Doritos Cool Ranch Zero Gravity Chips blast off into uncharted snack territory

For anyone living on the Space Coast, the reality of rockets blasting off into space is an almost daily occurrence. While that shake might be more familiar than starting, the reality is that the willingness to traverse into the unknown has been accepted. For those people who prefer to keep their feet more firmly on the ground, the Doritos Cool Ranch Zero Gravity Chips offer a taste of that celestial exploration without having to blast off from their chair.

Food innovation is a popular topic. Everyone wants to be the first one to taste a new flavor, try a new texture, or otherwise delve into some type of culinary creative offering.

In just the past few years, brands have fully embraced global flavors. While there will always be a prime spot for the classics, new, innovative offerings sit side by side with those favorites.

Additionally, food brands have used technology to innovate their offerings. Special packaging, ingredients, and even farming have changed how food tastes and is presented.

The new Doritos Cool Ranch Zero Gravity Chips bring together the interest in space exploration and add a dash for food innovation. Even though most people will never feel what it is like to float above the Earth, they can feel connected to that celestial experience one chip at a time.

This first ever space chip is more than just a snack. The concept is centered around raising awareness for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Polaris Dawn Mission. Sometimes dreaming big and changing the perspective can create meaningful change for those who need it the most.

Speaking about this new snack offering, Tina Mahal, senior vice president of marketing at PepsiCo Foods North America. "With every new Doritos innovation, we hope to encourage snackers to pave new paths. The Cool Ranch Zero Gravity chips embrace what it means to live life boldly by pioneering a creative way to raise awareness for such an important cause."

While the snack concept pushed the culinary team to see what is possible, the reality is that space food is going to be a necessity. There are “space farmers” at NASA. Those items might not necessarily be hitting store shelves tomorrow, but the innovation of food in space has made many common conveniences possible. Where would we all be without a microwave?

To be clear, the flavor of these chips are not necessarily that different from the traditional Doritos. As astronauts have said previously, taste buds tend to be muted in space (similar to flying on a plane), so there could be a little extra flavors.

While PepsiCo stays that they are formulated to keep the “zesty Cool Ranch flavor from floating away,” no one has to worry about their snack levitating from the table. Those classic minis capture what people want from Doritos, whether eaten one at a time or by the handful.

To be clear, these Doritos Cool Ranch Zero Gravity Chips are not available in stores. For an opportunity to obtain a bag, visit  StJude.org/DoritosInSpace for more information on how to potentially snag some snacks. The website will be open no earlier than August 26. It will open when the mission blasts off.