If you read Snackology for sports coverage, well, I have some questions about how you wound up following this newsletter. But you’re weirdly in luck, since for the second week in a row, I have a snack review that’s related to this summer’s World Cup.
Lay’s plans to “bring fans together through experiences rooted in global cuisine” features a total of 40 limited edition flavors. Most of these flavors will be exclusive to specific regions, with the United States getting Lay’s Argentinian‑Style Steak with Chimichurri, Lay’s Brazilian‑Style Garlic Sauce and Lay’s Wavy French Onion Soup.
For the international Snackology readers, you can also look for fun flavors that I’m super jealous of like Lay’s Canadian Maple Caramel, Lay’s English Bangers and Mash and Lay’s Mexican Tacos. I would totally crack open my final can of Pepsi Maple Cola to pair with Lay’s Canadian Maple Caramel.
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What they cost
I haven’t seen an official price yet for these flavors, but I’d expect them to be in line with the normal price of a bag of Lay’s chips when they hit stores, the TikTok Shop and snacks.com in early May.
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With Lay’s promising (threatening?) that the Argentinian-Style Steak with Chimichurri chips would have “a rich, steak taste blended with cilantro, lemon, basil, bay, thyme, oregano, parsley and garlic,” I fully expected something along the lines of the Pringles flavors that impressively mimicked different burgers from Wendy’s.
Lay’s take on a meaty chip is much more nuanced. I actually didn’t get much of a “steak taste,” but the seasoning really shines though. The cilantro pops right away. On pure strength of flavor alone, Lay’s Argentinian‑Style Steak with Chimichurri are the bag in this lineup that I found myself coming back to over and over again.
From the second I opened the bag of Brazilian-Style Garlic Sauce potato chips, I was hit with BUTTER. Yes, there’s garlic. And, yes, there’s a bit of lemon tanginess in there somewhere, but the butter element of this flavor is by far the taste and smell that you’re going to get hit with when you dive into the bag.
The French Onion Soup flavor was the one I was most looking forward to for this taste test. First, it’s the only Wavy entry in the batch of flavors that we got in North America. I’m not sure how Lay’s chose to make French Onion Soup in Wavy style, but I’m thrilled they did. I’ll pick a Lay’s Wavy chip over a traditional Lay’s chip every day. (I’m still trying to figure out the legal differences between Lay’s Wavy and Ruffles, though.)
Second, the promise of the delicious warmth of a bowl of French Onion Soup in chip form was super enticing. I love a sour cream and onion potato chip. A French Onion Soup chip would have to be the next evolution of that flavor.
Lay’s Wavy French Onion Soup chips are rich in a way that you’ll want to keep eating them. The savory flavors are balanced just right, leading to a chip that doesn’t have an overpowering element like the butter flavor is with Lay’s Brazilian‑Style Garlic Sauce. I’m finishing my bag of these chips once I’m done with Lay’s Argentinian‑Style Steak with Chimichurri.
Lay’s Argentinian‑Style Steak with Chimichurri, Lay’s Brazilian‑Style Garlic Sauce and Lay’s Wavy French Onion Soup were provided to Snackology for this independent review.
Snackology is a publication of The Omnicosm.
Issue No. 209
Snackology is written and produced by Bill Kuchman. Copyediting by Tim Kuchman.
The Omnicosm founder. Snackology, Popculturology and The Cold Open writer. A Rochester, N.Y., native now living in the Washington, D.C., area. Won’t pass up a Genny Cream Ale.
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