Snack Chat

Cheetos Fans Act Fast - Cheesy Enchilada is Back for a Limited Time!

I’m sitting here at my computer with mixed emotions -- happy memories tinged with sadness -- and am reminded of a line from Joni Mitchell's song, Big Yellow Taxi: "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."

My happy memories are from this past July Fourth weekend when our four grandsons (pictured left with me) visited us at our lake house.  I can still hear the 4-year-old, Connor, looking at his 18-month-old cousin and saying, "Hey Pops, look, Nathan has all of his chompers."  I can also picture the boat pulling our eldest grandson, Nicholas, on the inner tube -- his thumb in the air begging to go faster.  And, I can almost see our 11-month-old grandson, Jackson, light up and smile, big dimples on display, when I walk into the room and call his name. 

My sadness is because after a jam-packed holiday weekend, our four grandsons are now at their homes with their parents. Our house might be clean and quiet again, but, as Joni Mitchell says, “I miss the fun and chaos now that it's gone.” 

On a very different level, at Frito-Lay, we introduce fun, “in-and-out” flavors of our most popular snacks throughout the year, flavors usually available in stores for a limited time. 

Like I said, it’s at a different level, but at the same time, I can’t help but think “in-and-out flavors” are a bit like when our grandsons come for a visit –- disappointing to see them leave, but the time they are around is well worth it! 

The latest in-and-out flavor you can find in stores through July is Cheetos Cheesy Enchilada. Our Marketing team tells me it combines the great cheesy taste of Cheetos with hints of tortilla, cumin and sour cream for a Mexican-style treat.  I haven't tried Cheetos Cheesy Enchilada yet, so can't offer my own opinion. But, it’s already selling very well and are a big hit with consumers. 

As for me, I'll spend time over the next few weeks reliving July Fourth weekend with our grandsons by looking at pictures and remembering the happy thoughts. I’ll also slip back into my normal routine: My friend, Dwight, and I are back to our weekly 24-mile bike ride, and my wife, Janis, and I are making plans for our next vacation adventure -- hopefully a trip to see our grandsons again soon!

Fritos Partners with Minor League Baseball

Recently, my wife, Janis, and I had a blast taking our daughter and grandsons (pictured below) to see the Frisco Roughriders, our local Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team.  We enjoyed the game and the family time together. I was also pleased to see the partnership between Fritos and Minor League Baseball on display throughout the stadium. 

This summer, Fritos partnered with 100 Minor League Baseball teams -- including the Roughriders –- and is the "Official Snack of Minor League Baseball." The partnership makes sense because baseball shares many of the same qualities as the Fritos brand: A strong American heritage, family appeal, and a huge fan base.  (Fun fact: 43 million fans attend Minor League Baseball games annually -- more fans that the NBA and NFL combined.)

To celebrate the MiLB partnership, this summer, the brand brought a fun, limited-time flavor to stores: Fritos Ballpark Nacho. The nacho flavor really is reminiscent of the favorite ball park snack.

If you're looking for something fun to do this summer, I recommend taking your family to a Minor League Baseball game. And, when you’re tailgating before the game or picnicking at home, try Fritos Ballpark Nacho. Remember, it’s a limited-time flavor, so get it while you can!

Frito-Lay HQ Welcomes the U.S. Honor Flag

Hi, I'm Kristin Holmes from the Frito-Lay Public Affairs team. Today, I had the privilege to attend a special presentation at our Plano, Texas, headquarters office, where the U.S. Honor Flag (pictured left) made a stop as part of its Honor Tour, sponsored by Chevrolet. The visit is a big deal to us too. We are part of American Corporate Partner's (ACP) mentoring program that helps veterans transition from military service to private enterprise. We're also the first corporation the Honor Flag has visited.

The U.S. Honor Flag is an American flag that made its flying debut at the Texas Capitol building in Austin, Texas. After the devastating events of September 11, 2001, Chris Heisler, President of The Honor Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to memorializing the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for their family, community and country, wanted to honor the men and women fighting for our freedom. So, he traveled to Ground Zero in New York to fly the flag in honor of the military personnel, police officers and fire fighters -- both fallen heroes and those on active duty -- who work to keep our country safe. 

After visiting Ground Zero, Chris and his wife, Tammy, started an international tour with the flag, honoring heroes wherever they travel. The flag has proudly flown in Iraq, at the Pentagon building in Washington D.C., and at the U.S. Capitol Building, and it has visited hospitals, baseball games and memorial services for American fallen heroes. I first saw the Honor Flag while attending the Texas Rangers baseball game on July 4, where the flag made a stop in Arlington, Texas, to celebrate Independence Day. 

(Pictured right: Frito-Lay employees who served in the military help display the flag during the presentation.)

The most interesting insight I learned today at the Honor Flag presentation is this: The National Archives named the Honor Flag a national treasure. As such, extensive security measures are taken to ensure the flag travels from destination to destination safely. For example, microchips have been stitched into the flag for tracking purposes, and the flag is stored in a special military-grade, humidity-controlled case. On plane trips, the flag even rides in the cockpit with the pilots. I think these safety standards are appropriate for a flag that honors the bravery and dedication of our military and public service heroes.

The Honor Tour continues with stops across Texas this month, where the flag will fly at a variety of events and memorials. You can check out the scheduled tour locations on the Honor Network's Web site. 

- Kristin

Try SunChips with Your Burgers and Dogs this July 4th Weekend

Recently, my wife, Janis, and I were having dinner with another couple when, from out of nowhere, our friend (who also used to work at Frito-Lay) said to me, "In your blog, you frequently talk about SunChips -- except you're missing the most important point."  

I thought I'd covered all the bases with my posts about SunChips.  I've blogged about how the SunChips line at our Modesto, Calif., plant is powered by solar panels.  I've blogged about how the SunChips brand team helped rebuild Greensburg, Kan., after a devastating tornado wiped out most of the town.  SunChips’ revolutionary compostable packaging is another topic I’ve written about.  And, a few weeks ago, I blogged about SunChips’ partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure this year.

I’ll admit I was a bit offended by my friend’s statement. What could I have missed?

"Well for me, the most important reason I eat SunChips is because it tastes great," my friend said.  "It’s my favorite snack food simply because of the outstanding taste.  When are you going to blog about the taste?"  Hmm, good insight.

So, I’m taking his advice. This July 4th weekend, let’s enjoy SunChips at our family get-togethers and neighborhood parties simply because it tastes great.  (The fact it contains 18g of whole grain per 1-oz serving and is a good source of fiber can be a bonus!) Let’s mix up our snack selection and add SunChips to our menus as a nice accompaniment to burgers, hot dogs and grilled chicken.

As for Janis and me, we’re excited for this July 4th weekend because four of our five grandsons are visiting us.  It promises to be a wild and crazy weekend, yet we’re really looking forward to it.  And yes, we'll also enjoy SunChips at our backyard barbecue, because it really is a great-tasting multigrain snack.