At The Bird & Co., the philosophy has always been simple: You Deserve Tacos. Now, the Portland taco shop wants to make good on that promise in your own kitchen. The Woodford’s Corner restaurant, opened by Wills Dowd and Jared Dinsmore in 2019, has launched The Original Taco Oil, a line of avocado-based infused oils designed to bring a little Bird & Co. magic home.
The idea is straightforward: warm a tortilla in the oil, fill it with whatever taco-night inspiration strikes, and suddenly dinner feels considerably more exciting. Currently, the oil comes in two flavors: Roja, infused with chipotle, chili, and garlic; and Verde, made with cilantro, jalapeño, and lime. Both are built on avocado oil, which the owners chose for its high smoke point and its versatility. And while tacos are very much the point, the bottle isn't a one-trick pony. The oil can also be used for grilling vegetables, braising proteins, dressing salads, reviving leftovers, or adding some personality to breakfast.
For Dowd and Dinsmore, Taco Oil isn't so much a pivot into retail as a way of sharing something they had already spent years perfecting. “We invented a product we knew was worthy of more than the four walls of our kitchens,” they say. “It wasn’t about starting a retail company.” The founders see their oil as part of a larger shift toward cooking, gathering, and sharing an experience. “The rise of the home cook has created a desire for products that bring a restaurant-style quality into the kitchen,” they explain. “Our Taco Oil is about elevating your cooking with ease and creating meaningful moments at your table.”
Taco Oil is the flagship of a new chapter for The Bird & Co., with a plain avocado oil called Claro planned for the future. But the bigger idea is less about building a pantry empire and more about bringing a little of the restaurant experience home. As the owners put it: “Everyone deserves better tacos.”