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Walkers
crisps announces 'Do us a Flavour' finalists
All
six flavours to face the public vote
Walkers,
the nation's favourite crisp company, has announced the six finalists
of its groundbreaking 'Do us a Flavour' campaign. The six final
flavours are: Chilli & Chocolate, Fish & Chips, Onion Bhaji,
Crispy Duck & Hoisin, Cajun Squirrel and Builder's Breakfast.
Each new flavour was chosen by a judging panel fronted by Chef Judge
Heston Blumenthal. It will now be up to the public to vote and decide
which one stays on sale permanently. These exciting flavours will sit
alongside traditional Walkers favourites such as Cheese & Onion,
Prawn Cocktail and Salt & Vinegar until the beginning of May
2009, when the overall winner of the public vote will be announced.
The 'Do us a Flavour' campaign
launched back in July 2008, when Walkers challenged crisp lovers
around the country to invent a brand new flavour of crisp and become
part of British food history. The campaign really fired up the
imagination of the public with the six finalists being chosen from
over one million entries. Chef Heston Blumenthal headed up the
judging panel basing his decision on what flavours he viewed as
original, creative, straightforward and of course delicious! When the
judging panel had multiple entries for the same flavour, they used
the public's inspiration pictures as tie breakers.
Since learning of their win in
November the finalists have been sworn to secrecy. The finalists are
understandably thrilled that their new exciting flavours will be on
sale from today until the beginning of May 2009.
The six finalists are from all
around the UK and have a broad range of inspiration for their
flavour. Chilli & Chocolate by Catherine Veitch from High
Wycombe, Fish & Chips was chosen by Jane Hallam from Sheffield,
Onion Bhaji by Carole Wood from Durham, Buckinghamshire, Crispy Duck
& Hoisin by Victoria Howard from Northwich, Cheshire, Derbyshire
and Cajun Squirrel by Martyn Wright from Hednesford, Staffordshire,
Builder's Breakfast by Emma Rushin from Belper,
It is now up to the British
public to vote for its favourite flavour of crisps. The flavour that
receives the most public votes by 1st May 2009 will remain on sale
and the other five flavours will be discontinued.
The public will be able to vote
for their favourite finalist flavour until the 1st May 2009 via a
free SMS text message, courtesy of O2, or via the Walkers website www.walkers.co.uk.
This bold move will be the first time ever that the UK's most loved
crisp brand has given the public the chance to decide which flavour
it launches next.
Each of the finalists has won
£10,000 and the one overall winner, voted for by the British
public, will pocket the tasty sum of £50,000 plus 1% of future
sales of their winning flavour and their crisp flavour will be on
shelves for the foreseeable future.
Heston Blumenthal, Chief Judge
commented, "The complexities of flavour fascinate me and to
watch the British public get so excited about taste has been
absolutely inspiring. We've had an incredible response and sifting
through the entries has been quite incredible. We feel however that
the six final flavours offer something for everyone from classic
British dishes such as Builders Breakfast and Fish & Chips, to
the more exotic flavours of Onion Bhaji, Chilli & Chocolate,
Crispy Duck & Hoisin and of course Cajun Squirrel. I can't wait
to see which the public choose as their winner!"
James Stillman, Head of Flavour
Development for Walkers and part of the judging panel commented: "The
response to 'Do us a Flavour' has been absolutely overwhelming with
more than 1.2 million people entering their flavour suggestions. The
final flavours embody the criteria we always look for in our new
flavours - they are inventive, exciting and taste great as a crisp.
The inspiration behind the flavours showed us how creative our
finalists are. We urge the British public to vote for their favourite
as this will ultimately depend which flavour will be available for
them to buy in the future."
Catherine Veitch said "Chilli
& Chocolate might sound like a crazy idea for a crisp, but the
combination is actually scrumptious. Spicy heat with a cocoa kick!"
Jane Hallam commented, "Fish
& Chips is one of the most famous national dishes, so I felt
sure that it would be something that could be enjoyed by everyone."
Carole Wood said, "Onion
Bhaji has a delicious, mildly spicy taste and will taste great as a crisp."
Victoria Howard commented, "Crispy
Duck & Hoisin has been a long-time coming - it's a favourite
Chinese dish, so hopefully it will be everyone's favourite crisp too."
Martyn Wright said, "This
gentle Cajun flavouring will be delicious for the public and although
the idea might sound bizarre, it really works. No squirrels were
harmed in the making of these crisps!"
Emma Rushin said of her Builder's
Breakfast creation, "The combination of bacon, buttered
toast, eggs and tomato sauce is mouth-watering and I know it will be
a hit with the British public."
Walkers is one of the nation's
biggest and best loved British brands. Having created delicious
potato crisps for the past 60 years, it is a true flavour innovator!
Now the Great British public has shown that it knows a thing or two
about developing tasty crisps, the question is which one will the
nation vote for as its favourite?
Enam Ali MBE, Chairman of the
Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs, said: "Onion bhaji is a
classic favourite in Indian restaurants across the UK and we're
delighted it has been selected as a finalist. Around 2.5 million
customers eat in curry restaurants every week. If only a quarter of
them order onion bhaji - and I think the real figure is higher than
that - it means that 32 million are eaten each year. That's a big
lobby group. When it comes to the public vote, I reckon it's in the
bag for the onion bhaji crisp."
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