13 Things You Need To Know Before Eating Another Bag of Lay's
Whenever you're thinking of potato chips, you're probably thinking of Lay's. With its ever-changing flavors, the brand is constantly owning the chip game. Even if you grew up with the snack, there's a lot about the brand most people don't know. Test your skills before you down your next bag.
1. Lay's have been around for a while.
Herman W. Lay founded his potato chip business in 1932 in Dorset, Ohio. Though they came about in the middle of the Great Depression, the chips were extremely popular and Lay was able to expand his business.
2. The founder of Fritos and the founder of Lay's were tight.
Though originally competitors, the founder of Lay's, and the founder of Frito's C.E. Doolin, eventually became buds. In 1945, the two even split the turf amicably so that Lay's would be sold only in the southwest while Fritos would be sold in the Southeast. In 1961, they made it official and merged the two companies, thus becoming Frito-Lay.
3. Once upon a time there were only TWO Lay's flavors.
Back in the day, there were only the OG Lay's simply seasoned with salt. It wasn't until 1958 that BBQ made its debut, giving consumers at least one other option. The next flavor to make it on the scene was sour cream and onion. All three remain popular today.
4.They got into the commercial game early.
Lay's was the first snack food to have its own commercials. The commercials featured none other than Bert Lahr, best known as the Cowardly Lion, singing their praises.
More recently they've done a few "suggestive" commercials featuring Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. Observe:
5. Lay's probably owns all your favorite snacks.
Frito-Lay might be responsible for producing a ton of different Lay's chips per year, but the snacking giant also makes some of your other faves including Cheetos, Fritos, Doritos, and Ruffles. They also make some more under the radar snacks like Cracker Jacks, Funyuns, and Matador jerky.
6. They use a ton of potatoes.
According to a National Geographic article, a Frito-Lay plant in Perry, GA cooks about 1 million pounds of potatoes and makes an average of 175,000 boxes of chips every day .
7. There's more than just classic.
Though those smooth classic Lay's may be the first thing that come to mind you should also remember that Lay's makes a few different varieties including wavy, kettle cooked, Lays Stacked (their take on Pringles), thick-cut deli style, and even chocolate dipped. Not only that but Lay's come in over 40 different flavor/ style combos (and that's just in the US).
8. Lay's is all about crowdsourcing.
The iconic brand is really into letting fans pitch the next big Lay's flavor. Through its "Do Us A Flavor" campaign, Lay's has allowed consumers to think up some amazing (and sometimes insane) flavor combinations for a chance to win $1 million, or 1 percent of their flavor's sales. Finalists in 2013 were sriracha, chicken and waffles, and cheesy garlic bread, with cheesy garlic bread taking the bag. Other winners were kettle-cooked wasabi ginger in 2014 and southern biscuits and gravy in 2015.
9. They've had their 5 minutes of meme fame.
Of course-as is often the case with the internet-opening up the floor for fans to suggest the next big chip flavor meant opening Lay's up to internet trolls thus bringing in a bunch of cringe-worthy flavor combo memes. While these are hilarious, we're definitely glad the brand didn't take these suggestions seriously.
10. They've taken people around the world.
In 2016, the "Do Us A Flavor" campaign was rebranded as "Passport to Flavor" and featured flavors inspired by dishes from around the world, including Chinese Szechuan chicken, Indian tikka masala and Brazilian picanha. In every bag was a code with "miles" that could be added up and win you sweet prizes, from a tablet to a two-week trip to one of the locations that inspired the chips.
11. They're not as bad for you as other snacks.
Though Lay's are chips and therefore not as good for you as, say, a piece of fruit, they are still relatively not the worst. Lay's are cooked in corn, canola and sunflower oil (as opposed to unhealthier oils). In 2003, the brand removed trans fats from its chips, so you can have a bag and feel a little less guilty.
12. They have more aliases than Jason Bourne.
Lay's is a pretty global brand that sends its products to markets worldwide. In the States, we all know them as Lay's, but they have a few different names elsewhere. In the UK, the brand is known as Walkers; it's Sabritas Mexico, Smith's in Australia, and Chipsy in Egypt, to name a few.
13. The flavors get even crazier in the rest of the world.
In an attempt to cater to palates around the world, Lay's has flavors in other countries that seem way crazier than chicken and waffles. Examples include ketchup in Canada, marmite in the UK, feta cheese in Greece, vegemite in Australia, lasagna in Argentina, seafood and mayonnaise in Thailand, and kiwi & blueberry in China.
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