Smartfood Debuts Ultimate Popcorn Flavor For Spice Lovers

PLANO, Texas, Feb. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — As the demand for spicy snacks grows, America’s favorite ready-to-eat* popcorn brand has answered the call with the launch of Smartfood Spicy Jalapeño Ranch Popcorn. The all-new popcorn flavor combines the spice from jalapenos with a cool and creamy finish for an unforgettable taste. With 100 percent whole grains, a light and airy crunch and just the right amount of heat, this popcorn will be a snacking staple for spice lovers everywhere.

Recent studies have shown many consumers rank “spicy” among their top three flavor preferences.1 Recognizing this growing trend for more vibrant flavors and ingredients, the Smartfood team developed Spicy Jalapeño Ranch to offer consumers a bold and versatile flavor with a kick. Those newly exploring their palette’s tolerance for spice need not worry – every kernel perfectly pairs the heat of jalapeños with the rich zesty flavor of ranch.

“The flavor experts on the Smartfood team are continually inspired by new flavor trends and keep exploring new recipes to reflect consumers ever evolving taste,” said Tyler Chapman, vice president of Marketing, Smartfood Popcorn. “We are thrilled to introduce the new Spicy Jalapeño Ranch flavor and provide our customers with a delicious and mouth-watering option for those moments when they want a bit more heat.”

The Smartfood brand has a long-standing commitment to using only the high-quality, carefully selected and premium ingredients. The all-new Spicy Jalapeño Ranch flavor is no different, containing no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Air popped and ready-to-eat, Smartfood Spicy Jalapeño Ranch contains 150 calories per serving, making it an easy snacking choice whenever you want to spice things up.

Spicy Jalapeño Ranch joins a growing portfolio of Smartfood Popcorn flavor offerings that include White Cheddar Cheese, Movie Theater Butter and Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn.

Smartfood Spicy Jalapeño Ranch is available in multiple sizes for all of your snacking needs whether on-the-go or entertaining at home. Suggested retail price ranges from $1.49 – $3.99. For more information, visit www.smartfood.com, www.instagram.com/SmartfoodPopcorn, www.facebook.com/Smartfood or www.twitter.com/smartfood.

About Smartfood: The Smartfood brand is one of the many brands that makes up Frito-Lay North America, the $14 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter at twitter.com/fritolay.

About PepsiCo: PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $66 billion in net revenue in 2014, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.