March 16, 2012

AUSTIN, Texas, March 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Never has a vending machine created so much noise. The Doritos brand is taking to the streets of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Conference and Festival in Austin, Tex., to debut Doritos JACKED tortilla chips – literally the Doritos brand's biggest innovation ever. The bold new product line was revealed inside a giant vending machine – standing at nearly six stories tall –at The Doritos JACKED MAXIM Party last night. Doubling as a concert venue, the vending machine, known as The JACKED Stage by Doritos, will now play host to a number of performances and serve up product samples and prizes to SXSW music festival-goers. Doritos is one of the flagship brands from PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division.

Last night's exclusive launch party, in partnership with MAXIM, was headlined by hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg, featured a performance by Ghostland Observatory and music by DJ Cisco Adler. Launch party attendees were able to try new Doritos JACKED tortilla chips, all while enjoying a truly larger-than-life experience where everything from the decor to the food to the entertainment was outrageous and over-sized.

 "The biggest Doritos tortilla chip ever deserves the biggest launch ever," explained Ram Krishnan, vice president of marketing, Frito-Lay North America. "Before we bring this amped up Doritos snacking experience to consumers nationwide, we wanted to take it right to our fans here at South by Southwest to try it first. From the music performances to the product itself, everything about The JACKED Stage by Doritos will be over-the-top."

Doritos JACKED is everything fans love about Doritos tortilla chips, only jacked up for a bigger experience. Forty percent bigger in size and thickness, the chip delivers a one-two punch of intense flavors upfront followed by a twist of spice or tanginess that packs the ultimate crunch. Doritos JACKED tortilla chips will be available nationwide the week of March 26, 2012, in two flavor combinations, Enchilada Supreme and Smoky Chipotle BBQ. The product will be available in three sizes: a 2.62 oz. bag for a suggested retail price of $1.09; a 3.375 oz. bag for a suggested retail price of $1.49 and a 10.5 oz. for a suggested retail price of $4.29.

SXSW concert-goers will now be among the first to sample the new Doritos JACKED tortilla chips. Attendees can earn larger-than-life Doritos-branded quarters that can be inserted into the giant Doritos JACKED vending machine to redeem product and special prizes. Giant quarters will be placed throughout the city of Austin and can be earned through engaging via social media channels, such as checking in at The JACKED Stage by Doritos via FourSquare, by tweeting with the #DoritosJACKED hashtag and posting an Instagram photo and/or Doritos JACKED status update on Facebook. For more information, visit www.twitter.com/DoritosUSA or http://www.facebook.com/DoritosUSA.

The JACKED Stage by Doritos will be open to the public as an official SXSW music venue on Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17, 2012. It is located at the corner of 5th Street and Red River in the Carmelo's Restaurant parking lot. In addition to being a "must experience" interactive destination at SXSW, the "venue machine" will host performances by music's next big talents across genres ranging from hip-hop to rock. Daytime showcases will feature artists from Spirit Music Group, Taco Bell's Feed The Beat program and Mountain Dew's Green Label Sound. Chiddy Bang, Cool Kids, !!! and Gemma Ray are among the many artists performing. For a complete schedule of concerts at The JACKED Stage by Doritos visit www.facebook.com/DoritosUSA.

Doritos tortilla chips is one of the billion-dollar brands that make up Frito-Lay North America, the $13 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY.  To learn more about the Doritos brand, visit its website at www.doritos.com or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DoritosUSA or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DoritosUSA.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Our main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit http://www.pepsico.com/.

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SOURCE Frito-Lay North America