Lay's Classic Salted potato chips

Lay's is one of the world's most iconic snack brands, with a history dating back to 1932 when Herman Lay began selling potato chips from his car in Nashville, Tennessee. After acquiring a manufacturing plant in 1938, he formed H.W. Lay & Company. The brand reached global prominence following its 1961 merger with the Frito Company and its subsequent 1965 merger with the Pepsi-Cola Company to form PepsiCo.

As of 2026, Lay's remains a flagship brand under PepsiCo's global snack portfolio. The production of Lay's chips is highly decentralized to ensure freshness and support local economies; the company operates over 56 manufacturing facilities worldwide and sources potatoes from more than 60 countries. In the United States and Canada, products are typically produced in various regional Frito-Lay plants using locally grown potatoes. Internationally, the product is manufactured in the markets where it is sold, though it may occasionally be marketed under different local brand names like Walkers in the UK or Smith's in Australia.