NEW YORK—It’s a corporate promotion with a lot of heart—and dirt. Lay’s potato chips unveiled on Monday a mobile greenhouse that will distribute plants to community gardens across the country with stops in Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Dallas.
The “Lay’s Mobile Farm” kicked off its tour in Times Square on Monday.
Visitors to the 70-foot-long and 14-foot-high traveling greenhouse will have an opportunity to interact firsthand with plants and meet a Lay’s potato farmer.
Lay’s is part of the American company PepsiCo, which is based in Purchase, N.Y. More than 80 farms from 27 states across the country grow the potatoes that become Lay’s potato chips. In 2009 alone the brand used more than 2.5 billion pounds of potatoes from these farmers. In addition, Lay’s potato chips are made in 18 states at Frito-Lay facilities stretching from the East to West Coast and Frito-Lay employs more than 45,000 people in all 50 states.
“We are extremely grateful for the relationships we have with the farmers and communities that have built the Lay’s brand into a success over the years,” said Justin Lambeth, vice president, marketing for Frito-Lay.
On its trip, the mobile green house will provide more than 50 potato, tomato, onion, pepper, and basil plants to nonprofit groups that are creating and maintaining community gardens.
