October 5, 2015

PLANO, Texas, Oct. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Lay's, one of the marquee brands from PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division, today issued a last call for votes in the "Do Us A Flavor" contest. Since July 27, 2015, consumers have been putting the four finalist flavors – Lay's Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries, Lay's Southern Biscuits and Gravy, Lay's New York Reuben and Lay's Kettle Cooked Greektown Gyro – to a nationwide taste test. Fan votes will decide which of these four finalist flavors, representing four of the most flavorful cities and towns across the country, should be named the winner and remain on store shelves after the contest ends. The finalist behind the winning idea will take home a $1 million grand prize or one percent of their winning flavor's net sales through July 15, 2016 (whichever is higher); the three runner-up finalists will each win $50,000 in prize money.

From now until 11:59:59 p.m. (CDT) on October 18, 2015, consumers can vote once per day per person/device/platform for their favorite finalist flavor on www.DoUsAFlavor.com; via Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #VoteTruffleFries, #VoteBiscuits, #VoteReuben, or #VoteGyro; and/or via text message by texting "VoteTruffleFries," "VoteBiscuits," "VoteReuben," or "VoteGyro" to 24477 (CHIPS). The winning flavor will remain on store shelves following the completion of the contest.

About the Finalists
To submit a flavor idea for the "Do Us A Flavor" contest, fans were asked to provide their name, flavor name, up to three ingredients, the chip style, the city and state that inspired their submission and a brief description or inspiration story for their flavor. In alphabetical order by last name, the finalists are:

  • Lay's Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries: Angie Fu, a native Californian, has had a passion for food and discovering local flavors from an early age. She very nearly went into culinary school, but instead opted to keep her love of flavor a hobby. When Angie is home, she is constantly in her kitchen, trying her hand at new dishes and sauces. But when Angie goes out to eat, she can't say no to truffle fries, even seeking out restaurants in the area that put their own local twist on her favorite side.
  • Lay's Southern Biscuits and Gravy: As a travel agent, Hailey Green has many opportunities to sample local flavors when exploring a new city. She has a great appreciation for each locale's "homemade style," because it reminds her of her own childhood, filled with memories of eating southern food in her grandmother's kitchen. One of Hailey's favorite dishes is biscuits and gravy — a recipe that was handed down in her family generation after generation. Not surprisingly, this family-favorite also inspired her potentially million-dollar winning potato chip idea.
  • Lay's New York Reuben: Jeff Solensky helps manage a local restaurant in DuBois, Penn., where he pursues his true passion in life — food. Growing up in Long Island, N.Y., Jeff has fond memories of traveling into Manhattan to enjoy Broadway shows with his mother. A big part of that tradition was stopping by popular New York delis beforehand to enjoy signature, mouth-watering Reubens. Inspired by the delicious Reuben sandwiches of his childhood, Jeff came up with the idea to infuse those same flavors into a potato chip.
  • Lay's Kettle Cooked Greektown Gyro: James Wagner has been in the Air Force for more than 18 years, traveling the country and abroad, and discovering local tastes at each stop on his journey. While abroad, James discovered his fondness for Greek cuisine, so when he moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, he immediately sought out the closest gyro specialty restaurant. As it turns out, there is one right outside the Air Force base gate. His flavor inspiration comes from his regular visits to that restaurant.

The winner of this year's Lay's "Do Us A Flavor" contest will be announced in late October. For more details and official contest rules, please visit www.DoUsAFlavor.com.

About Lay's
Lay's potato chips is one of the billion-dollar brands that makes up Frito-Lay North America, the $14 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE:  PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, N.Y.  Learn more about Lay's by visiting www.facebook.com/lays or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lays. You can also follow Lay's on Instagram by visiting http://instagram.com/lays.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $66 billion in net revenue in 2014, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

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SOURCE Frito-Lay North America