The snap of a Doritos chip, the kick to a Hot Cheeto and the airiness of a Quaker rice cake are the result of rigorous testing — and, chances are, your favorite Frito-Lay snack has a North Texas connection.

Why it matters: Pepsico, the Frito-Lay parent company, has 19 research and development hubs globally.

• One of the hubs is in Plano, where chefs and thousands of taste testers — along with a smaller pool of super-tasters — develop, test and finalize snack flavors before they go into production.

The big picture: PepsiCo regularly updates its snack lineup to meet consumers' changing expectations. Fiber popcorn, protein Doritos and Simply NKD chips are among the newest arrivals.

• Axios got an exclusive tour of the newly renovated Plano R&D center to learn how the company's snacks go from idea to shelves.

Vibe check: The center spans just under 190,000 square feet. It includes a fully stocked test kitchen and over a dozen chefs specializing in food science, nutrition and food service.

• There's also an onsite packaging lab, greenhouse and a red light room that makes it hard to discern between two products based on color alone.

Reality check: Adding protein to chips and other consumer favorites takes extra effort, making sure the product hits the right amount to earn its FDA label and tastes good.

Fun fact: The cream colored NKD Hot Cheetos are spicier than the red-colored original, and that's deliberate.

• "You eat with your eyes first," says Alex Tipton, the R&D director of PepsiCo's North America Foods division.
• "When you see this stuff, you've already made a lot of decisions the second that you see it. That's why for the NKD Flamin' Hot, it was a conscious decision to give that spice a little bit more of a bump," Tipton says.

What's next: PepsiCo is transitioning to natural pigments and more sustainable packaging.

PepsiCo's chefs often travel the world in search of new flavors.

• The Golden Sriracha Doritos were inspired by one chef's Thai heritage. The Mexican Street Corn Cheetos were inspired by a trip to the Mexican city of Puebla.

The big picture: "Chips are a really great way for consumers to learn about a new flavor, new region without committing to making reservations at restaurants or making a trip there," PepsiCo research chef Steven Dominguez, who is based in Plano, tells Axios.

How it works: The company's chefs make an actual dish emulating their desired flavor and work with taste testers to refine it. Seasoning experts help translate the final flavor profile into a snack.

Zoom in: The Golden Sriracha Doritos' full recipe is a secret, but Dominguez showed us how the sauce behind it was made.

• The process includes pounding garlic and shallots with a mortar and pestle for 20 minutes — because that's how the chef who developed the recipe did it.
• "Doritos is known for bold flavors. Our consumers are people who are late night eaters, experimental eaters. ... What that allows us to do is to really be creative in the ingredients and flavors," Dominguez says.

Reality check: Launching a new flavor can take 18-24 months given all of the iterations that go into flavoring and packaging.

• Lay's recently launched three limited-time World Cup flavors for its U.S. market: Argentinian‑style steak with chimichurri, Brazilian‑style garlic sauce and French onion soup.

The bottom line: "We want to be grounded by consumers," Dominguez says.

• "At least once a week, we're bringing in consumers to taste and test our products, to test our hypothesis, to test where we think the food is going."

⚖️ 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony's trial began yesterday in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco track meet last year. The judge has set strict rules for reporters and other visitors at the courthouse. (WFAA)

🎬 South Dallas' historic Forest Theater will reopen in November with a 1,000-seat concert hall, coffee shop, theater and terrace. (NBC5)

👀 Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Denton in an effort to stop a Pride month swim event from offering gender-neutral changing rooms. (Denton Record-Chronicle)

If you missed the "Love Island USA" hype last summer, this is your chance to redeem yourself. Season 8 premieres today.

Why it matters: Hot people spend over a month in a villa, coupling up with potential love interests and competing in the weirdest challenges. What could possibly go wrong?

How it works: The show premieres at 8pm today on Peacock, with new episodes every day this week. Starting next week, the show will air five days a week along with a recap show on Saturdays.

Here are some watch parties in North Texas...

• Little Woodrow's: Premiere watch parties at its Frisco and Fort Worth locations starting at 7pm today.
• Sip themed cocktails and catch the bombshells on a jumbo screen at Texas Live!'s premiere party, which starts at 8pm.
• Eight 11 Place in Frisco will host outdoor watch parties every Tuesday. You'll need to make a reservation before going.
• East Side Denton's parties start at 9pm. The bar will stream the show twice this week, then Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays the rest of the month.
• Saddlerock Wine & Beer Co. in Fort Worth will stream the show on Sundays. Free admission on the lawn, or you can get $26 tickets with reserved couch seating and wine.