Lay’s, one of the marquee brands from PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division, is reminding fans that May 4 is the last day to vote for their favorite finalist flavor in the Lay’s “Do Us A Flavor” contest.
Since Feb. 12, consumers have been putting the three finalist flavors—Lay’s Cheesy Garlic Bread, Lay’s Chicken & Waffles and Lay’s Sriracha flavored potato chips—to a nationwide taste test. Chosen from nearly 3.8 million fan submissions gathered between July 20 and Oct. 6, 2012, it is up to America to decide which of these three finalist flavors should be named the grand prize winner and remain on store shelves after the contest ends.
Until May 4, fans can vote each day for their favorite flavor on the Lay’s Facebook page, via Twitter using the hashtag #SaveChickenWaffles, #SaveGarlicBread or #SaveSriracha, or via text message by texting “VOTE” to 24477 (CHIPS). All three finalist flavors are still available for purchase at retail locations nationwide. Later in May, the Lay’s brand will announce America’s favorite potato chip flavor with the contestant behind that flavor winning $1 million in grand prize money or one percent of his or her flavor’s 2013 net sales (whichever is higher). The two runner-up finalists will each win $50,000 in prize money. Go here for more details and official contest rules.
To submit a flavor idea for the “Do Us A Flavor” contest, fans were asked to provide their flavor name, up to three possible ingredients and a description or inspiration for their flavor. In alphabetical order, the contestants behind the three finalist flavors include:
• Lay’s Chicken & Waffles: Christina Abu-Judom, a volunteer coordinator at a Phoenix, Ariz., nonprofit. Her flavor inspiration: her nephew, who encouraged Abu-Judom to enter the contest, and whose favorite dish has always been chicken and waffles. He’ll still never let her live down that one time when she stole a bite of waffle from his plate.
• Lay’s Cheesy Garlic Bread: Karen Weber-Mendham, a part-time children’s librarian and mom of three in Land O’Lakes, Wis. Her flavor inspiration: Going out for pizza is a treat for Weber-Mendham and her family; while waiting for the pizza to come to the table, she always orders a bowl of cheesy garlic bread for the family to enjoy. Cutting the bread into equal sized pieces so her children don’t quibble, Weber-Mendham can barely put down the bowl before it’s completely snatched up.
• Lay’s Sriracha: Tyler Raineri, a student at Illinois State University. His flavor inspiration: Forgoing typical dips, Raineri prefers to coat his chips, and pretty much everything else, in Sriracha. It was a taste he inherited from his grandmother whose homemade chips were always seasoned with a dab of this red-hot sauce. And it’s a tradition he now shares with his housemates at school.
