Urban Cowboy: Old El Paso Lassos Aussie Country Singer for Ads
Cowboy-core is having a moment. Fringe is flying, boots are stomping, and belt buckles are back. Now, Old El Paso is dialing up the heat this summer, by turning taco night into a full-blown cowboy talent show. The Tex-Mex brand is debuting “Castin’ the Cowboy,” a playful take on the talent casting process, where country music superstar Keith Urban lends his judging experience to weigh in on a flavorful showcase of taco night contenders.
Old El Paso is putting the spotlight on 10 musicians who bring flavor, fun, and flair to the table in the “Castin’ the Cowboy” content series. From taco ballads and fake guitars (and horses) to full-on cowboy-inspired performances, each hopeful is vying for a shot to take on the cowboy persona and lead Old El Paso’s next taco-night era, with Urban adding his input.
“Watching our touring crew demolish a table full of tacos is like being at a huge family gathering,” said Urban. “Good food, big personalities, and a great atmosphere – that’s what being on the road is all about. So, when Old El Paso approached me with their “Castin’ the Cowboy” campaign, it felt like the perfect way to combine the two.”
But this taco night casting call isn’t something to scroll past. Urban is asking fans to follow along and cheer on their favorite audition. When all is said and sung, he will ultimately crown Old El Paso’s newest “cowboy” later this summer. A few lucky fans who guess the new cowboy will also have the chance to win exclusive prizes like a Keith Urban-signed Old El Paso cowboy belt buckle and taco-themed surprises including Old El Paso taco kits.
“There’s never been a better time to bring western flair to the dinner table,” said Brand Experience Manager for Old El Paso, Jenny Jonker. “With the current country-themed trend, it felt like the perfect time to tap into our own Tex-Mex roots. Old El Paso has always been about bringing bold flavor and fun to the table, and Keith brings the perfect mix of heart, humor, and star power to help us celebrate taco night in an unexpected way.”
This summer, Urban will also be hitting the road on his HIGH AND ALIVE WORLD TOUR. Visit keithurban.com for ticket information and links to Keith’s latest album HIGH.
To stay in the loop and watch the “Castin’ the Cowboy” content series, follow @OldElPaso on Instagram and @OldElPaso_Official on TikTok to get in the casting fun.
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Thompson Street Acquires NJ’s Bubbakoo’s Burritos
Thompson Street Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in St. Louis, has acquired Bubbakoo’s Burritos, a New Jersey-based franchisor of fast-casual Mexican-fusion restaurants. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 2008 in Wall Township, N.J. by restaurant industry veterans Bill Hart and Paul Altero, Bubbakoo’s delivers a bold twist on traditional Mexican fare. With a focus on made-to-order food and a vibrant restaurant experience, Bubbakoo’s began franchising in 2015. The brand has since expanded to more than 130 locations across 15 states, primarily along the East Coast and Midwest.
This acquisition comes at a time when the fast-casual category continues to outperform broader foodservice segments, driven by evolving consumer preferences for flavorful, customizable cuisine and growing investor appetite for scalable restaurant concepts.
“Bubbakoo’s has created an innovative and compelling brand that resonates with a broad and growing customer base,” said Bob Dunn, Managing Partner at TSCP. “Bill and Paul have built something special—an exciting concept with strong franchisee relationships, consistent unit growth, and a passionate following. We are thrilled to partner with the team as they enter this next phase of expansion.”
“We see tremendous opportunity to support Bubbakoo’s continued growth by investing in technology, brand development, infrastructure, and franchisee support systems,” said Joe St. Geme, Managing Director at TSCP. “The Company has built a strong foundation, and our team is eager to help accelerate growth while maintaining the culture and values that have made Bubbakoo’s a success.”
“From our earliest days in New Jersey to now having more than 130 locations across the country, we’ve been incredibly proud to see our vision resonate with guests, franchisees, and communities,” said Mr. Hart, Co-Founder of Bubbakoo’s. “Our growth has always been grounded in our commitment to food quality, hospitality and a culture that values individuality and innovation.”
“Thompson Street Capital Partners brings deep experience in scaling founder-led businesses and shares our passion for supporting franchisees and delivering great experiences to customers,” added Altero, Co-Founder of Bubbakoo’s. “With their support, we’re confident Bubbakoo’s can accelerate its growth into new markets, invest in technology and infrastructure, and continue building a world-class franchise system.”
Sidley Austin acted as legal advisor to TSCP.
Thompson Street Capital Partners (tscp.com) is a middle-market private equity firm that helps transform already exceptional businesses into market leaders. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, TSCP invests globally in the life sciences and healthcare, software and technology, business and consumer services and products sectors. TSCP partners with management teams to increase value by accelerating growth, both organically and via complementary acquisitions.
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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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