Pringles is a brand of potato chip snack produced by Procter & Gamble. It was introduced in 1968. According to the patent, it was invented by Alexander Liepa of Montgomery, Ohio (a suburb of Cincinnati) and comprises "A potato chip product and process wherein a dough is prepared from dehydrated cooked potatoes and water and subsequently fried." The advertising slogan of Pringles is "Once you pop, you can't stop. Prrringles..."
Pringles is known for the packaging, which consists of an upright tubular can with a foil interior, and a resealable, plastic lid; it also has a famous logo, a stylized representation of a man with a large moustache. The chips are made to a uniform size and saddle shape, so they stack very efficiently within the container, unlike other chips, which are packaged loosely in a bag (typically) or a box.
Pringles comes in several flavors and occasionally the manufacturer produces limited edition runs. The product containers are often, but not always, labeled as such. Some flavors may be distributed only to limited market areas. Seasonal flavors, past and present include: katsup, chili cheese dog, and cajun.
Pringles has just released a new test product: Pringles Prints or Pringles with food-coloring printed on them with either trivia questions or jokes in red or blue ink.
Flavors (from the website):
- Original
- Sour Cream & Onion
- Sweet Mesquite BBQ
- Fiery Hot
- Cheezums
- Pizzalicious
- Spicy Cajun
- Salt & Vinegar
- Ranch-Rageous
- White Cheddar
Because of the metallic interior and long, tubular shape, the cans have been used to make Wi-Fi network antennas. Some fans of the chip brand collect the empty holders, which are colorful, uniform, and useful for storing small items.
It is interesting to note that Pringles saddle shape chip surface was modeled after, and can be described mathmatically by, a hyperbolic parabloid, which is a form of quadric equation. This shape is distinctive in that it is curved at all points along its surface; there are no flat planes or lines. This design characteristic is beneficial as it helps keep the chips from breaking during distribution by eliminating lines of stress along which a small crack may easily propagate. Further it keeps the stack of chips tightly interlocked or nested during distribution. Pringles is the only brand of stacked potato chips that exhibit this characteristic double saddle shape; all others are of a single curve surface design such as a parabolic cylinder or circular cylinder.
The product is currently manufactured in North America in Jackson, Tennessee, where the minor league baseball stadium is called "Pringles Park". Pringles are also produced in Europe in Mechelen, Belgium.
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