Regional Potato Chip Makers of the USA (past and present)

Source: greatlakespotatochips.com

 

Who doesn’t love potato chips? They are a staple of many lunches, dinners, and snacks. While there are some behemoth potato chip companies such as Frito-Lay and Pringles, fortunately there remain a number of local and regional producers.

Here’s a list of them, the city where they were founded, and years of operation. Like so many industries, there has been consolidation and some departures. Two regional players have grown to such an extent, mostly through acquisitions, that many might consider them national too – Snyder’s-Lance and Utz.

Source: virginia.org

Based on these producers, the epicenters of potato chip production include the following regions:

• Southeast Pennsylvania: 9-10 companies depending on where you draw the line
• Southeast Michigan: 6 companies
• Northern Illinois: 5 companies
• Southern California and Colorado Front Range: 4 companies

Those that are shown in italics have been sampled by the author. To date, my favorite chips are produced by Great Lakes Potato Chips, though there are many left to taste.

Source: etsy.com

My favorite potato chip brand names in alphabetical order are:

• Barrel O’ Fun
• Better Made
• Broad Ripple
• Dan Dee
• De-Lish-Us
• Snapz
• Tri-Sum

Source: trisum.com

If you know of any overlooked it missing potato chip makers, past or present, please pass the info along for inclusion. Enjoy!

• Alaska – Anchorage, AK (2003-present)
• Amazing – Indianapolis, IN (1993-present)
• Art & Mary’s – Cheney, KS (unknown-present)
• Atebara/Hawaiian Island Gourmet – Hilo, HI (1936-present)
• Bachman – Reading (Wyomissing), PA – division of Utz since 2013
• Backer’s – Fulton MO (1931-present)
• Ballreich’s – Tiffin, OH (1920-present)
• Barrel O’Fun – Canton (Massillon), OH – division of Shearer’s Foods since 2016
• Better Made – Detroit, MI (1930-present)
• Bickel’s – York (Hanover), PA (1950s-present)- division of Hanover Foods since 1998
• Blair’s – Jersey Shore, NJ (1989-present)
• Bob’s Texas Style – Phoenix, AZ (1983-present) – division of Utz since 2017
• Bop’s – Hornell, NY (2001-present)
• Boulder Canyon – Boulder, CO (1994) – now part of Utz
• Brim’s – Memphis (Bartlett), TN (1979-present)
• Broad Ripple – Indianapolis, IN (2013-present)
• Brother Kane – Atlanta, GA (unknown-2014)
• California – Oxnard, CA (2000-2018)
• Cape Cod – Hyannis, MA (1980-present) division of Snyder’s-Lance since 1999
• Carolina Kettle – Raleigh, NC (2017-present)
• Cawley’s Potato Chips/Tater Flakes- Scottsbluff, NE (1921-1983) – Thank you, Mark!
• Charles – Baltimore, MD though originally from Lancaster, PA (1942-present)
• Chickadee Potato Chips – Whately MA (Late 1960s-1973) – Thank you, John!
• Chip Peddler – Durango, CO – current status unknown – was struck by a vehicle in 2016
• Classic – San Francisco, CA (1923-2017?)
• Clover Club – Salt Lake City (Clearfield), UT (1938-present) division of Tyson Foods since 2013
• Conn’s – Zanesville, OH (1935-present)
• Dakota Style – Clark, SD (1985-present)
• Dan Dee – Cleveland, OH – originated in Braddock, PA (1913-present) division of Hanover Foods since 2008
• Deep River – New London (Old Lyme), CT (2001-present)
• De-Lish-Us – Waupaca, WI (1932-present)
• Denver Chip Company (2017-present) – Thank you, Markmcsw! Interestingly, started by the sons of the founder of Broad Ripple Chip Co. in Indianapolis – like Peyton Manning, they headed west.
• Detroit Friends – Detroit, MI (2014-present)
• Dieffenbach’s – Reading (Wormelsdorf), PA (1964-present)
• Diego’s – Centennial, CO (1970s-present)
• Dirty – Memphis, TN (1987-present) now a division of Utz
• Doctor Dredd’s – Washington (Glen Echo), MD (status unknown)
• Door County – Green Bay (Sister Bay), WI
• Downey’s – Detroit (Waterford), MI (1984-present)
• Fox Family – Houlton-Presque Isle (Blaine), ME (1990s-present)
• Garden of Eatin’ – Boulder, CO (1970s-present)
• Gibble’s – Hagerstown (Greencastle), PA (1959-2013, 2014-present)
• Glenny’s – Freeport, NY (unknown-2017?)
• Golden Flake – Birmingham, AL (1923- present)
• Golden Fluff – Lakewood, NJ (pre-2001-present)
• Good’s – Reading (Adamstown), PA (1886-present)
• Great Lakes – Traverse City (Williamsburg), MI (2010-present)
• Grippo’s – Cincinnati, OH (1919-present)
• Guy’s – Overland Park, KS (1938-present)
• Hartley’s – Lewistown, PA (1935-present)
• Herr’s – Philadelphia (Nottingham), PA (1946-present)
• Humpty Dumpty – Scarborough ME (1947) – Sold and now headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba – Thank you, John!
• Hunt’s – Braintree, MA (1919-1983) – Thank you, Jack!
• Husman’s – (1919-present) Peoria, IL – a division of Pinnacle Food Group since 2009
• Jackson’s Honest – Crested Butte, CO (2012-present)
• Jay’s – Chicago, IL (1927-present)
• Joe Chips – Newark (Upper Montclair), NJ (unknown-present)
• Jones’ – Mansfield, OH (1945-present)
• Jr. Taters – Findlay, PH (2019-present) – Thank you, Mark!
• Kettle – Charlotte, NC (1982-present) – a division of Snyder’s-Lance since 2017
• Kitchen Cooked – Farmington, IL (1930s-present)
• Kona – Captain Cook, HI (1991-present)
• Laurel Hill – Providence (Attleboro), MA (1965-2017)
• Laura Scudder’s – Los Angeles (Newport Beach), CA (1925-present)
• Lesser Evil – Danbury, CT (2004-present)
• Lowcountry Kettle Chips – North Charleston, SC (?-present)
• Madhouse Munchies – Burlington (South Burlington), VT (1996-2014)
• Manischewitz – Newark, NJ (1888-present)
• Martin’s – York (Thomasville), PA (1941-present)
• Maui – Kahului, HI (1956-present)
• McClure’s Pickles – Detroit, MI (no longer advertised on their website)
• Michael’s – Providence (Cranston), RI (status unknown)
• Michael Season’s (unknown-2014)
• Middleswarth – Beavertown, PA (1942-present)
• Mikesell’s – Dayton, OH (1910 – present)
• Mister Bee – Parkersburg, WV (1951- present)
• Mitchum – Charlotte, NC (1936-present)
• Moore’s – Bristol (Abingdon), VA (1924-1989) – now part of Wise
• Morgan Handmade Rations – Denver, CO
• Mrs. Fisher’s – Rockford, IL (1932-present)
• Mrs. Mikes – Rockford (Freeport), IL (1971-present)
• Nathan’s Famous -New York City, NY (1916-present) a division of Utz since 2017
• New York – Gainesville, NY (1943-present)
• Nick’s – Detroit (Warren), MI (1970s-present)
• North Fork – Long Island, NY (1970s-present)
• Old Dutch – St. Paul, MN (1934-present)
• Old Vienna – St. Louis, MO (1936-present)
• Ole Salty’s – Rockford (Loves Park), IL (2012-present)
• One Potato Two Potato – Reading (Womelsdorf), PA (1960s-present)
• Popchips – Los Angeles (Playa Vista), CA (2007-present)
• Poore Brothers – Phoenix, AZ (1986-present) – a division of Utz since 2017
• Route 11 – Harrisonburg (Mount Jackson), VA (1992-present)
• Rusty’s – Los Angeles (Balboa Island), CA (1980-present)
• Saratoga – Saratoga Springs, NY (1853-present)
• Seyfert’s – Fort Wayne, IN (1934-2018) division of Hanover Foods since 2008
• Snapz – (2004-present)
• Star Potato Chip Company – Culver City, CA (1940-50’s) – Thank you, Thomas! 
• State Line – Springfield (Wilbraham), MA (1919-present)
• Sterzing’s – Burlington, IA (1935-present)
• Symphony – Atlanta, GA (2015-present)
• Tasty Taters – Findlay, OH (931-1978) – Thank you, Mark!
• Terra – New York City, NY (1990-2017)
• Terrell’s – Syracuse, NY (1961-present)
• The Billy Goat – St. Louis, MO (2002-present)
• Tim’s Cascade – Seattle (Auburn), WA (1986-present) – now a division of Pinnacle Foods
• Tom’s – Columbus, GA (1925-present) – division of Snyder’s-Lance since 2005
• Treat Potato Chip Co. – Riverhead, NY (1952-1972 approx.) – Thank you, Grande!
• Tri-Sum – Leominster, MA (1908-present)
• Troyer Farms – Erie (Waterford), PA (unknown-2008) plant owned/operated by KLN Familty Brands since 2014
• Uncle Ray’s – Detroit, MI (1983-present)
• Utz – York (Hanover), PA (1921-present)
• Vitner’s – Chicago, IL (1926-present)
• Wachusett Potato Chips – Fitchburg MA – 1939 – present (Bought but Utz in 2011) Also made chips for Cumberland Farms store brand – Thank you, John!
• Wise – Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Berwick), PA (1921-present)
• Zapp’s – New Orleans (Gramercy), LA (1985-present) a division of Utz since 2010

Source: wisesnacks.org

 

Sources:

https://www.wideopeneats.com/15-regional-potato-chip-brands-youve-never-heard/

https://arnoldzwicky.org/2017/05/10/regional-potato-chips/

https://www.therichest.com/expensive-lifestyle/food/the-top-10-bestselling-potato-chips/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato_chip

http://www.ballreich.com/

https://bettermade.com/about

http://gibblesfoods.com/

https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/tri_state/pennsylvania/new-owners-confirm-reintroduction-of-gibble-s-snacks/article_a59f67f8-8540-11e3-80f2-001a4bcf6878.html

https://www.facebook.com/pg/GoodsPotatoChips/about/?ref=page_internal

https://www.facebook.com/pg/GreatLakesChips/about/?ref=page_internal

http://www.hartleyspotatochips.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jays_Foods

http://tastyislandhawaii.com/2009/05/06/kitchn-cookd-maui-potato-chips/

http://www.middleswarthchips.com/about_us.html

 

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom%27s_Snacks
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Cod_Potato_Chips
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim%27s_Cascade_Snacks
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterzing%27s_potato_chips
• https://www.wtae.com/article/minnesota-snack-firm-buying-pa-chip-factory/7464654
• https://www.chipsandcrisps.com/troyer-farms.html
• https://www.potatopro.com/news/2011/troyer-farms-stop-making-potato-chips-waterford77-jobs-lost
• https://case.edu/ech/articles/d/dan-dee-pretzel-potato-chip-co
• https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/08/dan_dee_closing.html
• https://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2018/08/dan_dee_warehouse_near_clevela.html
• https://www.chipsandcrisps.com
• https://www.facebook.com/pg/JacksonsHonest/about/?ref=page_internal
• https://www.facebook.com/pg/alaska.chip.company/about/?ref=page_internal
• https://www.carolinakettle.com/about-1in6-snacks
• https://www.dakotastyle.com/our-story/
• https://www.facebook.com/pg/detroitchips/about/?ref=page_internal
• http://www.buzzfile.com/business/Ole-Salty!s-815-637-2447
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Ray%27s
• https://www.facebook.com/pg/symphonychips/about/?ref=page_internal
• https://durangoherald.com/articles/106517-benefit-planned-to-support-the-chip-peddler
• https://www.westword.com/restaurants/denver-chip-co-launches-artisan-potato-chip-brand-11309598
• https://www.rt66pix.com/vanishingamericana/h51491B2B
• https://foodfeedz.com/2021/03/02/americas-favorite-regional-potato-chip-brands-mapvinepair/
• https://www.lowcountrykettle.com