As I watched the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl last week -– including Tostitos’ special support of our troops during the halftime show -– it’s hard for me to believe that at one time, Frito-Lay almost discontinued Tostitos.
In the 1980s, Tostitos sales were struggling when our Texas Region Sales team noticed a consumer trend toward larger, white corn tortilla chips and suggested Frito-Lay consider launching such a snack. Initially, there was little support at Headquarters for the idea because consumer testing wasn’t favorable. But the Texas Sales team was persuasive, and Tostitos Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips was born. It was an instant success and really reignited Tostitos growth.
Today, Tostitos is one of Frito-Lay’s largest brands -- and about to grow even bigger thanks to a new generation of Tostitos chips Frito-Lay created with today's consumers in mind.
In December, Tostitos launched Dipping Strips, a heartier, rectangular-shaped chip that works well when you're enjoying a thicker dip. Tostitos brand director Janelle Hottinger (pictured below with her husband and daughter) told me that Tostitos Dipping Strips is off to a strong start because its shape and consistency give dip lovers a functional snacking benefit.
Then, this month, the brand introduces Tostitos Blue Corn Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips, a snack made from 100 percent blue corn grown in Nebraska and Illinois. Tostitos prides itself on being a naturally-made product and uses a traditional stone-ground process to help preserve the authentic taste and flavor of the corn.
In addition to those two new snacks, all of Tostitos leading products now contain 8 grams of whole-grain corn per serving -- including Scoops, Restaurant Style, Crispy Rounds and Bite Size -- with the same great corn taste as before. By increasing the whole grain in each serving, the fiber count doubles from 1 gram to 2 grams per serving (7 percent of recommended daily value) as well. "Consumers tell us that whole grain is important to them, but they do not want to sacrifice taste," Janelle told me. “The initial consumer feedback we’ve received is consistent with our own findings: The great taste of Tostitos hasn't changed by increasing the amount of whole grains in each serving.”
Janelle is very excited about all of the Tostitos news this year, and she’s moved, as I was, at how we've been able to support our troops by partnering with the USO to host the Tostitos “Salute the Troops” Bowl. Since the game’s highlights played during the Fiesta Bowl halftime show, her team has received many letters from soldiers thanking Tostitos and Frito-Lay for sponsoring the game. Plus, Tostitos donated $200,000 to the USO to help the organization continue its important work.
You can learn more about the “Salute the Troops” Bowl held in Iraq by reading Aurora Gonzalez's heartfelt journal here on Snack Chat. And, you can find Tostitos Dipping Strips, Tostitos Blue Corn and the Tostitos products with 8 grams of whole grain per serving on Super Bowl displays in supermarkets now.
To me the new dip strips are too thick and they taste like the original Frito corn chips. Don't get me wrong, I love Frito's too, but with onion dip. For cheese dip I will stick to your round tostitos.
Posted by: Heidi | January 21, 2010 at 07:46 PM
I really like the tostitos blue corn chips though i have never had them. I really like frito's better than the tostitos blue corn chips. I think that the Frito's corn chips are healthy for your body and goog for you too and i helps you grow more and more. That is why i think Frito's is the best. Please reply to this comment as soon as possible.
Posted by: Amanda Prouse | January 26, 2010 at 03:19 PM