{"id":290135,"date":"2026-05-12T21:27:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T21:27:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/290135\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T21:27:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T21:27:09","slug":"texas-based-smoothie-king-debuts-with-new-pickle-smoothie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/290135\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas-based Smoothie King debuts with new pickle smoothie"},"content":{"rendered":"

The ever upwardly trending pickle flavor is surfacing in the unlikeliest of places: Smoothie King<\/a>, the Dallas-based smoothie chain, is releasing a new limited-edition Pickle Smoothie \u2014 for those who love pickles so much they could drink them.<\/p>\n

Smoothie King is partnering with Grillo’s Pickles<\/a>, a Boston-based pickle company, on a beverage that combines Grillo\u2019s Pickles with bananas, kale, and coconut water for what they describe as a refreshingly tangy drink infused with electrolytes designed to support hydration.<\/p>\n

The drink is $5.99 for a 20-ounce serving, and will be available through the summer. They’ll be giving out free 4-ounce samples on May 16, while supplies last. A Today writer who ran out and tried it found<\/a> that the banana and pickles both had an equally strong presence, and that it was “not bad.” That’s some reporting.<\/p>\n

Grillo’s Pickles was founded in 2008 by Travis Grillo, who launched the business as a small wooden pushcart in Boston Common, using his family’s 100-year-old recipe. It has since grown into a nationwide brand, with their bottles topped with kelly-green lids sold in the refrigerator section of major grocery chains such as Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Kroger, and Aldi.<\/p>\n

Smoothie King is based in Dallas and is owned by Wan Kim, who opened the first Smoothie King franchise in Korea before eventually acquiring the national chain. He’s also a major presence in Dallas’ restaurant scene, opening<\/a> the acclaimed Asian-themed Nuri Steakhouse in Uptown Dallas in 2024, and more recently debuting<\/a> a chicken tenders concept on Dallas’ Greenville Avenue called Flock & Fresh on May 2.<\/p>\n

Pickles have emerged in recent years as one of the buzziest flavors, including Fort Worth’s own craft beer brewer Martin House Brewing Co., a pickle pioneer that has released<\/a> a number of pickle-flavored beers. H-E-B just joined<\/a> the pickle party with a new Pickle Chamoy Sherbet, and national boutique grocery chain Trader Joe’s is about to reprise its annual Pickle Season onslaught<\/a> of pickle-flavored products such as Dill Pickle Mustard and Pickle-Flavored Potato Chips.<\/p>\n

Beyond their flavor, pickles are a fermented item which can offer nutritional\/probiotic benefits, although Smoothie King VP of R&D and Product Marketing Lori Primavera focuses primarily on the hydration aspect.<\/p>\n

“At Smoothie King, every recipe starts with delicious nutrition in mind,” Primavera says in a statement. “Pickles are not only delicious and having a cultural moment, they also offer real nutritional benefits, especially known for their enhanced hydration. That combination gave us an opportunity to explore them in a new format and push our innovation into new territory, reimagining how a beloved flavor can deliver both function and taste.”<\/p>\n

Grillo’s Pickles Chief Commercial Officer Mark Luker calls them “functional benefits.”<\/p>\n

“We love to do unhinged collabs at Grillo’s,” Luker says. “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).”<\/p>\n

And if pickles are not your thing, Smoothie King is also simultaneously unveiling five watermelon smoothies including fan-favorite Watermelon Hydration, Watermelon X-Treme, Gut Health, The Activator Recovery Watermelon, and Power Meal Slim Watermelon.<\/p>\n