Munchos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Munchos are a Frito-Lay brand potato crisp snack. Munchos are thinner than most potato chips, to the point of being slightly transparent. Their slightly curved shape and rough texture assist with dipping.

Ingredients include dehydrated potatoes, corn and/or sunflower oil, corn meal, potato starch, salt, sulflate, niacin, thiamin monoitrate, riboflavin, and yeast.

When originally introduced circa 1973, the original ad campaign included the phrase, "It's MUNCHOS!" spoken in a really high voice. At that time, a bag sold for fifty-nine cents retail (now $2.99 ($3.29 in some areas) for a 7.25-ounce bag or ninety-nine cents for a "Big Grab").

Due to the high production costs, advertising and prolific commercial distribution of Munchos is limited, if not nonexistent, although they can be commonly found in many areas of the midwestern and southwestern United States.

In Roger Enrico's (former CEO of Pepsi) book, "Cola Wars", (1990), he says that he had to prove himself to the company when the introduction in the market of a product called "Fritos" lowered Munchos sales. The problem was that the order of the frying level wasn't told to the people who fried Munchos, so they had a burnt taste. He says he had to meet with his superior, who thought Enrico studied in Harvard and pitied the "formula was never changed". Enrico says he could surpass this problem and learned a valuable lesson.