Bagel chain tests out Ranch Shmear during FIFA World Cup in Atlanta

The southern, and social media-inspired, shmear flavor is exclusive to Atlanta, and even then, just one location.

FIFA Ranch craze leads to ranch shmear from US's largest bagel chain Einstein Bros. Bagels, which describes itself as the largest bagel chain in the United States, introduced an Atlanta-exclusive shmear after FIFA World Cup visitors made a classic condiment go viral. (SOURCE: Einstein Bros. Bagels) (Einstein Bros. Bagels)

By Sam Sachs

ATLANTA — Ranch. It goes on salad, sometimes hot wings, and if you’re visiting Atlanta for the FIFA World Cup, it might also go in your suitcase.

The viral “take Ranch back to Europe” trend for international visitors watching the FIFA World Cup now is also impacting what some Northern transplants to Atlanta find sacred:

The Bagel.

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Einstein Bros. Bagels said it wants to capitalize on a “cultural moment” and bring it to their menus so they’re testing out a limited-time Ranch Shmear.

The company, which describes itself as the largest bagel chain in the United States, introduced the Atlanta-exclusive shmear after FIFA World Cup visitors made the classic condiment go viral.

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According to the company, the new, limited-time option “layers the bold, tangy taste of ranch into its signature double-whipped cream cheese.”

For food, bagel and soccer fans hoping to score the new shmear flavor, especially at Wednesday’s final Atlanta FIFA match-up between England and Argentina, Einstein Bros. said their Howell Mill Road location is the only place to get it, and only while supplies last.

“Ranch is having its biggest cultural moment yet, and Einstein Bros. was not going to sit on the sidelines,” Jessica Serrano, chief marketing officer of Einstein Bros. Bagels, said in a statement. “Our new Ranch Shmear is for everyone who has been putting ranch on everything for years, and for the international fans who just discovered what they have been missing. This is what menu innovation looks like for us - understand what people are craving and curious about, make it ours, and make it delicious.”

As Channel 2 Action News has reported, the worldwide ranch craze from guests to Atlanta led to warnings about bottle sizes from TSA and even some new bottle sizes to help visitors bring it home.

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