Snack Chat

Robots Rule at Sarah Zumwalt Middle School Thanks to Frito-Lay MOSAIC

For the past 20 years, Frito-Lay associates from MOSAIC, PepsiCo’s African American employee resource group, have mentored students at Dallas-area schools, including Sarah Zumwalt Middle School. Located in the heart of Oak Cliff, an inner-city community in Dallas’ southern sector, Zumwalt is a school with lots of heart, but not many resources. This school year, in addition to the ongoing mentorship program, MOSAIC added a new class for some of the school’s high achieving students –- Robotics. 

I must admit, when I heard about this program, I was a little intrigued and a little confused. What can a snack food company teach kids about robotics? But I quickly learned robotics and automation systems are alive and well in our manufacturing and warehouse facilities, helping keep our product lines running smoothly and our associates safe. Also, we have Terrence Southern, an award-winning robotics engineer, on our team. Prior to joining Frito-Lay, he programmed and installed robots for the automobile industry, which is no stranger to automation. 

Terrence is passionate about sparking kids’ interest in engineering and robotics careers, and even coached a middle school robotics team in his native Detroit, leading them to second place in the World Robotics Competition. Upon arrival at Frito-Lay, he presented his ideas to MOSAIC, received the necessary funding and recruited three other engineers to help. Now, we have a group of Frito-Lay associates helping 15 teens build and program their very own robots right in the heart of Dallas. 

During National Robotics Week this year (April 9 - 17), the Sarah Zumwalt/Frito-Lay MOSAIC Robotics team held a Robo Sumo competition in the school’s auditorium, where 150 students, friends, administrators and media members joined together to cheer on the teams. The all-girl "Deathbots" team took home first-place trophies, and their pictures were broadcast on local news stations announcing their win. Watch the NBC DFW broadcast.

The MOSAIC engineers who made this event happen -- Terrence, Telly Davis, Sheila Wright-Henry and Isaac Johnson -- could instantly see the impact that volunteering their afternoons every Friday for the past eight months to teach robotics had on the students. In addition to forming new mentorships, more students are requesting to be in the class next year and several of the students hope for futures as robotics engineers.

I recently sat down with Terrence to learn more about the robotics program, how he got involved with Sarah Zumwalt Middle School and the enthusiasm of the student participants. CLICK HERE to listen to this brief audio podcast.

This event reminds me to never underestimate the power of one idea, or the impact sharing your talent and giving your time can have on others. I hope it reminds you of that too. 

- Deanna

Happy Administrative Professionals' Day from Frito-Lay!

As many of us at companies around the country mark Administrative Professionals’ Day today by thanking and recognizing our administrative professionals for their hard work and dedication, at Frito-Lay, we’re shining the spotlight on Aspire, our employee resource group for administrative professionals.

Aspire, one of several employee groups our parent company, PepsiCo, officially sponsors, focuses on offering support employees training, professional growth, leadership and community service opportunities. It started right here at Frito-Lay headquarters in Plano, Texas, in 2003, and has expanded to other sites over the years, recently becoming a national group across all of PepsiCo. I’ve been impressed by the group’s programming and initiatives, from informal “brown bag” lunchtime seminars where Aspire leaders bring in company executives to update members on various parts of the business, to an internal website the group runs that provides all employees with easy access to key company resources and information.

This month at our headquarters building, as you can see from the photos below, Aspire showcases memorabilia honoring the heritage and importance of administrative professionals, including quotes from many of our own support team members about their roles in our organization. It’s a unique way to celebrate Administrative Professionals’ Day -– and even more importantly, a reminder to everyone of the critical role our administrative professionals play in our business each and every day.   

- Katherine

TerriAnn van Gosliga Is Our Frito-Lay Fan of the Week!

Each week, we’re featuring a new Frito-Lay Fan of the Week -– a great way to highlight and reward our most passionate fans! If you would like to be part of our fan program, sign up here, and you just might be featured as a Fan of the Week in the future!

Congratulations to our Frito-Lay Fan of the Week -– TerriAnn van Gosliga (pictured below)! This former electrical engineer and laid-back mom has led an exciting life, including living abroad in the Netherlands. No matter where she roams, she’ll always have a place in her heart for Cheetos. Find out more about TerriAnn in our Q&A below: 

• Favorite Frito-Lay snack: Cheetos Crunchy, the U.S. version. They are more like puffs in the Netherlands. 

• Favorite dip recipe or way to enjoy your chips: Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream dipped in a nice onion dip. Two strong flavors make such a nice mix! 

• If you could be a Frito-Lay chip, which would you be and why? A Cool Ranch Dorito because I’m laid back but can have a bite as well. 

• What extreme ingredient would you like to see our chef use in a Fritos Pie Remix recipe? Soy sauce. Wouldn’t it be great to add an Asian flair?! 

• Which chips would you pair together to make a new snack mix? Funyuns and SunChips -– a whole lot of flavor with less guilt. 

• What are some tips you can share for snacking smarter or living healthier? Prepare ahead of time and bring healthy treats (fruit, nuts, etc.) from home. When you’re running around like crazy with hungry, cranky kids, having snacks on hand will make the difference between a refreshing break or an impulsive fast food run. 

• If you got to work at Frito-Lay for a day, what role would you want to be in and why? Package design because you never get a second chance to make a first impression and I would want the products to reflect the company’s commitment to go green and encourage healthy snacking. 

• Give us 3 fun facts about yourself:
  • I lived in the Netherlands (my husband is from there) for four years and speak a good amount of Dutch.
  • I used to do AutoCAD (computer-aided drafting) and basic mechanical engineering for a large HVAC company.
  • I have a useless talent of being able to put anything back in its original packaging and make it look just as it did when it was first opened. 

• Most memorable Frito-Lay snacking moment: The first time I went to the Netherlands, I got so sick from the different foods they make, and Doritos Nacho Cheese tortilla chips helped settle my stomach. (I did get used to the food though, and can eat anything and everything there now.) 

• Tell us why you are a Frito-Lay Fan: I was really impressed when I went to visit the plant in Modesto, California. I’d like to share with others the facts I learned and assumptions that were corrected. I’m so glad that Frito-Lay uses healthy oils to cook all its chips and natural ingredients in many of its snacks too. 

Congratulations, TerriAnn, for being our Fan of the Week! You can learn more about her from her blog and by following her on Twitter: Cookies & Clogs / @cookiesANDclogs

Check back next week to meet our newest Frito-Lay Fan of the Week right here on Snack Chat. 

- Kristin

Frito-Lay Gets a Special Visit From a Special Family

Last week, Frito-Lay headquarters hosted the Saavedra family -– who founded and run the Tapatio Hot Sauce business -– to celebrate our new partnership with them, in which we’re selling and distributing Tapatio Hot Sauce-flavored Doritos, Fritos and Ruffles in the western and central U.S. 

Tapatio Hot Sauce business began in 1971, when Jose-Luis Saavedra Sr. started the company in California, selling homemade hot sauce on consignment, while still working his regular job to make ends meet. The first few years were challenging, and friends even tried to convince Saavedra to abandon his entrepreneurial dreams, but Tapatio Hot Sauce eventually took off, first among the Hispanic community before becoming a staple across the U.S. Today, as Tapatio celebrates its 40th anniversary, it is one of the best-selling hot sauces in the U.S., available not only in the original 5-ounce bottles, but also in everything from individual packets for restaurants to gallon-size containers. (Above: Luis Saavedra hosting a Tapatio eating contest with Frito-Lay employees.)

It’s a story that reminds many of us at Frito-Lay of our own heritage, in which one of our founders, C.E. Doolin, got his start making corn chips in his mother’s kitchen, and our other founder, Herman Lay, started out selling snacks from his Model A Ford. 

The family members we hosted -- Luis Saavedra, Jose-Luis’ son and the business’ general manager; Mireya Saavedra, Luis’ wife; Dolores McCoy, Jose-Luis’ daughter; and Roche McCoy, Dolores’ husband and the company’s attorney –- visited with our leaders and employees; toured our building; and were special guests at our quarterly “town hall” employee meeting. (At right: The McCoys and Saavedras with members of the Frito-Lay marketing team.)

At our town hall, the Saavedras and McCoys received a standing ovation from nearly 400 Frito-Lay employees –- a tribute to their company’s great product and heritage, and a sign of how excited and appreciative we are about our partnership with them.

- Katherine

Texas High School Sports Fans Score for Their School in Frito-Lay Promotion

I love to sing. It’s truly my passion. Fellow Snack Chat blogger Michael Karle gave me a microphone for Christmas. When I plug in that baby at home, I just have to belt out those loud, power ballads from the 80s and 90s. The song, “The Greatest Love of All,” by Whitney Houston, is usually in the mix. 

If you’re not familiar with it, the song begins, “I believe the children are our future…,” and you know, Whitney was right. The children are our future. Yet every time you turn on the news, you hear about school budget cuts, teachers asked to resign and other extra-curricular activities eliminated. To help bring a refreshingly positive spirit back to the table, Frito-Lay jumped in to help. 

During the 2010 fall football season, Frito-Lay kicked-off the “Score for Your School” promotion for Texas schools. For every Frito-Lay product a Texas resident purchased, they could go to www.scoreforyourschool.com and input the 9-digit code from the package to assign one point to the Texas school of their choice. The school racking up the most points from each athletic division received $10,000 for their school’s athletic departments, with second- and third-place prizes being awarded in each division as well. Booster clubs, parents, school districts and PTA’s rallied around this promotion in a major way, and in total, Frito-Lay gave away $90,000 to school athletic departments across the state. 

For the past four months, Frito-Lay representatives have criss-crossed the state, presenting checks to the winners during special assemblies at the schools. It was great to see the students, pep band members, cheerleaders and athletes excited about what the funds would help provide for their schools. 

Because of the passionate response we received from Texas schools, we’re expanding the program across the nation this spring. There’s still time to “Score for Your School” as the contest ends May 31. Visit www.scoreforyourschool.com for more information. 

For those of you who are not from Texas, high school sports are a really big deal around here -- especially football! The entire community comes together to cheer for their team. Texas is also home to Frito-Lay headquarters, and our associates and their families take part in the local football experience. Bringing a program like this to life – starting right here in our own community – is just one reason I’m proud to be part of this company. 

Congratulations to the Fall 2010 winners of the Frito-Lay “Score for Your School” promotion! 

Division 1A: West Texas HS, Stinnett ($10,000); Trenton HS, Trenton ($4,000); Avalon HS, Avalon ($1,000) 

Division 2A: Clifton HS, Clifton ($10,000); Hempstead HS, Hempstead ($4,000) 

Division 3A: A. Maceo Smith HS, Dallas, ($10,000); Prosper HS, Prosper ($4,000); Borger HS, Borger ($1,000) 

Division 4A: Birdville HS, North Richland Hills ($10,000); Caney Creek HS, Conroe ($4,000); Little Elm HS, Little Elm ($1,000) 

Division 5A: Cypress Falls HS, Houston ($10,000); Skyline HS, Dallas ($4,000); Southlake Carroll Senior High School, Grapevine ($1,000) 

Private: Tyler Street Christian Academy, Dallas ($10,000); John Paul II HS, Plano ($4,000); Jesuit College Prep, Dallas ($1,000) 

- Deanna

Students from A. Maceo Smith High School in Dallas, Texas, celebrate their win.