It was a Super Bowl commercial with a story, and one that sprouted from a real potato grower in Wisconsin. Frito Lay and PepsiCo helped put the spotlight on agriculture Super Bowl Sunday, while also celebrating real farmers.
“There’s a lot of pride that goes into growing anything in agriculture, says Jeremie Pavelski, a farmer in Hancock, Wis., which is located in the central part of the state.
Pavelski is a fifth-generation farmer. The potatoes Pavelski produces go to Lay’s, and it’s something his family has done for 71 years.
“Most of our potatoes are going there specialized for going into potato chips, which is fairly unique,” he says.
The Super Bowl commercial that aired on Sunday was inspired by Pavelski’s story, after he hosted a farm tour for Frito Lay one day.
“They thought that was a great story that needed to be shared, and we weren’t expecting it to be shared on the big stage,” says Pavelski. “But it it was, and it’s a very emotional, very touching commercial. And it’s very rewarding, especially to be working with such great partners.”
The group was especially touched by Pavelski’s 7-year-old daughter, who is passionate abut the potatoes her family produces.
“Seeing my daughter’s eyes light up when she is going out in the middle of the field and teaching her friends where food comes from. And seeing her when she’s got her boots on, splashing around in the mud...and the joy, the delight on her face when she opens a bag of Lay’s and says, ‘I helped grow this’ along with our team, that is one of the most honestly inspirational things,” he says.
Pavelski’s daughter wasn’t the girl who actually appeared in the commercial, but it’s her story that helped the team at Frito Lay dream up an extremely touching commercial, while also helping bring light to the fact those Lay’s potato chips are grown by real farmers on real farms, like Pavelski’s.
“You can see what it took, years of hard work to do and years of learning, whether it’s from the growing side of things or from our daughter and just seeing what ends up becoming of this, and how it can really bring joy to a lot of people. I get a little choked up here, almost brings a tear to my eye,” he says.
One little potato with one big dream was the theme of the commercial. It was also a nod to U.S. family farmers all across the country — families who are the foundation of the food that fuels us all.
Pavelski was named a Top Producer of the Year finalist in 2018. You can read his story here.
