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Herr's Heinz Ketchup-Flavored Potato Chips
OFFICIAL SNACK REPORT
Sanctioned By WASAW
Snack Committee
Reviewed By: Paddy O'Poppycock Location: Main Street Deli - Irvington, NY OFFICIAL NAME OF SNACK: PRICE: $0.99 DESCRIPTION OF SNACK: SSI RATING (SNACK SATISFACTION INDEX - 1-10): 6.4 |
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UPSIDE:
For the price, you get yourself a healthy serving of chips. Well okay, not healthy in the traditional/accurate sense
of the word, but you get a nice-sized portion.
Most importantly, however, the Heinz ketchup flavor actually tastes like ketchup. Well, for the first 4-5 seconds, then it suddenly changes
to a barbecue flavor. But who pays attention after the first 4-5 seconds, anyway?
DOWNSIDE:
I do. We all do. It's a little odd that something can go from one flavor to the next inside your mouth without someone pressing a button or having David Blaine tap you on the shoulder with his magical aura.
Ketchup as a topping is relatively new here in the States, but somewhat popular with some folks in the UK and other areas of the country who have been spared David Blaine. So for them, this may be the perfect chip. Or crisp. For me, I gave it points for originality and value, and subtracted points for in-mouth wizardry.
PACKAGING:
Red. Very red. It screams ketchup. It's the Sissy-Spacek-in-Carrie of potato chip bags.
That said, the center image showing the Heinz logo (well integrated, kudos), a Heinz ketchup container, five potato chips, a small bowl of ketchup, and a serving of french fries (?), are all well positioned on the bag. And of course, the "Made from nature's finest Potatoes" call-out at bottom-right gives authority to the chip. Even though Herr's has taken those fine potatoes and doused them in ketchup fairy dust flavoring...a brilliant or insane action depending on your level of love for ketchup.
DO YOU RECOMMEND THIS SNACK? (YES/NO - EXPLAIN):
Much the same way that I recommended The Crying Game to a handful of friends back in the early 1990s. I do so only to those I know would be interested in this very particular type of snack. And even then, I would disclose that Harry Potter must have something to do with the flavor metamorphisis.
When I first identified that the flavor went from strong ketchup to strong BBQ flavor - this, again, 4-5 seconds into my first chip - I thought I was crazy. So I sampled a number of other chips, then consulted a co-worker who had also recently tried this same snack. He confirmed that this, too, had happened to him.
Now, it's interesting to note that during my "research phase" - whereby I sample the snack on more than one occasion to remove such variables as hunger, time of day, an especially good or bad sample, etc. - I found myself having just eaten my first chip during a second eating session when my wife wandered by and wanted a kiss. As I have trouble denying my wife this sign of affection, I obliged. And there may have been tongue. Despite the fact I had eaten only ONE chip, and that I had eaten it approximately five minutes before said kiss took place, she could clearly taste the ketchup. That's right - ketchup, not barbecue sauce. And she reported to smell ketchup on my breath, as well - not barbecue sauce. Interesting. I think we have a mystery on our hands the like of the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, or David Blaine's massive appeal in the U.S.
