Lay’s is a kind of chips for many people. It is a big snack brand everywhere. Classic flavors are known by everybody. But they change stuff up all the time. Ideas often come from other countries’ chips. In the U.S., they do something exciting. This is the “Do Us A Flavor” contest.
It feels fresh every time this happens. Lay’s changed the game back in 2012. The contest asked fans for flavor ideas. It was a hit, and fun chips resulted. They did it four more times. We saw fourteen unique flavors. Some, like Cheesy Garlic Bread, appeared.
Others were quite adventurous, you know. Seven years felt like eternity, though. The contest came back in October 2024. Chip fans everywhere answered quickly. Boy, did they answer fast! Over 700,000 submissions rolled in. Eaters dreamed of winning one million.
Imagine all those flavor ideas. Over 700,000 is a huge number. So much creativity there. Not just random names were needed. Rules asked for the meaning of the flavor and why it mattered to the person.
You could send 10 ideas daily. Duplicates get you disqualified easily. No AI was allowed at all. That point was very clear. The contest wanted human inspiration. People were passionate about food then. Many spent time thinking them up.
The stakes were actually high. If your idea makes the final three, Lay’s will produce it for a limited time and sell it in stores across the country.
Narrowing down ideas was a huge task. Lay’s had to pick only a few. Imagine taste testing all that. The waiting lasted for months. Finalists were announced on April 9th. Just three flavors made the cut this time, chosen from an ocean of chips ideas.
They show what fans could offer. These three were the chosen ones. They will compete head-to-head soon. We are waiting for the public to decide the winner. The voting period begins in April. It runs until June 13th. Snackers everywhere taste the chips.
Product on Amazon: Fathers Day Nuts Gift Basket – Assortment of Sweet & Roasted Salted Gourmet Nuts – Assorted Food Gift Box for Husband, Dad, Him, Fathers Day, Family, Sympathy, Men & Women.
Brand: Nut Haven
Binding: Unknown Binding Product Group: Grocery
Price: 29.95 USD
Features:
1. 🎁 ELEGANTLY PACKAGED GIFT BASKET LOADED WITH TASTY NUTS – Forget flowers and chocolate, give a gift that’s delicious and healthy! In this bundle pack of Healthy Snacks, you get approximately 1 LB of tasty gourmet nuts meticulously packaged in a boutique-style gift box.
2. 🥜 VARIETY OF FRESH TASTY NUTS FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY – The deluxe mixed nut box contains Toffee Peanuts, Glazed Almonds, Roasted Salted Almonds, Dry Roasted Salted Pistachios, Glazed Peanuts, Roasted Salted Cashews, and Glazed Pecans
3. 💝 MOUTH-WATERING GIFT IDEA FOR A VARIETY OF OCCASIONS – Out of this world gift idea of any occasion like Corporate Events, HoliDays, Birthdays, Christmas, Thank You, Sympathy, Get Well, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, and more!
4. ✅ SPECIFICATIONS Approximately 1LB. OK Kosher Certified, Vegan.
Shopping on Amazon >>
They could pick their favorite. You see, three flavors are available now. Bacon Grilled Cheese is one kind of chip. Valentina & Lime is the second. The third one is Wavy Korean-Style Fried Chicken.
Let us look closer at the contenders before the tasting experience starts. The first flavor is Bacon Grilled Cheese. Paula George submitted this one. She is from Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Lay’s call it a nostalgic ode, combining two favorites, they say.
Paula’s idea came from her dad, specifically her late father’s bacon grilled cheese. She hopes the chip brings back good memories. People online seem pretty excited. One person said good things. Lay’s usually make good flavors.
Reuben chips were super tasty. Cubano chips were incredible too. These might also taste really good.
Product on Amazon: Lays Ruffles Sour Cream & Bacon Potato Chips, Large Bag, {Imported from Canada}
Brand: Ruffles
Binding: Product Group: Grocery
Price: 11.48 USD
Features:
1. Bacon makes everything better. Now add the flavor of Sour Cream and you have a taste that is out of this world!!
2. An epic flavor combo.
3. Gluten Free
4. Imported from Canada
Shopping on Amazon >>
Read more about: 7 Simple Casseroles That Make Easy Family Dinners a Weeknight Reality
The next chip is Valentina & Lime. Araceli Huerta submitted the flavor. She is from San Jose, California. Lay’s say this chip is zesty. The flavor also has a sweet backstory. It reminds her of childhood snack time. Her mom made it for her.
Classic Lay’s chips are in a bag. Then Valentina hot sauce is added. Plus fresh lime juice too. This is the personal connection. The contest is really about this. Fans online were totally hyped. One person said they were excited.
Everybody likes Tapatio sauce. But Valentina is much better. It is way too underrated online.
The third chip is the Wavy one. It is called Korean-Style Fried Chicken. Neelia Lynn from Virginia sent it in. She lives in Chesterfield now. Her family time in South Korea inspired her. Lay’s call this chip spicy. It also has some sweetness.
Product on Amazon: Lay’s Valentina & Lime Flavored Potato Chips 7.75oz 1 bag
Brand: Lay’s
Binding: Unknown Binding Product Group: Grocery
Price: 10.21 USD
Shopping on Amazon >>
It brings street food flair to the aisle. This one also made a buzz online. A Redditor said they were most excited about the Korean fried chicken flavor. Another fan felt torn, though, between the two finalist flavors. They looked forward to the latter one most.
The stage is set for the chips’ arrival. The finalists are hitting the shelves fast now. Standard bags are available for sale. They come in 7.5 or 7.75 ounces. A price around $4.99 is typical. This price can change slightly. There also exists a smaller 2.5 – ounce bag.
It costs about $2.69 for one. It’s great for trying one flavor quickly. It’s really easy to find them now. Just pop into your nearest grocery store. Retailers have them, too. Online is another place to look. However, they are limited – time offers.
Product on Amazon: Korean Beksul Authentic & Delicious Korean Taste Crispy Fried Chicken Mix 1Kg (1 Pack)
Brand: Beksul
Binding: Misc. Product Group: Grocery
Price: 11.92 USD
Shopping on Amazon >>
Read more about: IHOP vs. Cracker Barrel: Comparing Breakfast Classics with Surprising Results
It is only available while supplies last, at least while voting was open. PepsiCo owns the Lay’s name. They are quite excited about it. The senior VP of marketing said. Her name is Denise Truelove. She always looks to consumers, she tells.
They inspire the next Lay’s flavor. This contest is the most direct way. It feels very authentic, she says. Addedly, Lay’s is a big leader. Innovation is what they do. They can turn fan ideas into delicious chips quickly. It’s good that they listen to their fans a lot.
As a person who loves snacks a lot, I absolutely have to try these. Anticipation has built up for me. Seeing the announcement made me wait. Spotting them felt like a big event. Getting to taste them is a fun time. Casting my own vote felt right.
Product on Amazon: Lay’s Potato Chips, Classic, 1 Ounce (Pack of 40)
Brand: Lay’s
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Grocery
Price: 21.86 USD
Features:
1. Pack of 40 one ounce bags
2. Made with three ingredients: potatoes, oil and salt
3. Gluten free. State of Readiness: Ready to Eat
4. These much loved treats are fun to enjoy at lunch, as an after-school snack, or party refreshment
5. Easy to carry, easy to store, and easy to pack
Shopping on Amazon >>
I managed to find all the bags soon. I brought them home to examine them, giving them a fair chance too. I tried them in reverse alphabetical order. Wavy Korean Style Fried Chicken first. Then Valentina & Lime came next. Bacon Grilled Cheese finished things off.
I got ready for the taste to see if Lay’s had created a great flavor or just produced chips with bad behavior.
The first one was Wavy Korean Style. I pulled chips right from the bag. They had an interesting look. They were kind of like a hybrid chip, maybe the child of Frito and Dorito. They seemed to get color from them. The color was not always uniform.
Some had a much orange hue. Others looked paler overall. I could see small black pepper flakes sprinkled generously on the chips. The chip to sniff had a lovely scent, like the smell of sweetened rice wine vinegar. Korean BBQ visions filled my head.
Product on Amazon: Lay’s Wavy Korean Style Fried Chicken Flavored Potato Chips 7.75 oz 1 bag
Brand: Lay’s
Binding: Unknown Binding Product Group: Grocery
Price: 11 USD
Shopping on Amazon >>
I felt promising for sure then. Taking a lick acquainted me with it. I picked up lots of pepper then. A strong chili punch came quickly. The taste was bold and very spicy. Then the chewing started fast. Chewing it tasted a bit different somehow.
The sweetness and smell suggested it was masked. Spices coated the wavy chips. They honored the chip name very well, like mimicking Korean chicken sauce, though not the taste of actual meat. Despite the positive nuance, these were seriously tasty, you know.
Like the review says, it’s a winner. It’s the best Korean BBQ chip I’ve tried. Other makers should learn from this. What Neelia Lynn helped make. These wavy chips are worth trying.
The next chip I tasted was Valentina & Lime. I heard the name for the first time. I did not know Valentina hot sauce before. The contest is fun as it introduces you to new things. From the bag, they looked like standard chips. Their appearance leaned toward a barbecue look sort of.
Product on Amazon: McCormick Pure Ground Black Pepper, 3 oz
Brand: McCormick
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Grocery
Price: 3.96 USD
Features:
1. Premium black pepper with a sharp, earthy flavor and aroma
2. Non GMO
3. Always from premium, hand-harvested pepper
4. Pantry staple for seasoning in the kitchen and at the table
5. Livens up salads, vegetables, pasta, rice or potatoes
Shopping on Amazon >>
Read more about: Beyond the Usual: Uncovering America’s Under-the-Radar Steakhouses State by State
I hit my open cuticle badly on my thumb. Spice or citrus sent a jolt, like the sting of lemon on a paper cut. I thought it was an immediate sign that it had a kick. The chip went to my nostrils fast. I instantly loved its smell.
Imagine the smell of hot sauce being good. It was vibrant and piquant. It smells very exciting now. I took a lick and the pepper taste came. It kicked things off right then. There was a pinch of lime at the end.
It cemented its goodness for me. The actual munching was even better. The spice was more pronounced then. It delivered pleasant heat to my mouth. It was not that hot, though. It packed a bit of a punch after.
It settled in my mouth okay. The hint of lime flavoring was very key. It kept the heat in check just right. It also enhanced the spice impact. The flavors developed very well. It proved to be very well – rounded fast.
I had no problem munching them easily. I ate handful after handful. These chips were seriously addictive. The review says thank Araceli. Lay’s went this way, okay. I agree they created a great flavor here.
I was finally tasting Bacon Grilled Cheese. The sandwich sounds like good comfort food, especially on a gloomy day. I pulled chips from the bag and they looked familiar, like the Cheddar and Sour Cream kind. They didn’t look seasoned from far away.
I could see small trails up close. There were splatters of orange residue from the powder. I picked one up to sniff quickly. I noticed two things quickly. I couldn’t identify the smell well. Honestly, it wasn’t inviting at first.
Read more about: I’m a Chef Obsessed with My Air Fryer: Here Are Some Favorite Foods to Make!
Look at the bag image of the sandwich. Bacon, bread, and cheese were pictured. Try to prompt my senses to smell. Further sniffs helped a slight bit. I started picking up the bacon smell. It seemed like turkey bacon that I smelled.
Not the pork kind typical for chips. That’s par for the course with bacon taste. Before taking a big bite, I took a quick lick. You’ll know the seasoning better, you see. The artificial cheddar taste came first. It was like powdered cheese on popcorn.
It wasn’t bad but was one – note. Luckily, the big bite was better. It proved itself different from the smell. The cheddar flavor was super strong with each single bite. It seemed to have a buttery edge too now.
Product on Amazon: Wellshire Farms, Uncured Turkey Bacon, 3 oz
Brand: Wellshire Farms
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Protein
Price: 21.99 USD
Shopping on Amazon >>
Read more about: The Kitchen Essentials Chefs Swear By For Non-Toxic Cooking and Prep
.jpg)
A strong cheddar – butter combination. It didn’t leave room for others. It doesn’t taste like bread or bacon. It’s hard to make a distinct case for themselves. The bacon and bread notes are quiet. They are subdued for me in the chip.
It didn’t really matter much then. I was enjoying each bite. A cheesy, buttery bite felt good. Maybe it’s not hitting the name exactly, like others hit their target names. Still, it’s no slouch of a chip at all. It’s a very enjoyable cheesy – flavored chip.
So there are the chips now. Three fan – made flavors have been tried. They were vying for the top spot. The contest shows lots of creativity from snack lovers everywhere. Trying them side by side felt fun. It showed different food interpretations.
Product on Amazon: Cape Cod Less Fat White Cheddar & Sour Cream Chips, 7.5 Oz Bag
Brand: Cape Cod
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Grocery
Price: 5.29 USD
Features:
1. Includes one (1) 7.5-ounce bag of Cape Cod less fat aged white cheddar & sour cream original potato chips
2. Less fat kettle chips with 40% less fat than the leading potato chip
3. Just as delicious as our classic chip and with the same Cape Cod crunch
4. Non-GMO, gluten-free snack with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
5. Every chip is an invitation to savor what’s special about Cape Cod
Shopping on Amazon >>
Read more about: A Delicious Dive into 8 Classic Dishes That Defined American Dinnertimes Past
How did they become chip form so easily? Bacon Grilled Cheese felt solid. It was a comforting cheesy chip, yes. Even if the bacon taste was subtle. Wavy Korean Chicken delivered a lot. The spicy – sweet street food flair came. Valentina & Lime was a surprise.
Comparing the three chip flavors. Bacon Grilled Cheese tastes familiar. It’s like a buttery Cheddar Sour Cream chip. More smoky bacon might help with the name, maybe. Still, it’s a good chip to eat. The Wavy Korean ones hit the spot for me. I’ve tried many Korean BBQ snacks before.
Lay’s nailed this one the best. If I had to pick just one chip. Based on pure excitement quickly. How fast I went back for more. It must be the Valentina & Lime chip. I didn’t know the hot sauce name before. Now I want Valentina on everything badly.
Read more about: 7 Simple Casseroles That Make Easy Family Dinners a Weeknight Reality
It was just so good. These three new chips were good. They were dreamed up by fellow eaters too. They continue Lay’s fun history. Interesting flavor ideas always happen. They really did us a flavor favor, yes. I’m happily seeing them stick around. The big question is who won the prize.
Section one went deep into the history and mechanics there.
The Lay’s ‘Do Us A Flavor’ contest mechanics were discussed quite a lot. We talked about the return being quite exciting for people. Three finalists were introduced from all the entries they received. The number of ideas submitted was truly incredible then. Personal stories behind the flavors were shared by everyone. Now the moment everybody waited for is finally here.
Product on Amazon: Lay’s Potato Chips, India’s Magic Masala Flavour, Crunchy Chips & Snacks 3 PACK
Brand: Great Bazaar
Binding: Grocery Product Group: Grocery
Price: 7.29 USD
Rating: 3.7 Total reviews: 266
Features:
1. Bursting Flavour: This crispy Lays Magic Masala potato chips to experience a unique burst of Indian flavor and spices. We have created a Magic Masala flavor of our very own for you to enjoy
2. Snacks: These Magic Masala Chips are much loved treats and fun to enjoy at lunch, as an after-school snack, or party refreshment
3. Perfect for Any Occasion: A versatile snack that can be enjoyed in any setting and From the everyday snack to the impromptu get-togethers, LAYs chips are the perfect addition to any occasion.
4. Delicious: The Masala Magic Lay’s is made with India’s quality fresh potatoes, simply sliced and cooked in edible vegetable oils, and then seasoned with delicious flavors!
5. High Quality Potatoes: The Masala Magic Chips are made from high-quality potatoes that guarantee the perfect crunch every time
Shopping on Amazon >>
Read more about: Beyond the Brew: Unmasking the Sugary Culprits Secretly Contributing to Stubborn Belly Fat
The big reveal is finally here to tell us who won. Who won that grand prize money Lay’s put up? The winner earned the title of the next iconic Lay’s flavor for history. The suspense around the winner felt very real. This was especially true after trying those three chips earlier.
The Bacon Grilled Cheese flavor finally won the $1 million main prize. Paula George from Sapulpa, Oklahoma, submitted that winning flavor idea. Lay’s officials announced that it was newly created on Tuesday. It won after votes across the nation were cast. Voting ran from April through June 13th this year. It is wild to think that over 700,000 ideas were sent in. Paula’s concept truly captured American taste buds and hearts then.
Lay’s really called the winning flavor a ‘savory, nostalgic ode’. It combined two favorites that everyone seems to love greatly. Bacon and grilled cheese are definitely popular flavors, too. Paula’s submission has a truly sweet story attached. She got inspiration from her father’s old recipe. Her late father used to make bacon grilled cheese often. Paula wished it would give people memories of great meals. Those meals enjoyed on a cheesy crunch are fantastic. A million – dollar idea came from a cherished family memory.
Paula George said she felt so honored to win the Lay’s contest. She noted that seeing her chip become real was a dream. Thousands across the country tried her chips, too. Knowing that people loved it brought immense joy to Paula. This opportunity gives her gratitude for all the support. It must be amazing to see your idea go national. Winning a massive prize from a meaningful thing is cool.
The other finalists also deserve recognition and praise. Valentina & Lime by Araceli Huerta was one of them. Wavy Korean – Style Fried Chicken by Neelia Lynn was the other. These two flavors were chosen from many entries. They earned substantial prizes as finalists this time. Huerta and Lynn will each get $50,000 soon. That reward is fantastic for making it this far. They shared unique, story – driven flavors with us all.
Lay’s and PepsiCo Foods celebrated the contest outcome very much. Denise Truelove is the marketing senior vice president at PepsiCo Foods. She congratulated Paula George on her big win. Truelove said the contest essence captured hearts. The passion for flavors and stories grabbed attention. It captured potato chip lovers’ taste buds everywhere. This underscores how much Lay’s listens to their consumers. They really value fans for getting inspiration all the time.
Truelove also said Lay’s leads in flavor innovation across markets. We are thrilled to be bringing this flavor to life now. We celebrate fans’ inspiring ideas from the contest too. ‘Do Us A Flavor’ is the most direct way for new flavors. It shows turning fan ideas into chips quickly. This contest is more than just marketing. It is a genuine pipeline for innovation always. Snack lovers themselves power all this creativity here. They turn dreams into reality for us. Filling store shelves with delicious chips happens. Chips that start conversations among people too. The world of snacks keeps getting more interesting daily. Bite by delicious bite, things improve greatly.
Related posts:
Lay’s announces new flavor after $1 million contest winner revealed
Lay’s adds Thai-Style Red Curry chips to lineup: How to get the spicy new flavor
Lay’s rolls out new ‘Thai-style’ flavor fans voted for – but you can only get them at one grocery chain
