For Jeremie Pavelski, a fifth-generation farmer in Wisconsin’s central sands region, producing 1.2 billion chipping potatoes, which PepsiCo relies on annually to make its Classic Lay’s® potato chips, is a family legacy and a labor of love. Pavelski’s family has tilled this land since 1873, when his great-great-grandfather immigrated from Poland, establishing the original farm on 80 acres. Today, Heartland Farms spans 27,000 acres and grows a range of vegetables, with potatoes at its heart—all cultivated under sustainable and regenerative practices that aim to safeguard the land’s future.
“Growing potatoes is a dynamic process,” Pavelski says, “requiring constant adaptation to nature’s changes. Balancing when to water, nourish, and protect the crop demands continuous dedication, quick decision-making, and sacrifice. But farming brings me immense pride, stemming from both the work itself and the remarkable people involved.”
This is the journey of the potato chip, a story that begins with the farmers who nurture each crop, continues with the PepsiCo employees who take the potatoes and make them into the crunchy snack we love, and ends with the countless moments of joy sparked by that first crisp bite.
“Farming shapes a unique mindset, one that values long-term vision over quarterly results,” says Pavelski. “This perspective drives our responsibility to steward natural resources, ensuring that they remain as productive—or even more so—for future generations. My mission is to pay this forward, cultivating opportunities in our soil, community, and industry so that the next generation can thrive.”
Pavelski’s focus on sustainability is clearly aligned with PepsiCo, which makes Lay’s potato chips. In all aspects of their day-to-day operations, the farmers use state-of-the-art technology to nurture and protect the land that their successful crops depend on.
“Our partnership with PepsiCo spans an incredible 70 years,” Pavelski says. “Working with such a forward-looking team has been a rewarding journey, built on shared goals for agricultural sustainability and quality in savory snacks. Together, we’ve combined efforts and expertise to improve practices that honor both the land and the people it sustains. As one of the 1.5% of American families engaged in food production, we are proud to be part of a movement dedicated to nourishing generations, both present and future.”
In Wisconsin, the farmers’ growing season typically starts in April and goes through October. First, farmers plant the seed potatoes in the soil. Then they use a technique called “hilling” to create mounds around the rows of potatoes, giving them more room to grow. Throughout the season, farmers regularly check the fields—for example, taking soil moisture readings, soil temperature readings, monitoring irrigation systems, and addressing any pest issues.
Around August or September, when at least some spuds have matured, harvest season begins— very carefully. The temperature has to be just right, so nighttime harvesting is sometimes necessary, and the potatoes have to be removed gently with special equipment to avoid bruising. Once the potatoes are pulled from the field, leaving the soil and the plant vines in the land, they’re loaded into specialty trucks and brought to a facility on the farm to get inspected. Any imperfect potatoes are sent back to the field to be spread for nutrients or shipped to local cattle farms for feed. The rest are kept in state-of-the-art, climate-controlled storage facility, until they’re needed at production plants, where many are made into potato chips.
Getting to this point keeps farmers quite busy. And given the many changing variables, there’s no such thing as a typical day for farmers like Pavelski. He usually wakes up at 4 a.m. and tries to be home by 6 p.m. for dinner with his family, but in between that time he might be working in the fields, in the office reviewing reports, meeting with people, or traveling—to other farms, industry expos, and tech conferences.
“I’m always trying to expand my knowledge, skills, and experience to strengthen our practices and ensure we’re evolving in an ever-changing industry,” Pavelski says. “I think about what’s working, where we can improve, and how to push our farm and the industry forward with innovative and sustainable ideas.”
After the chipping potatoes are harvested in Wisconsin, they then travel on climate-controlled trucks to a nearby PepsiCo facility. The first step there is for all potatoes to go through strict quality control standards. They’re weighed and tested for size, shape, and quality. After that, the ones that pass inspection move along through an advanced, automatic, and precise technological system of conveyor belts and machinery, with real people checking that everything’s running smoothly at each step.
“Potato chips bring us a sense of pride and satisfaction to all of us involved in the process,” says Pavelski. “Whether I’m savoring a bag of Classic Lay’s or sampling fresh batches in our quality control lab, I’m reminded of the hard work and dedication of all of the individuals and their families who make each chip possible.”
In the production plant, machines first wash all the potatoes to remove any remaining dirt and small stones. Then, the potatoes are peeled and cut into paper-thin slices, less than 2 mm thick. Straight blades produce regular chips and ripple blades produce ridged chips. At PepsiCo’s facilities, it’s also worth noting that the potato skins are never discarded. Instead, as part of the company’s commitment to sustainability, they’re sent to farms for animal feed or they’re used to create biodegradable products.
Next, the potato slices fall into a cold-water bath, which washes off some starch. From there, they go into very hot vats of sunflower, corn, and/or canola oil—where they’re cooked for a few minutes to get that irresistible, golden-brown crispiness. Eventually, they’re transferred into seasoning bins, where they’re tossed with salt or a mix of other flavors. From there, a PepsiCo employee known as the “chip tester” does another quality check for appearance, flavor, and texture to ensure the chips are ready for bagging. Finally, the potato chips are weighed, packaged, and the bags are sealed to preserve the chips’ freshness. About 80 bags are made every minute at PepsiCo plants. The potato chip bags then get packed into cardboard boxes and sent to stores for customers to enjoy in their own homes and gatherings.
“It’s inspiring that the story of these efforts—often behind the scenes for so long—is now being told,” says Pavelski. “From farm to table, this is a story of innovation, shared responsibility, and collective vision, and I believe it resonates deeply with today’s consumer.”
Potato chips have become a staple in most of our lives. Next to a sandwich, plucked from an open bag on a couch, crunched in the open air at gatherings with family and friends, packed in the car on a road trip, or even on a Michelin-starred restaurant’s menu, chips have become a ubiquitous part of our happy occasions—from childhood to adulthood. We all have memories that jump out, whether it’s snacking on Lay’s Classic by the sea, sharing Lay’s BBQ chips at a tailgate party, or trying a new flavor while traveling.
“I’ll never forget a family vacation in Egypt when my daughter’s face lit up as she tried Lay’s with different seasonings,” recalls Pavelski. “That moment really highlights how chips create lasting memories, not just here in the United States but around the world. Chips are woven into the fabric of social gatherings, connecting generations with simple, shared joy.”
The next time you open a bag of chips with your loved ones, we bet you’ll see some smiles. And now you’ll know that the farmers who grew the potatoes and the PepsiCo workers who made them are smiling too.
“Chips bring people together,” says Pavelski. “There’s something special about walking into a store, knowing that any bag could hold potatoes grown on our farm right here in Wisconsin. That connection, from our fields to people’s tables across the country, is truly remarkable.”
From Seed to Smile
From field to table, PepsiCo strives to grow, source and make food that gives the world more reasons to smile.
