Doritos Dinamita ad

Source: PepsiCo

Doritos Dinamita launched in India in October, backed by a national TV ad campaign

PepsiCo appears to be eyeing a UK launch for its spicy Doritos spin-off Dinamita. 

It has applied to register a logo featuring the brand name as a trademark with the Intellectual Property Office under class 29, covering potato crisps, and class 30, accounting for corn chips and tortilla chips. 

The spicy, taquito-style tortilla chips made their US debut in 2012, initially launching in Chile Limon and Nacho Picoso variants. 

Speaking at the time of the launch, then-VP of marketing for Frito-Lay Ram Krishnan said: “We wanted to transform the bold taste of Doritos tortilla chips into a snack that captures the exciting essence of Hispanic snack foods through the shape and flavours you would find in Latin American cuisine.”

Nacho Picoso has since been discontinued in the US, but a limited-edition Flamin’ Hot Queso variant hit the market in 2021. 

In October 2023, Doritos Dinamita entered the Indian market, debuting with Fiery Lime & Chilli and Sizzlin’ Hot variants, which were specially adapted for Indian shoppers’ palates, according to PepsiCo. 

The launch was backed by a national TV ad campaign, which depicted a group of stranded campers who attract the attention of a passing helicopter with the help of Dinamita snacks.

One member of the group tucks into the chips, which creates an explosion, resulting in a huge plume of purple smoke.

PepsiCo declined to comment on the trademark activity when approached by The Grocer.

However, Doritos Dinamita chips are similar in appearance to those made by viral Mexican brand Takis, which has had a strong year in UK grocery.

Takis debuted its taquito-style corn snacks back in 1999 and brought them to the US market in 2006, where they have become popular over the past two decades.

@sosweetshopuk Reply to @charli_has_no_talent615 Dan can’t handle Takis🥵🤣 #takis #takisfuego #takischallenge #spicy ♬ original sound - SoSweet

The brand’s Fuego variant – flavoured with chilli and lime – finally reached UK shelves in 2021, backed by a £1m push from owner Grupo Bimbo.

After becoming a viral hit among youngsters on TikTok, Takis almost doubled its value this year, cashing in an additional £5.3m on volumes up 51.9%, according to NIQ data [52 w/e 9 September 2023].