What Flavor is Your Potato Chip?

I like BBQ flavored potato chips; my wife does not. But that's OK, there are lots of flavors out there so everyone can have a personal favorite. Just how many flavors? A lot more than I ever would have guessed.

In 1932, salesman Herman W. Lay opened a successful snack food operation in Nashville, Tennessee. A few years later he purchased a potato chip manufacturer and called it the "H. W. Lay Lingo & Company", later renamed simply "Lay's". This company bought the first TV commercials for snack food, "de-Lay-sious!", using Bert Lahr, the comedian who played the Cowdardly Lion of Oz.

Today Lay's controls 59% of the US savory snack-food market and sells chips around the world. Potato chip flavors are customized for each country - how many of the following flavors would sell in America?

Canada: Ketchup (My sister sent me some. They're good!), Wasabi, Smokey Bacon, Fries & Gravy

UK: Prawn Cocktail, German Bratwurst Sausage, Scottish Haggis (really?!!!), Yorkshire Pudding, Welsh Rarebit, Australian BBQ Kangaroo, Marmite

Australia: Vegemite
India: Massaman  (enjoyed this one!)

Greece and Cyprus: Feta cheese, Tzatziki, Oregano

Holland: Paprika, Bolognese, Balsamico

Belgium: Cucumber & Goats  (goats?)

Russia: Red Cariar, Shishkebab

Poland: Chilli and Knuckle of Pork

Argentina, Chile and Uruguay: Beef Carpaccio with Parmeggiano

Thailand: Bacon and Cheese with Seaweed, squid, French Mayonnaise, Garlic Soft Shelled Crab

China: Kiwi, Blueberry, Finger Licking Braised Pork

Vietnam: Peeking Duck

Egypt: Kebab on Charcoal

Bottom Line

204 chip flavors are listed at Now That's Nifty which closely match the flavors listed on Wikipedia for Lay's.

Last year my wife & I encountered a similar flavor explosion with mustard at the National Mustard Museum near Madison, Wisconsin. So many flavors to try, so many countries.