Sun Chips

Last updated
SunChips
2019-01-29 18 45 20 Garden Salsa Sun Chips in the Dulles section of Sterling, Loudoun County, Virginia.jpg
Product type Chips
Owner PepsiCo
Produced by Frito-Lay
Country United States
IntroducedOctober 9, 1989;35 years ago (1989-10-09)
MarketsWorldwide
Tagline"Deliciousness for all" [1]
Website sunchips.com

Sun Chips (styled SunChips [2] or SUNCHIPS [3] ) is a brand of fried, [4] rippled, multigrain chips produced by Frito-Lay.

Contents

History

Frito-Lay had first introduced a multigrain snack chip in 1974 under the name Prontos. The launch of Prontos was unsuccessful, with issues in the manufacturing process and low sales, and the product was discontinued in 1978. In 1981, Frito-Lay research and development revived the multigrain concept under the codename "Harvest", hoping to create a healthier alternative to potato and corn chips that would appeal to aging baby boomers. Some concepts were privately tested but proved unsuccessful, and the project was shelved until 1988. After another renewed effort with an additional 13 months of taste-testing, a successful prototype was developed. It was given the name "Sun Chips", which had previously been used for a short-lived line of Frito-Lay corn chips introduced in 1976 and discontinued by 1985. The new Sun Chips were first introduced to consumers in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area on October 9, 1989. During the one-year market test in that area, nearly 20 percent of households tried the product at least once, and more than 40 percent of those purchased them again. Additionally, the chips were found to have a higher profit per pound sold than Frito-Lay's other chip products. [5] Sun Chips received a nationwide release in March 1991, after the market test was reportedly so successful that it had to be cut back because demand outpaced the limited supply that Frito-Lay was making. [6]

Ingredients

The ingredients for SunChips Original are:

Flavors

Permanent flavors include Original, Harvest Cheddar, French Onion, Chili Lime, Garden Salsa, and HoneyBBQ. [7] In 2016, two Veggie Harvest flavors were added, Farmhouse Ranch and Tomato, Basil and Cheese that include vegetables. [8] Limited edition flavors have included Cinnamon Crunch early in 2007 (the flavor is still produced as a seasonal item in the US, reappearing near the end of the year for the holidays), as well as Honey Graham and Apple 'n Caramel in 2009. [9]

Internationally, other flavors have been introduced. An example includes bulgogi in South Korea.

Pork enzymes

In the past, some Frito-Lay brand seasoned products, including some flavors of Sun Chips, contained pork enzymes in addition to herbs, cheese, and other seasonings. Frito-Lay's web site [10] states that they use enzymes from pigs (porcine enzymes) in some of their seasoned snack products to develop "unique flavors". The presence of pig-derived ingredients made them haram (forbidden) for Muslims, not kosher for Jews, and not vegetarian. As of April 5, 2011, Frito-Lay's online list "U.S. Products Made Without Pig (Porcine) Enzymes" catalogs nine flavors of Sun Chips "made and distributed in the U.S." that do not contain porcine enzymes. [10]

Compostable bags

In April 2008, Frito Lay introduced compostable packaging for the SunChips product line. [11] The bag was made of plant-based material that would break down within 14 weeks in a hot, active compost pile. [12]

Noise complaints

In October 2010, Frito-Lay stated that the compostable package would be pulled back in the United States. The bag created excessive noise when held or wrinkled, which led to complaints. [13] In response to various complaints, Frito Lay announced that they would only use the compostable bag for original flavor chips from the SunChips US line moving forward. The other US flavors will use traditional SunChips packaging. [11]

Second attempt

On February 24, 2011, Frito Lay announced that they were releasing a new, quieter biodegradable bag starting with the Original Sun Chip brand. [14] Closely resembling traditional bags, the compostable packaging uses adhesives sandwiched between the outer and inner layers of the bag to substantially reduce the excessive noise. [15] Current bags are not labeled as compostable, as of 2015.[ citation needed ]

Popularity

Parent corporation PepsiCo reported that sales of SunChips had declined by double-digit percentages annually from 2011 to 2014. [16] [17] More recent figures in early 2023 have shown the product to have experienced double digit revenue growth. [18]

References

  1. ↑ "Sun Chips Slogan". Slogan List. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  2. ↑ https://www.sunchips.com/faqs
  3. ↑ https://www.fritolay.com/products/sunchips-original-whole-grain-snacks
  4. ↑ Frito-Lay North America, Inc. "Frito-Lay: Baked VS. Fried". Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  5. ↑ Kerin, Roger A., and Kenneth R. Lukaska. "Case: Frito-Lay, Inc., Sun Chips Multigrain Snacks", Product and Service Strategy and Brand Management, Strategic Marketing Problems: Cases and Comments, Prentice Hall, 2001, page 192-209.
  6. ↑ Moran, Tim. "Frito-Lay bets on testers' choice — Sun Chips", Modesto Bee , March 9, 1991, pages C-1 and C-4.
  7. ↑ Hooper, Michael (November 20, 2006). "Frito Lay to expand, add 50 jobs". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  8. ↑ "What can Pepsico's Q2 results tell us on the savory snacks market?". Potato Pro. 11 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "Hitting the Shelves - April 2007".
  10. 1 2 "U.S. Products Made Without Pig (Porcine) Enzymes". Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  11. 1 2 Fredrix, Emily. "Hush! Frito-Lay to Pull Most Noisy SunChips Bags". Associated Press. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  12. ↑ "Why make a better bag?". Frito Lay North America Inc. Archived from the original on 2009-04-27. Retrieved August 4, 2009.
  13. ↑ Vranica, Suzanne (6 October 2010). "Sun Chips Bag to Lose Its Crunch". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  14. ↑ "SunChips Silences Its Earsplitting Bio-Bag". fastcompany.com. 24 February 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  15. ↑ "SunChips". Frito Lay.
  16. ↑ "PepsiCo, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2012". PepsiCo, Inc. p. 54. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  17. ↑ "PepsiCo, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2014". PepsiCo, Inc. p. 57. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  18. ↑ Gelski, Jeff. "Frito Lay Market Share Increases". Baking Business.com. Sosland Publishing Co. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
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