Frito-Lay Takes Steps To Lighten Up

Frito-Lay Inc. is trying to bolster its bottom line without expanding yours.

The maker of couch-potato classics like Chee-tos and Doritos said Tuesday it will spend more than $225 million this year to expand its offerings of low-fat munchies. The company will build 15 additional manufacturing lines this year and expand three existing facilities.

Frity-Lay said it expects the low-fat segment to rise from $500 million in retail sales, or 10 percent of FritoLay’s 1994 sales, to one-third of its business - $2 billion in retail sales - by 1998.