PLANO, Texas, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SunChips, Frito-Lay's multigrain snack brand, today presented the Mayor of Galveston with a check for $1 million to kick off the city's Seawall revitalization program. The ceremony was part of the city's commemoration of the one year anniversary of Hurricane Ike, which devastated Galveston on September 13, 2008. The SunChips donation will be used to create an environmentally friendly park on the Galveston Seawall. This is the first major project being started by the Galveston Long Term Recovery Committee. Frito-Lay is a division of PepsiCo.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090909/DA73002)

The Galveston Seawall is a 10-mile national historic engineering landmark that protects the island from the ravages of the sea. Rebuilding and enhancing the Seawall is a key element in the city's recovery as it serves as a major driver for tourism.

"Galveston has come a long way in the 12 months since Hurricane Ike. Thanks to the $1 million donation from SunChips and the support of Kroger, we are rebuilding Galveston back better, more beautiful and more environmentally friendly, something all Islanders can take pride in," stated Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas.

Starting in August, the SunChips brand worked with Kroger to help engage SunChips consumers. A portion of the proceeds from purchased bags are being donated to fund the park project along the Galveston Seawall.

"Today's ceremony demonstrates the power of teamwork. The SunChips team and Kroger engaged consumers to help be part of the Galveston revitalization," said Gannon Jones, vice president, portfolio marketing, Frito-Lay North America. "The city of Galveston will be able to start on their journey to the Seawall's recovery because our SunChips consumers wanted to make a difference in this community."

The newly revitalized park at Fort Crockett on Seawall Blvd will include solar-powered lighting, landscaping with native plants, education on preserving the Galveston eco-system, shade refuge, new bike racks and seating, and where possible, will use recycled/renewable materials.

"We are excited to be a partner in the sustainable redevelopment of the Galveston Seawall. Kroger is committed to the local communities where our stores are located and our associates reside," said Bill Breetz, Southwest Division President, The Kroger Co. "I am proud of our store teams for their leadership in the time of crisis and pleased to give back through our partnership with SunChips to rebuild Galveston."

The Galveston revitalization program is another small step in the SunChips brand's sustainability journey. The brand recently helped rebuild Greensburg, Kan., after a devastating tornado destroyed nearly all of the community in 2007, by sponsoring the construction of a business incubator to help the town's economic infrastructure. The incubator was built using a variety of sustainable elements like solar panels to help minimize its environmental footprint.

Recently, the SunChips brand teamed with National Geographic on the "Green Effect" initiative to encourage consumers to take their own small steps toward helping the planet. Also this year, the SunChips brand announced that in 2010, it plans to introduce the first fully compostable snack chip bag of its kind made from plant-based renewable materials.

SunChips multigrain snacks, originally introduced in 1991, contain a full serving of whole grains, 0 grams of trans fats, and are made with sunflower oil. SunChips snacks, available in Original, Harvest Cheddar, French Onion, Garden Salsa and Peppercorn Ranch flavors, provide 18 grams of whole grains per one ounce serving from a blend of corn, oats and wheat.

Frito-Lay North America is the $12 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, www.fritolay.com, and the Snack Chat blog, www.snacks.com. PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 18 different product lines that each generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses - Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade - also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in over 200 countries. With more than $43 billion in 2008 revenues, PepsiCo employs 198,000 people who are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.pepsico.com.

SOURCE Frito-Lay

SOURCE: Frito-Lay

Web site: http://www.fritolay.com/