The rebrand, Lay’s’ biggest in nearly a century, focuses on the journey from the ground to the shelf. It comes amid a surprising discovery: nearly half (42 percent) of consumers surveyed were unaware that Lay’s chips are made from real potatoes.
To address this perception gap, the brand is putting its origins front and center, introducing visuals celebrating its agricultural heritage and announcing that by the end of 2025, all Lay’s products in the U.S. will be made without artificial colors or flavors.
On Thursday, PepsiCo announced the “largest brand rebrand in Lay’s nearly 100-year history,” shortly after Domino’s revealed its own rebranding plans.
The company said the “new Lay’s visual identity,” which was created by PepsiCo’s design and innovation team, features a “warmer” and more distinct sun.
“Sun rays, or ‘Lay’s Rays,’ beam from the logo, a nod to the light that helps potatoes grow,” the company said. There is also a “refined color palette” that is based off the ingredients of Lay’s recipes, and close-up visuals that highlight the golden color, crisp texture and seasoning of each chip. Lay’s describes the new packaging as letting the “potato itself and rich farm imagery take center stage.”
Now, each bag features close-up photos of rich, golden-hued chips, contrasting with wood textures reminiscent of farm crates and picnic tables. The refreshed color palette borrows from real ingredients – pickle green, hickory brown, and savory red – while a custom typeface ties the entire system together. It’s a visual love letter to the chip’s roots and the people behind them.
Moving beyond cosmetics, Lay’s is revamping the recipes of its core product lines in response to a broader consumer shift toward cleaner ingredients. “Lay’s Baked” chips will now be made with olive oil and contain 50% less fat than regular chips, while “Lay’s Kettle Cooked Reduced Fat Original Sea Salt” will use avocado oil for a lighter crunch.
This sense of authenticity extends to the supply chain. Lay’s says it sources its potatoes from more than 100 family farms in North America and partners with growers in more than 60 countries around the world.
With its farm-to-bag message and modernized packaging, Lay’s isn’t trying to reinvent potato chips, but rather reminding everyone why they were worth craving in the first place.
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