Review: Smoothie King X Grillo's Pickles Smoothie — An All Out A-Salt On Your Senses

It seems like not a week goes by without the fine folks over at Grillo's lending its briny pickles to add a new juicy twist on another company's product. The list of collaborations is literally endless, including, but not limited to pickled-flavored Utz chips, a whole pickle menu at Sonic, a limited edition Burt's Bees lip balm, and a place within a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon. Apparently not one to rest on its green laurels, Grillo's is at it again, but this time invading the fruity confines of Smoothie King. Welcome to this world, albeit for a short time — The Smoothie King x Grillo's Pickles Smoothie.

In a statement, Lori Primavera, VP of R&D and Product Marketing at Smoothie King noted, "Pickles are not only delicious and having a cultural moment, they also offer real nutritional benefits, especially known for their enhanced hydration." On Grillo's Pickles end, Mark Luker, Chief Commercial Officer added, "We love to do unhinged collabs at Grillo's. With that, we don't always get to talk about the functional benefits of pickles. When we partnered with Smoothie King for a hydration smoothie, we knew this was a great opportunity to do both. Those who are willing to try will be pleasantly surprised (and hydrated)."

So is this latest Grillo's collab with Snoothie King, a smooth sailor or should it be castaway and lost at sea? Mashed took one out for a full ride to see where the truth lies. 

On a beautiful May day, I ventured to the only Smoothie King in New York City's five boroughs, to try the brand new Smoothie King x Grillo's Pickles Smoothie. I ordered the smoothie directly at the counter, and consumed some of it right then and there.

This Sip & Saw review is a summation of my own personal tastes and opinions. It also takes into account my previous experiences with Smoothie King and Grillo's Pickles products, odd flavor combos, pickles and smoothies in general, as well as my current experience with this new collaborative one. The ultimate criteria considered for this review were flavor, smell, pickleness, aftertaste, originality, uniqueness, and whether it's worthy of a sip, ordering seconds, or skipping this one altogether.

With Smoothie King's open kitchen, I was able to see my Pickle Smoothie being built. Into the blender went clumps of frozen bananas and a couple of juice pumps. Next, it was time for the pièce de résistance — Grillo's pickles. They were hiding out in a refrigerated plastic container, and the server used a scooper to wrangle up a handful of them along with plenty of pickle juice, to join the other elements. The noisy whirl of the blender commenced, and before I knew it, there she was — my Pickle Smoothie.

The first thing I thought of was that it looked like a giant cup filled with the most guacamole I've seen in one place. On closer inspection, it had a wonderful Kelly green hue to it, and small waves of whiteness, making it look like some gaseous, milky distant planet. I popped off the lid and leaned in for a whiff. The briny smell was strong, which was at least a good sign that this product would indeed shine a light on the pickles.

One sip in, and there was no doubt about this smoothie's pickly bona fides. The saltiness and sourness of the pickles and its juice were a real dominant player from the get-go. Further sips did allow some of the other elements to have a say, with the creaminess of the bananas being the one flavor of real note. Through and through though, this was a no joke pickle smoothie.

The whole reason the Smoothie King x Grillo's Pickles Smoothie exists is to be an outlandish product that practically begs and dares the public to try it. Smoothie King went down this road last year with Heinz Ketchup and the results were surprisingly totally tasty.

This smoothie is at odds with itself at every sip. Its cold and smooth make-up tells me it's supposed to be refreshing, but that peculiar and overpowering pickle flavoring mixed in with fruits and veggies kind of keeps it from actually being so. Alas, the more I sipped away at it, the less strange the mixture became. Not sure how casual drinkers will be able to stomach more than one or two sips of this guy, but I personally couldn't stop myself from slowly tackling most of the 32-ounce cup. Although word to the wise, if you want to remember this collab forever, order the 20-ouncer that is housed in a special cup to mark this perhaps once in a generation occasion.

In the end, this is a pure gimmick that doesn't lend itself to ordering seconds of it. But, it's definitely a step up from the PBR brew that dropped last week, but not remotely as delicious as the Heinz's Ketchup smoothie. Still, it's not often I can recommend a smoothie that would pair very well with a pastrami sandwich from Katz's Delicatessen. 

Starting May 12, the Smoothie King x Grillo's Pickles Smoothie is a limited time offering, available only at participating nationwide locations of Smoothie King. It is available to order anytime Smoothie King is opened for business, while supplies last. Orders can be placed in-store at the counter, or drive-thru, where available. Advanced ordering for dine-in, pick-up, or delivery can be placed through Smoothie King's website and app. Like most items on its menu, this smoothie is completely customizable, including removing incidents, or adding elements like enhancers and proteins. Additional fees may apply for the add-ons.

This Smoothie is available in three sizes for purchase — 20 ounce, 32 ounce, and 44 ounce. The suggested retail price for the 20-ouncer is $5.99, $8.49 for the 32-ounce one, and $10.99 for the mammoth 44-ounce cup . Prices may vary by location, and additional costs can incur for delivery orders or ones placed through third-parties. If one happens to stroll into Smoothie King on May 16, aka International Pickle Day, the company is handing out free 4-ounce sizes of the Pickle Smoothie, while supplies last.

The Smoothie King x Grillo's Pickles Smoothie is made up of Grillo's pickle spears, bananas, organic kale, apple juice blend, kiwi apple juice blend, electrolyte blend, and coconut water. 

A 20-ounce cup of this new smoothie nets a sipper 300 calories, 73 grams of carbohydrates, 54 grams of sugar, 740 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of dietary fiber, and 2 grams of protein. It is a fat and cholesterol free item. The 32-ounce version contains 460 calories, and a 44-ounce one tops out at 590 calories.