The Impossibly Fun McDonald’s x J Balvin Merch Was Indeed Impossible

Bad news for J Balvin fans who ordered merch from his collaboration with McDonald’s last fall: you’re never going to see it. Vibras Lab, which manages the Colombian reggaeton singer along with other artists, emailed customers in January stating that merchandise orders were canceled due to a supply issue that “did not meet our expectations with the products,” Business Insider reports. Customers will receive refunds and a bonus gift of a beanie and a note from J Balvin.

The merch line was originally set to include hoodies, bucket hats, folding chairs, burger slippers, two-finger brass knuckle rings, receipt tattoo stickers, watches, and more, all decorated with ’80s-inspired electric colors and patterns associated with the J Balvin’s album Colores. Items from this collection would have served as more permanent memorabilia from the J Balvin x McDonald’s partnership, which also featured a “J Balvin meal” consisting of the singer’s favorite order at the Golden Arches: a Big Mac without pickles, fries with ketchup, and an Oreo McFlurry.

The collaboration followed an even splashier deal between the fast-food chain and Travis Scott in September. The Travis Scott meal (a quarter pounder with cheese, bacon, and lettuce; fries with barbecue sauce; and a Sprite) received a major popularity boost in part from a viral TikTok Trend, in which customers filmed themselves blasting Scott’s track “Sicko Mode” in the drive-thru, to the point where McDonald’s employees had to familiarize themselves with some of the rapper’s catchphrases to keep up with the trend, and ingredients for the meal ran out in some locations.

That partnership paid off big for both parties; Scott reportedly made $20 million from the deal, per Forbes, and McDonald’s got a sales boost and renewed relevance among young people. Its success likely encouraged the fast-food company to double down on collaborating with celebrities, particularly those who appeal to new or niche markets.

• McDonald’s J Balvin merch line has been canceled due to production challenges, following the wild success of the chain’s Travis Scott collab [Business Insider]