What If the Taste Changes? Lay's, Iconic U.S. Potato Chip, Undergoes Biggest Redesign in 100 Years

PepsiCo Announces Elimination of Artificial Flavors and Colors
Trump's MAHA Campaign Seen as Key Influence

Lay's, the leading potato chip brand in the United States, is set to undergo a major transformation.

According to Fox Business on October 9 (local time), PepsiCo, which manufactures Lay's and Pepsi-Cola, announced that it will implement "the largest brand redesign in Lay's nearly 100-year history." PepsiCo also revealed plans to completely eliminate artificial flavors and colors from its products by the end of this year. This means that Lay's major products sold in the United States will no longer contain artificial flavors or colors.

With this redesign, both the product packaging and messaging will be updated. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and other sources, Lay's iconic yellow bag will feature the phrase "Made with real potatoes." The new packaging will incorporate natural imagery such as potatoes and limes. This highlights the absence of artificial flavors and colors,and aims to appeal to health-conscious consumers by emphasizing potatoes as the main ingredient.

Rachel Ferdinando, CEO of PepsiCo's U.S. Foods division, stated, "Consumer preferences are changing more rapidly, and expectations are shifting as well," adding, "We are focusing on these points."

Lay's, the representative potato chip brand of the United States. PepsiCo official website

Lay's is the top-selling potato chip brand in the United States, but it has long been considered a symbol of junk food. PepsiCo has reduced sodium, saturated fat, and sugar content in its products over the past several years, but there are recent assessments that the company is struggling as sales of its core snacks have declined.

The WSJ pointed out that there is growing social pressure across the food industry for more drastic changes. The "Make America Healthy Again (MAHA)" campaign, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., is gaining influence in Washington.

Secretary Kennedy, who supported President Donald Trump ahead of last year's U.S. presidential election, promised that if he became the nation's top health official, he would comprehensively address the issues of artificial food coloring and ultra-processed foods. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also announced in April that it would phase out petroleum-based synthetic food dyes. In response, many major American food companies, including Kraft Heinz, Smucker, Hershey, and Nestle, have announced plans to eliminate artificial colors from their products.