MISSISSAUGA, Ontario -- Four potato chip flavours (yes, we're sticking with Canadian spelling for this story) took to the snack aisle this summer hoping to be named the next great Lay's potato chip variety.
The winner: P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes.
It will be available again in stores across Canada next week. It beat Butter Chicken, Cowboy BBQ beans and Montreal Smoked Meat. All were available to consumers for a limited time, and fans voted for their favourite, inspired by a region in Canada:
- Inspired by Western Canada: Cowboy BBQ Beans Wavy Lay's. Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta for Brenda Boghean heading to the rodeo is a tradition. One of her favourite parts of the festival is the delicious food. Beans, slow-cooked in BBQ sauce, served alongside her favourite cut of beef is the quintessential rodeo dish and really captures the essence of cowboy culture.
- Inspired by Ontario: Butter Chicken. Darryl Francispillai, from Mississauga, Ontario, was inspired by his South Asian heritage and love of Indian food for his Butter Chicken Flavour. It's one of his favourite dishes and a nod to multiculturalism.
- Inspired by Quebec: Montreal Smoked Meat. Montreal Smoked Meat sandwiches are emblematic of their namesake city's cuisine. Zdravko Gunjevic from Waterloo, Ontario, was inspired to create the flavour because it's such a delicious dish that not only can you order them in delis throughout Quebec but throughout Canada and around the world too.
- Inspired by Atlantic Canada: PEI Scalloped Potatoes. Inspired by Atlantic Canada's reputation for potato cultivation, one of Burlington, Ontario's Jordan Cairns' fondest memories of growing up was when he sat down to big family dinners on Friday nights and holidays. His favourite side dish at these meals was always the freshly baked, rich and cheesy scalloped potatoes.
"I'm excited to be named this year's winner," says Jordan. "It's incredible to think that a flavour inspired by a childhood memory will join the Lay's lineup in stores across Canada."
Earlier this year, the Lay's brand asked Canadians to submit their ideas for the next great potato chip flavour for Canada. In less than two months, the contest received almost 950,000 submissions from fans across the country. In August, the Lay's brand revealed the four finalist flavours and Canadians were invited to select the winner by trying all four and voting for their favourite from Aug. 11 to Sept. 30.
The Lay's Do Us a Flavour contest has been held in numerous countries around the world. Since 2013, the Canadian contest has received more than 2.7 million flavour ideas from fans across the country. From the U.K. to India, Australia to South Africa and most recently the United States, the Do Us a Flavor campaign has resulted in a wide spectrum of chip flavour ideas created by consumers including Pulled Pork (U.K.), Hamburguesa (Argentina), Mastana Mango (India), Walkie Talkie Chicken (South Africa) and Southern Biscuits & Gravy (United States).
PepsiCo's businesses in Canada are organized into two business units. PepsiCo Foods Canada includes Frito Lay Canada and the Quaker Foods and Snacks business. PepsiCo Beverages Canada includes Pepsi-Cola Canada, Gatorade and Tropicana.
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