Snacks and soft drinks giant PepsiCo has announced its agreement, pending government approval, to purchase Stacy’s Pita Chip Company, the top-selling maker of pita chips with sales approaching $60m this year.
Stacy’s, which will continue to be based in Randolph, Massachusetts, with more than 100 employees, is planned to operate as a separate unit and report to Frito-Lay North America chairman and chief executive officer Irene Rosenfeld.
Stacy’s is an all-natural snack company with strong growth potential that supports Frito-Lay’s desire to participate more broadly in the $90bn macrosnack category. It compliments the company’s growing portfolio of healthier snack options.
Stacy’s pita chips are distributed nationwide and have become the sales leader in the rapidly growing pita chip category. The company’s pita chips come in five flavours and qualify for PepsiCo’s Smart Spot, a symbol on select products to make shopping easier for families looking for healthier snack and beverage choices. Stacy’s pita chips are baked, all natural and have no cholesterol or trans fats. Like Frito-Lay, Stacy’s offers snack chips without trans fats and includes trans fat information on its packaging.
“I am delighted to welcome Stacy’s employees to the Frito-Lay family. Stacy’s has enjoyed tremendous success since it was founded nine years ago,” said Irene Rosenfeld, Frito-Lay chairman and CEO. “Stacy’s enables Frito-Lay to be a leader in the pita chips category, while supporting our plans to expand our snack offerings to meet consumers’ changing needs and lifestyles. Stacy’s has created a unique entrepreneurial identity, which has been instrumental to its success, and we plan to preserve that identity, while providing access to Frito-Lay’s resources.”
