No one can eat just one!

At last, finally, Thank god….. I squeezed out a part of day to write something for myself and the world to see. This is part of my daily activity in my college right now. It was so rare initially, and then became occasional and now it has become quite regular. Well… If you still are wondering about what I am speaking, it is about Lay’s chips. I remember when I was in 3rd std, when we went to Kodaikanal. That was a wonderful day! The first time I ate Uncle Chips (or at least that is the time I remember eating it for the first time). It was spicy, yummy and hot. The best snack on a cold terrain. It was a specialty item for everyone. Buy a packet or two and share it with 5-6 people happily. I do not even remember seeing the packet on the plains. As time went by, it was getting widely available down the hill and still it was an occasional snack because it was considered to have high calories, packaged food and an easiest way to become fat. Yeah! We all tried avoiding it listening to parents’ words. I was too obedient to offend. Once in a while it was actually good to eat and it had importance. But off late, in my college canteen, it is the most sold item because everybody has at least a packet of Lay’s 5Re packet on an average every day. Unbelievable isn’t it? Yeah and am one among the crowd. We have Lay’s not because it is yummy and tasty anymore. That perception of Lay’s exists no more because it is readily available in plenty. If you ask me why I am consuming it every day? I would say – it acts as a substitute for the tasteless food I get in hostel or canteen. If I have my rice with Lay’s I feel satisfied that I am eating something tastier than my own food. It is just for the sake of completion of my lunch :). And I do not care about the calories or anything because that is the only palatable food we get.

Started in 1938, it has come a long way down in the market. What makes Lays still go up the ladder in the Growth stage and not reaching its maturity? It is just potato chips with various condiments on it? When people in India especially have got so many cheaper substitutes, Lay’s still remain the best selling brand. The tweens’ market is growing exponentially. It is just a 5 Re investment well within the pocket money they get. That is the convenience of small packets. People complain on the quantity (I do) yet consume everyday. It is almost a monopoly in places like colleges where you do not get unbranded snacks or smaller sized packets. That is one of the strategies which makes Lays tick.