Frito$-$Lay was extremely successful when it launched its SUNCHIPS $$ multigrain snacks in $1991.$ It was introduced to catch the rising interest in food made with healthy, organic, and natural ingredients. I am still a sucker for the marketing of this chip, which is not healthy or organic $($although the ingredients all seem natural$).$ In the past, there were nine different flavors of Sun Chips, including two sweet "Morning Mix" flavors and two "Six$-$Grain" varieties. Currently, though, they are down six flavors, including two that are called SUNCHIPS Veggie Harvest flavors, to serve customers with varying taste preferences.

While Frito$-$Lay often manages the distribution of its snacks directly to large retail chain stores, it also uses other channel arrangements. Many smaller retail outlets, such as convenience stores and smaller grocery stores, place orders for snacks and peverages through a separate wholesaler, Thayer Distribution, which purchases directly from manufacturers, including Kraft, Frito$-$Lay, and PepsiCo, among others. Thayer purchases large pallets of snacks and beverages from the manufacturers, stores hem in their warehouses located around the country $($closer to many retailers than the manufacturers' facilities$),$ and then elivers the orders to its customers in the quantities and assortments that are best suited to the retailers' needs. Thayer also elps store and distribute seasonal items very effectively $($e$.$g$.,$ holiday$-$themed snacks$)$