All About Lay's: Russia

Hey kids. It's been slow news recently while we await to hear which flavors are going to win all these contests being held all over the world (like wtf, why are the World Cup contests still undecided in South America). So I decided to start a new segment here at The Chip Report, a segment dedicated not to the newest bag of chips, but to the standard range of flavors being produced every day in distant lands. Today, we'll start the segment with RUSSIA.

 

To begin, Lay's Russia has 3 ranges; Lay's: the traditional chip, Lay's Max: The thicker cut wavy style chip, and Lay's Strong: a Ruffles style chip that is also noted for "strong" flavors.

Lay's introduced their signature potato chips to the Russian market in 1992, a market that found salted potato slices boring. It wasn't until 2005 that Lay's did extensive market research across the whole of Russia to introduce flavors that would have more appeal to the Russian public. This research inspired Lay's to create Crab, Caviar, Pickled Cucumbers and a variety of unique flavors that would bring Lay's the success they had in their homeland. And later would lead to the introduction of Lay's Max and Lay's Strong.

Those signature Lay's make up the biggest line in Russia with flavors "Bacon", "Salted", "Cheese", "Green Onion", "White Mushrooms with Sour Cream", "Potatoes with Butter and Dill", "Sour Cream and Fresh Herbs"(which also comes in a Ruffled version, but because the flavor is mild it is just part of the Lay's line not the Strong line), "Pickled Cucumbers", and "Crab" (I can't find any official info regarding the status of "Red Caviar" flavor, but I find it unlikely it was discontinued, so I'll include it in this post... a LOT of countries only post some of the flavors they actually sell online, so it makes hunting them down a lot harder than you would think). Take a look.

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Russia's version of Lay's MAX are most comparable to our Lay's Wavy line. They are waved, thick cut, potato chips in "Meat on Coals","Cheese and Onion", and "Chicken Wings". Other nations, most notably the UK, also carry the MAX line, but as a Ruffled chip, so the brand depends on local markets.

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Finally is the Lay's Strong line. At first glance, these are Ruffles but under a different brand name... upon further inspection the Strong line shows it's character actually comes from a collection of Bold flavors. "Smoked Cheese", "Aspic with Horseradish" (don't know what Aspic is? Google it, it's Meat Gelatin bro), and "Spicy Hunting Sausages". This line is probably the most telling about the Russian market. Frito-Lay's own study found that Russian's considered the traditional Salted chip to be "boring" and the Strong collection is comprised of loud flavors. Most likely in an effort to provide Russian consumers with the bolder flavors that would appeal to them.

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So what do you think? Does any of Russia's range make your mouth water? Are you dreaming about those Butter and Dill flavored ones like I am?? Have you found and tried any of these? We'd love to know!  Sound off in the comments below.

Lay's USA Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger

Crippling fear. That is what gripped me as I stared at this bag. My friend's had their cameras out, ready to film what they expected to be tears running down my face after one bite. I muscled up the courage to open the bag. Took a whiff... I definitely smelled potato... and, is that soy sauce? with a dash of ginger? My nose kept searching, there it was... WASABI. Uhoh. What am I doing? I silently asked myself this question.
My friends were still watching, cheering; I had to do it. I placed a chip on my tongue. NUCLEAR. Something, only God really knows what it was, scorched my tongue... but I didn't taste Wasabi... not yet. After the burn my face made so many twists I didn't know what was happening. Then I tasted the rich potato flavor of a Lay's Kettle Cooked chip... finally some relief... but it was short lived for me, as the flavor of Wasabi crept from the back of my tongue forward. Not spicy, just the aroma of Wasabi... and a hint of Ginger, reminding me that I would experience no relief.
...Snapchat sent...

Let me give you a little background... If you are new to this blog I am a self proclaimed "wuss". You want to know my favorite flavor of Lay's? Original. I do this blog because I am fascinated with the product line Lay's (Etc.) have launched world wide, and I was intrigued that no one had ever documented online what varietals of these homeland heroes people were eating overseas. I don't do this because I want to eat chips everyday, I do it because I am passionately curious.
Spicy chips will never be my thing. I whine a LOT about spice... but I've been trying to expand my spice horizons. However, although here in California I eat a TON of sushi, if even a little Wasabi touches my rolls, I have a little inner-body cry session.

SO. Wasabi Ginger.... I was terrified. And that first chip scared me. But, I have to admit. It actually wasn't that bad. And I'm gonna go out on a ledge and say, it's all to do with the magic Kettle Cooked chip. I've talked on here before about the Kettle Cooked Lay's chip. I think it's their most flavorful chip and has a great texture. That thick cut, more flavorful chip, stands up well to the shock seasoning in this bag. ALSO, I don't think that the Wasabi flavor was actually cranked up that high. It was almost like a modest version of what I had in my head. The Wasabi just kind of sneaks onto your palate after you've swallowed the chip. I'm guessing the real shock comes from Horseradish which is listed in the ingredients, and I am NOT a fan of that stuff. One of my friends who had it with me said she didn't feel like it was spicy at all. And she eats her sushi with Wasabi regularly, so it may have just been my being a big baby. BUT since this is my blog, it really just matters how I felt. The star of this bag is really the soy sauce. It added the right seasoning to the chip to make the heat and shock bearable. I've had bags before that made me stop eating after 1 chip... and this was not even close. I ate out of this bag, heat and all, for another few minutes. It's actually not too far from what Lay's already offer in their Jalapeno Kettle Cooked Chips.

If you are a fan of spice, don't look past this bag because it isn't Sriracha. As someone who NEVER thought they would like it, I really think Lay's did an awesome job with this bag. It made me a believer. Try it now before it disappears! And let us know in the comments what you think!