Strange brew: A cappuccino-flavored potato chip
Those wacky food scientists at Frito-Lay are about to unleash their newest Frankenstein upon America: the cappuccino-flavored potato chip.
The chip is expected to be unveiled Wednesday as one of four finalists for a Frito-Lay contest to create a new Lay's chip to be sold nationally, The Associated Press reports. Cappuccino is certainly the most unusual flavor, and joins Mango Salsa, Wasabi Ginger and Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese on the finalist list.
The cappuccino flavor has all the makings of a marketing ploy to take the new Lay's chips viral. And that certainly happened this week, as people went online to mostly share their horror. "I am thoroughly disgusted that Lay's is coming out with cappuccino chips," wrote one Twitter user. "That's just nasty," chimed in another. "If Lay's makes cappuccino flavored chips I'm leaving the United States," wrote another.
Coffee lovers may be disappointed to know that the chip doesn't have any actual coffee or caffeine in it. Seems regulators frown on the idea of adding caffeine to food. So what exactly is it flavored with? For now, that's a mystery.
America hasn't been exposed to many exotic Lay's flavors, but Frito-Lay has gone hog wild with them internationally. In China, it has sold more than a dozen different flavors of Lay's, including Blueberry, Cucumber, Kiwi, French Chicken and "Italian Red Meat." India has "Mint Mischief" flavor, and The Netherlands enjoys "Bolognese Originale."
A cappuccino chip sounds downright tame compared to some of those. In America, Frito-Lay is continuing to broaden its flavor variety with Chile Limon, Pico de Gallo and Sriracha styles.
Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo (PEP), is not alone in expanding its offerings. As American consumers continue to diversify their preferences and tastes, food producers are stepping up efforts to please a new crowd. Kraft (KRFT) sells jalapeno cheddar cheese slices, and Campbell Soup (CPB) now comes in Spicy Chorizo and Coconut Curry flavors.
While it's tough to imagine high demand for a cappuccino-flavored potato chip, Frito-Lay is committed to offering them through Oct. 18. People can go online to vote for their favorite flavors until then.