We thought we knew Swensons Drive-In. But then, this past May, the 91-year-old brand unveiled a chicken sandwich drenched in tangy Black Cap hot sauce. A month later, customers who visited any of the 21 locations across Ohio could order a pimento burger topped with Cordelia-style pimento cheese and Kool-Aid pickles.
What the heck is going on?
“We really enjoy the opportunity to celebrate what’s around us and things that are special to our state and our regions – our unique flavors, unique personalities,” says Charles Craig, SVP of Culinary at Swensons.
During a company field trip to Cordelia in downtown Cleveland, Craig approached management about a possible cross-over event between the two businesses. The response was immediate and unambiguous, says Craig.
“We made mention to the team that we would love to do a collaboration with them and chef Vinnie said, ‘That’s funny because I’ve always wanted to do something with you guys,’” Craig explains. “It was very much a fanboy moment where we each really appreciated what the other one did.”
The Cordelia experience might have inspired the new collaboration events, but the Black Cap limited-time offering was the first to debut.
“Black Cap was ready to go right away because of what the product was and how it fit with menu items that we had,” Craig says of the Columbus-based hot sauce company. “It really fit and it worked and the timing was great.”
The offer to collaborate with such a beloved local brand was too good to pass up, according to Black Cap founder Jack Moore.
“Swensons is an Ohio institution, and to be featured on their menu is such a wild, full-circle moment for us,” he explains. “This is a chance for folks who’ve never tried our sauce – or weren’t sure how to use it – to taste it on food they already know and love.”
These co-branded food offerings generate fresh buzz and introduce members of each company’s audience to each other, but it’s the camaraderie and community building that really excites Swensons, adds Craig.
“I’ve never seen a chef community that really uplifts and supports and celebrates each other quite the same as I’ve seen here in Ohio,” says Craig, a recent transplant. “I’ve worked in New York. I’ve worked in L.A. I’ve worked in Austin, Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta – a lot of places with really good food scenes – and every regional chef group says they’re all buddies, but it’s not always the real truth of the matter.”
The Black Cap and Cordelia collabs were followed up by the August partnership with Ohio City’s Larder Delicatessen and Bakery. During that month, visitors to Swensons could sample the Larder Deli Burg, a burger seasoned with Larder’s signature pastrami spice blend. The creation also featured another great homegrown product, Cleveland Kitchen’s Beet Red sauerkraut.
This month, Swensons has rolled out the Beer Cheese Brat, a brat topped with beer cheese and Cleveland Kitchen pickled red onion.
Ideally, these buzzy LTOs drive new traffic and bump up revenue, but that’s not the primary objective, Craig assures us.
“We’re still a responsible business. We have to execute things financially sound because I have hundreds of people who work here with us and it’s our responsibility to protect their future. But that’s not the mark of success. The mark of success to us is how many guests did we reach and how does it elevate their experience.”
Longtime Swensons fans looking to mix things up have many future collabs to look forward to, promises Craig.
“I don’t foresee us ever really stopping any of the limited time offerings, and we are always looking for great partners,” he says.
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