The votes are in. Thousands of Kettle™ brand Potato Chip fans flocked to www.kettlefoods.com to choose Death Valley Chipotle™, with its nuanced balance of savory smoke and layered chili flavors, as the winning flavor in Kettle Foods’ annual People’s Choice campaign.
For the past four years, the company has turned over product development to fans, inviting chip lovers to help select new flavors to join the existing line by voting for their favorites. Inspired by passionate requests for the ultimate hot chip, People’s Choice IV took a spicy turn with five fiery flavor nominees. The theme, Fire and Spice, challenged the company to create flavors that delivered on more than just mouth burn. Kettle Foods responded with a lineup that fulfilled expectations for complex heat made with all natural spices including Wicked Hot Sauce, Mango Chili, Jalapeño Salsa Fresca, Orange Ginger Wasabi and Death Valley Chipotle™.
“The Fire and Spice theme exposed flavor loyalists in a variety of camps – the sweet lovers lobbied for Mango Chili, vinegar fans loved the tang of Wicked Hot Sauce while ‘throat’ and ‘nose’ hot folks divided over Jalapeño Salsa Fresca and Orange Ginger Wasabi,” said Kim Sheridan, Kettle Foods chief flavor architect. “From the very beginning, though, Death Valley Chipotle™’s blend of red chili, cayenne, chipotle and habanero held the lead with its slow, smoky burn.”
Death Valley Chipotle™ will be available online starting National Potato Chip Day, March 14 at www.buykettlechips.com before joining past People’s Choice winners Spicy Thai™, Cheddar Beer™, Tuscan Three Cheese, Buffalo Bleu and Island Jerk™ on store shelves in early summer.
Stock up on Fire and Spice Flavors Before They Disappear Forever
Now that the polls have closed, fans of Mango Chili and Orange Ginger Wasabi need not despair. There’s still time to load up on favorites before they are gone forever. Discounted Party Packs containing all five Fire & Spice flavors and mix ‘n’ match sampler packs are available until Feb. 1 at www.buykettlechips.com.
About Kettle Foods
Founded in 1978, Oregon-based Kettle Foods is a privately owned company committed to producing great tasting, all-natural snacks with a caring commitment to its employees, craft and community. In doing so, it leads the industry as the No. 1 natural potato chip brand according to ACNielsen, with distribution throughout North America, Japan, Guam and Western Europe. Its manufacturing sites in Salem, Ore., Beloit, Wis. and Norwich, United Kingdom produce more than 20 flavors and four varieties of potato chip offerings, five flavors of tortilla chips and a variety of nut butters and trail mixes. The facility in Beloit, Wisconsin opened in 2007 becoming the first LEED® Gold certified food processing facility in U.S. Visit www.kettlefoods.com for more information.