May 3, 2012

PLANO, Texas, May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the introduction of Tostitos Thins tortilla chips, the latest addition to the Tostitos family, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division today kicked off a partnership with entertaining expert Courtney Dial-Whitmore for a new online resource -- Tostitos Fiesta 411 -- for planning and creating perfect at-home cantina-style parties, complete with the perfect snacks. Available exclusively at Target stores nationwide for a limited time, Tostitos Thins tortilla chips are lighter textured and thinner than regular Tostitos tortilla chips, and bring an authentic cantina experience to the comfort of home in two flavors, Lime & Salt and TexMex.

"Tostitos Fiesta 411," which comes to life as a dedicated tab on the Frito-Lay Facebook page, is a festive, online resource where hosts and hostesses can access a range of exclusive, summertime party-planning ideas right at their fingertips. Dial-Whitmore, founder of the popular entertaining website Pizzazzerie.com, will help fans create their own stylish, personalized fiestas — complete with cantina-inspired cocktails, crowd-pleasing appetizers and festive decor and party favors – perfect pairings with Tostitos Thins tortilla chips.

"Tostitos knows how to party, so bringing the brand's social flare together with an expert like Courtney Dial-Whitmore is the perfect way to prepare for a fun-filled summer," said Christina Menendez, senior director of marketing, Frito-Lay North America. "Combining expert party pointers with our new Tostitos Thins chips is a sure way to bring the fiesta home."

The debut of the party-planning tool is timed with the introduction of the new Tostitos Thins tortilla chips, which are made from corn that is stone-ground for a light and crispy texture and then lightly dusted with special seasonings to create the two flavors. Tostitos Thins tortilla chips are now available exclusively at Target stores nationwide through mid-July. While their authentic flavors can stand on their own, they are perfect for pairing with party beverages, as well as dips and appetizers.

"Party season is now upon us, so I was thrilled to join forces with Tostitos to kick off the fiesta in a way that is easy and fun," said Courtney Dial-Whitmore. "Entertaining is my passion, and I know the same can be said for Tostitos, so it was a natural partnership I hope everybody enjoys."

The Tostitos Fiesta 411 Facebook tab is available at www.facebook.com/FritoLay.

About Tostitos

The Tostitos brand is one of the many brands that make up Frito-Lay North America, the $13 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY.  In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo business units include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/fritolay.  

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales each. Our main businesses -- Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Pepsi Cola -- also make hundreds of other enjoyable and wholesome foods and beverages that are respected household names throughout the world. With net revenues of approximately $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment, including by conserving energy and water usage, and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support, and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

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SOURCE Frito-Lay North America