Lay’s potato chips, a staple of grocery stores and homes across the U.S., are getting a makeover. This week, the company announced the “largest brand redesign” in its 100-year history.
A press release from Lay’s and PepsiCo, its parent company, this rebrand is based around the company’s use of real, farm-grown potatoes in its products, something it said 42% of Lay’s customers don’t realize. It noted that the seeds of this campaign were showcased during the “Little Farmer” Super Bowl ad last year.
“Inspired by a family farm that grows Lay’s potatoes, the commercial shined a light on the real stories behind every chip,” it said. “Now, Lay’s will continue to bring the journey from farm to bag to life by letting the potato itself and rich farm imagery take center stage.”
Fast Company described the rebranding theme as a way to distance the products from ultra-processed foods. Lay’s said it works with 100 family-owned farms across North America. PepsiCo also sources materials from growers in 60 countries.
With the rebranding, Lay’s bags will look a bit different – Parade reported that the last Lay’s redesign was in 2016 – and the chips themselves will be different too.
A new visual identity was created by PepsiCo’s Design & Innovation team to honor “the potatoes’ journey from farm to bag” and the brand’s commitment to quality ingredients. Its red ribbon and “yellow sun” imagery will remain, but the sun has been made “warmer and more distinct,” the press release explained.
“Sun rays, or ‘Lay’s Rays,’ beam from the logo, a nod to the light that helps potatoes grow,” it added. “A refined color palette was inspired by the ingredients of Lay’s recipes: pickle green, hickory brown, savory red and more.”
There’s also “enhanced photography,” to demonstrate the quality of the products and more “vivid, close-up visuals that highlight the golden color, crisp texture and seasoning of each chip.”
“This redesign, the brand’s biggest in nearly a century, is a love letter to our origins,” said Carl Gerhards, PepsiCo’s Senior Director of Design for Global Lay’s. “With the new Lay’s visual identity, our team created a flexible design system that celebrates the brand’s famous flavors in countries around the world.”
Now, the chips inside of those new bags should have the “same unbeatable taste,” but they’ll be different too. Lay’s said it is removing artificial flavors and colors in the U.S. by the end of the year. Artificial flavors and colors will also be removed from dips next year.
This year, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made a point of cracking down on artificial ingredients. He’s made moves to phase out certain dyes from the U.S. food supply, and food production companies have moved to update their products, from ice cream companies to Kraft Heinz.
Going forward, Lay’s Baked chips will be made with olive oil and have 50% less fat than regular potato chips, while Lay’s Kettle Cooked Reduced Fat Original Sea Salt will be made with avocado oil and offer 40% less fat than regular potato chips. More changes are on the way, the company said.
“At Lay’s, delighting our consumers goes beyond bold flavors – it’s about delivering trusted quality from farm to bag,” said Denise Truelove, SVP of Marketing, PepsiCo Foods US. “These updates were shaped directly with our consumers, offering more choice, more transparency, and more joy with every bite. Lay’s continues to set the gold standard in snacking and we’re proud to carry that legacy forward.”