Lay's Introduces New Regional Flavors Made with All-natural Ingredients!

When I was developing new products as part of Frito-Lay’s Marketing team, the compelling questions we always asked ourselves before launching a new project were: “What will be the next big food trend?” and “How can we adapt that trend to snack foods?” 

Restaurants always lead new food trends, and for a long time, the leading innovations had an international flair.  We borrowed flavors from Mexican and Caribbean foods, Asian cuisine and Italian and Mediterranean dishes to determine new chip flavors. For example, I helped launch, in the U.S., Gamesa cookies from Mexico, Wasabi Funyuns from Asia and chocolate-filled croissants from Greece.  We found that Americans loved exotic variety, but if we tried to be too different, the flavors wouldn’t catch on with consumers. For example, we once offered a meat-flavored potato chip, inspired by a similar chip in England, but it didn’t do so well in the U.S.  Americans wanted what we called, "mainstream -- jazzed up."

Today, the product developers for Lay's potato chips are doing the same kind of consumer research I did years ago, but the “big food trend” today is very different. They’re finding an emerging trend here in the U.S. called “American regional cuisine.”   Increasingly, consumers are looking for foods that reflect their own regions in the U.S., as food heritage has become a matter of local pride.  

So, the Lay's team collaborated with chefs across the country to understand regional flavor preferences, and they’ve developed six new flavors of Lay’s that represent the best in regional cuisine.  Even better, each of these “regional” flavors is made with all-natural ingredients.  

One of the new regional flavors, Lay's Tangy Carolina BBQ, is being launched nationwide.  The other five flavors are being launched only in the region of the country that inspired the flavor:  

• Northeastern U.S. -- Lay's Pepper Relish 

• Midwestern U.S. -- Lay's Garden Tomato & Basil 

• Northwestern U.S. -- Lay's Balsamic Sweet Onion 

• Southwestern U.S. -- Lay's Southwest Cheese & Chiles 

• Southeastern U.S. -- Lay's Cajun Herb & Spice 

You can find Lay’s Tangy Carolina BBQ and your region’s flavor in the Lay's section of your grocer’s chip aisle.  And, look for a coupon for the Lay’s regional flavors in your Sunday paper on March 14.  Once you try them, I think you'll agree with me that they fit the definition of “American regional cuisine.”

- Dave

Comments

[Kristin]

These great regional flavors of Lay's are still in market -- though some are selling so fast, we are working furiously to keep them on the shelves! Right now, we don't have plans to offer every flavor in new/all markets, but we'll keep selling each regional flavor in its corresponding market. If something changes, we'll certainly let everyone know! Thanks for the comments! - Kristin

[arminius]

1. I want to try the Garden Tomato and Basil, but I don't want to have to fly to Wisconsin to do it. Please make these more widely available.

2. I tried the Carolina BBQ one and it tastes good. I can't really, really say it tastes like Eastern NC BBQ, if that was the target. It tastes like they took a vat of their BBQ chip seasoning and mixed it with a vat of their Salt and Vinegar seasoning. However they came up with it, it does taste good.

[Nikki]

If you ever plan to discontinue your chips, please don't let it be your Tangy Carolina BBQ! I happened upon these one day and decided to try them instead of your regular BBQ! OMG! It was like heaven open up and descended the potato chip gods on me! It's the only flavor I will buy now and I just might cry if you stop selling them!

[Ron]

Bring back the Memphis BBQ ones! Those were so on point.
The chip world needs garlic too. GIVE ME GARLIC!

[Ellen]

Wow finally, I've eaten lays for years and usually I get plain or the less salt ones. I tried the garden tomato, absoutely delicious & no MSG. Please continue to make healthier choices to snack on. Thank You

[Kim Martin]

I tried the Tangy Carolina BBQ and LOVE them I too want to try the other flavors...will they go nationwide soon? Please?!

[Missy]

I have just driven across the country from Ohio to California. Everytime we filled up the truck with fuel we would go into the little store to see what flavor Lays we would find. We fell in love with the Limon flavor but alas, cannot get that here in Ohio. That was our favorite but the Chipotle Ranch was also excellent. Please expand the regions in which we can get your wonderful chips.