LAY’S TASTE TEST: Students try new chip flavors
by Tiffany Liu
Strolling down the snack aisle at a local supermarket, a customer slows to a stop next to the Lay’s chips as he notices some interesting new flavors: Everything Bagel With Cream Cheese, Fried Green Tomato and Crispy Taco.
Part of Lay’s Do Us A Flavor Contest, these three selections are the final contenders amongst a wide variety of submissions, such as Cotton Candy Crunch or Summer Pad Thai.
Hopeful competitors submit creative chip flavor ideas on dousaflavor.com, and after careful evaluation by judges, the three final flavors are made available for the public to purchase, sample and vote.
On Sept. 8 and 13, Schurr students participated in a blind taste test during lunch time in front of the student store, while additional tests were conducted Sept. 15.
Each student sampled three different flavored Lay’s chips and selected his or her favorite. Overall, 310 students were surveyed.
Students were not told what flavors they sampled, in order to prevent bias. The three flavors were actually the finalists in the competition: Everything Bagel With Cream Cheese (C), Fried Green Tomato (A) and Crispy Taco (B).
Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese was the most favored by the students.
Inspired by her fiancé’s love of beef tacos, Ellen Sarem from San Antonio, TX, suggested the Crispy Taco flavor for the competition, while Lindsay Hoffman from Palm City, FL, submitted the idea of the Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese flavor since she believed that “there’s no better way to start your day.”
Reminiscing about his childhood caused Gregory Pope from Charlotte, NC, to concoct the idea of the Fried Green Tomato flavor.
Although flavor submissions for the contest are currently closed, consumers can still vote for their favorite finalist on dousaflavor.com until Oct. 8. The winner will receive a cash prize of $1 million, and the winning flavor will be added to Lay’s current product line. Finalists receive $50,000 and semi-finalists are awarded $10,000.
Allowing consumers to create and vote for their favorite flavor, Lay’s Do Us A Flavor Contest continues to generate interest and suspense as the voting period draws closer to its end.
Finally arriving at a decision, the customer picks one bag of each flavor.
Quickly heading to the cashier, he is eager to sample the new snacks.