Thanks to Doritos, those looking to combine philanthropy with a taste of the cosmos now have their chance. The brand announced a partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Polaris Dawn mission, launching a new flavor: "DORITOS minis Cool Ranch Zero Gravity." These chips, designed to accommodate zero-gravity conditions in space, will be launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft later this month, Action News 5 reports.
To help raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research, Doritos is donating $500,000 to St. Jude, tying their donation to an inventive campaign that takes snacking to new heights. Astronauts aboard the upcoming space mission will taste these miniaturized treats, and fans on Earth can join the mission by donating for a chance to try the chips, which come in glow-in-the-dark packaging, Food & Wine details.
Doritos' approach to space stackability includes a special oil-based coating on the chips, designed to prevent the iconic cheese dust from floating away in zero-gravity conditions. This innovation, combined with the chip's bite-sized form to avoid crumbly space debris, ensures an Earthly snack experience is replicated even beyond our atmosphere, The New York Post states.
While the zero-gravity snack experience might be the campaign's highlight, it comes with a spectrum of donation-based incentives. According to Food & Wine, a $200 donation could net you a can of novelty chips, whereas a $10,000 donation might score you tickets to the mission's official celebration. In the words of Chris Bellinger, chief creative officer of PepsiCo Foods North America, "The limitless possibilities of space inspired us to push the boundaries of what’s possible," as told to The New York Post.
