PLANO, Texas -- Attendees of the State Fair of Texas earlier this month watched representatives from PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division cook up the world's largest Fritos Chili Pie in celebration of Fritos corn chips' 80th anniversary.
Weighing in at 1,325 pounds--using 635 bags of Fritos chips (10.5 ounces each), 660 cans of Hormel Chili without Beans (15 ounces each) and 580 bags of shredded cheddar cheese (8 ounces each)--it officially set the Guinness World Record for the biggest-ever Fritos Chili Pie, which yielded approximately 5,000 single-serve samples for fair attendees.
As part of the 80th anniversary celebration, Fritos has partnered with Hormel Chili, to support the nation's troops through the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). From September 16 through October 13, the companies presented special displays at local retailers featuring a $1-off coupon for combined purchase of Fritos corn chips and Hormel Chili. For every coupon redeemed, Fritos and Hormel Foods has donated $1 to WWP, up to $100,000, to honor and empower wounded warriors in the U.S. Armed Forces.
"For 80 years, Fritos corn chips have been a beloved American snack," said Tony Matta, vice president of marketing for Frito-Lay. "The Guinness World Records title adds a new milestone to our proud history, and we are thrilled to be celebrating alongside Fritos corn chips fans today at the State Fair of Texas."
The Fritos brand was born in 1932 when Elmer Doolin purchased a corn chips recipe from a local businessman and began making the first Fritos chips right from his mother's kitchen with a converted potato ricer. The popularity of the snack grew in 1961 when he joined forces with H.W. Lay & Co. to create Frito-Lay Inc. Doolin's mother, Daisy Dean Doolin, created recipes to help market Fritos corn chips by using them as an ingredient in a wide range of dishes, including her now-famous Fritos Chili Pie. Once a dish favored in small hometowns, Fritos Chili Pie is now served from coast to coast.
Hormel Foods Corp., based in Austin, Minn., is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and meat products, many of which are among the best known and trusted in the food industry.
Frito-Lay North America is the $13 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo, which is based in Purchase, N.Y.
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. Its main businesses are Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola.
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