense Nacho Takis Verdict: Akin to nacho cheese Doritos (in a good way)
Seeing how tortilla chips are the heart and soul of the Takis brand, we probably should have expected the Intense Nacho tortilla chip would be a smashing success. Lo and behold, the food that helped Takis stake its claim on the U.S. snack market wasn't just a deliciously crisp treat — it was easily the greatest overall Intense Nacho Takis variety we sampled.
We found the cheesy flavor (which comes from gouda cheese, according to the ingredient list) akin to nacho cheese-flavored Doritos on the first bite. And since the cheese-dust-coating is only on the exterior, the flavor didn't overwhelm the entire chip. Indeed, the satisfying crunch of each corn-based chip was able to shine through alongside the cheesiness, offering a tasty, texturally-enticing balance with each bite — just as we can imagine was intended.
Frankly, of the three different Intense Nacho Takis varieties, the best of the bunch — hands downs — was the classic tortilla chips. In other words, if you're inclined to purchase a bag of Intense Nacho Takis? Heed our advice, and stick to what Takis does best with its tortilla chip version.