As football season approaches, PepsiCo’s research and development team at its Plano headquarters is working to create new chip varieties tailored to gameday preferences. The facility employs approximately 3,700 people focused on Frito-Lay product innovation.
Senior Research Chef Steven Dominguez explained that while corn chips begin with the same masa base, the company shifts its focus in the fall toward flavors associated with football season. Consumer data indicates a preference for spicy, cheesy, and smoky barbecue profiles, particularly within Texas.
Dominguez noted that ideas often originate from traditional dishes. For example, the current Doritos BBQ flavor was inspired by brisket with a special sauce and a specific cheese blend. The development process involves cooking multiple versions of these dishes before selecting a final recipe for testing.
Consumer feedback plays a central role in refining these products. Dominguez stated that testers frequently provide detailed critiques regarding ingredient timing and heat levels, such as preferring garlic to appear earlier or heat to linger at the end rather than hitting immediately.
Once a concept is prepared, it is evaluated by expert tasters who undergo at least 100 hours of training on PepsiCo products. Katie Marston, Sensory Science Director for Research and Development, said these testers possess the sensory acuity to distinguish between sweet, sour, bitter, and umami notes.
The team may visit the test kitchen up to three times a week to sample items. While some flavor updates have a short development window, creating new physical shapes can take years. Marston cited the Tostitos Scoop chip as an example of a design that required extensive crafting to serve as an effective vessel for dip.
Innovation also includes product lines like Simply NKD, which features Doritos and Cheetos without dyes or artificial flavors. To ensure tasters evaluate flavor rather than appearance, the company uses red lighting during testing. Under this light, NBC 5 observers could not distinguish between the colored and uncolored chips.
