It’s been an interesting and good learning experience for me to write about the many facets of Pennsylvania’s food processing industry.
We seem to do well in both the sweet and savory categories. I was originally going to devote this column to another one of our large, iconic processing businesses — H. J. Heinz Co. — but got sidetracked, and that column will have to wait.
Let’s talk Pennsylvania potato chips.
You see, I have relatives in several parts of the country who lived in the commonwealth at one point in time, or have visited me here, and I am frequently asked to send them some Pennsylvania-specific food goodies. The most frequently requested item is potato chips.
Just recently I sent four bags of a particular brand to my daughter’s workplace along with several boxes of grilled stickies.
When I asked her what the reaction of her boss was (who had tasted the chips before and really loved them), she indicated that he “acted like a kid in a candy store!”
Do we even know how good we have it?
Potato chips have been one of my favorite things since the 1950s when I learned to love Gibble’s, a hometown delicacy in Chambersburg.
I was told by a relative that my father had coined the “Nibble with Gibble’s” advertising phrase when he ran WCBG Radio during that time.
I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know that once you taste potatoes sliced thinly and fried in lard, it’s hard to really like any other kind.
Gibble’s potato chips fresh off the line.
Supreme in Snack Foods
Pennsylvania is the heart of the American potato chip industry. Folks at NPR even said in 2023 that while everyone loves a good potato chip, Pennsylvanians take it to a new level. And yes, we do.
What is it that allows a multinational candy company to coexist in the same space with a potato chip company that barely sells its product outside the county lines?
Some market researchers say we have our geography, our history, and there surely is an attitude when it comes to our favorite snack.
Those in the know say the potato chip “scene” in Pennsylvania is far different than it is in other states because our grocery stores and other outlets tend to buy and sell Pennsylvania chips more so than some of the well-known national brands.
In fact, a survey done by a research firm found that only 10% of Pennsylvania stores featured non-Pennsylvania chips more than Pennsylvania-produced products. (Could it be that those of us that live here understand our chips are superior?)
I do need to note that the Big Three of our chip and pretzel companies — Utz, Herr’s and Wise — have been said to be nationwide, although I don’t know if they are available in all states. I may have to do some further research on that.
We’re diving into the history of candy-making in Altoona, Pennsylvania, home of Mallo Cups and Clark Bars.
The “scene” here consists of many relatively small and local chip factories, and while some of the smaller companies have been absorbed by larger ones, there are 16 or so processors still working their magic.
In fact, the town of Hanover (York County) and several surrounding counties are thought to be the largest producers of potato chips in the world.
And to brag just a little more, this area also is said to lead world production in pretzels, candy and chocolate.
How did all this begin?
Well, Pennsylvania’s slightly acidic soil combined with our climate provides ideal growing conditions for the varieties of potatoes that are ideal for making the best chips.
This might be an adequate explanation for some, but I know you — my readers — want to dig a little deeper into our culture of potato chip obsession.
And manufacturing a good potato chip is not necessarily a simple task as it requires careful monitoring of a lot of variables, including the right varieties of potatoes.
The process requires the potatoes to have certain levels of moisture and carbohydrates, mostly in the form of starch, to make a good looking and tasty, crispy chip.
There has even been research on what factors influence how well salt will adhere to the chips following frying.
I doubt Mrs. Gibble paid much attention to these factors as she began making homemade chips by request for family and friends (as I’ve been told). I am certain, though, that she had access to some high-quality potatoes in Franklin County.
Most of us don’t think about the types of potato to buy for any cooking endeavor, but characteristics of individual varieties influence the quality of the intended product.
Potatoes generally contain about 80% to 85% water with the rest being dry matter, mostly carbohydrates (including sugars).
For potato chips, the ideal sugar content is about 2%, and if over 10%, it can lead to some unwanted consequences such as darker colors, which could mean production of an undesirable and potentially unhealthful chemical during processing.
All the sources I reviewed indicated that russet potatoes are a high-quality variety for chip manufacturing along with Kennebec, Norland, Yukon Gold and a few others.
Several of these have subvarieties that are also mentioned in the literature. However, all have the characteristics mentioned above that are keys to a good chip: low sugar and high starch content.
Good’s chips
History Mystery
Documentation about the origins of potato chip processing is relatively slim.
Surely someone would have thought to fry thin pieces of potato in fat prior to the 1800s and it would have been part of everyday meal preparation, but not deemed important enough to write about.
The earliest reports of production do, however, tell of the chip’s invention in Saratoga Springs, New York, in 1849 (or 1853 via one source).
Apparently a frequent (and annoying) customer complained to the chef at Moon Lake House that the fried potatoes served with meals were not crispy enough.
In exasperation, following many complaints, the chef sliced the potatoes very thin and then fried them, producing a crispier fare which the customer is said to have loved.
Wawa versus Sheetz is one of the hottest debates in Pennsylvania. But there is a third option: Rutter’s.
Voila! Birth of the potato chip, said some, but that tale has been pretty much thrown to the wind even though Saratoga Springs did have active chip production in the 1800s.
There is no record of how chip manufacturing made its way into Pennsylvania.
However, there is documentation of chip production in the Adamstown area by Good’s as early as 1886.
Fried in lard, the chips produced by Good’s quickly became popular, developing a loyal following that remains today primarily because the company has maintained much of its traditional processing methods.
I don’t like giving you long lists to read, but I think the following is a good one.
Other pioneers in the early potato chip industry that still exist today are Wise Chips, founded by Earl Wise in Berwick in 1921; Utz in Hanover, also in 1921 (Bill and Salie Utz); Martin’s in Thomasville, 1941; Middleswarth in Middleburg, 1942; Snyder of Berlin, 1947; Herr’s in Nottingham, 1946; and Gibble’s in Chambersburg, 1959, founded by Harry and Iva Gibble.
Several companies that also thrived through serving limited geographical areas are Zerbe’s in Bowmansville, 1947; Hartley’s in Lewistown, 1935; and Dieffenbach’s in Womelsdorf, 1964.
For these companies, tradition has gone far beyond the process and methods. Most remain family-owned businesses and even if they have expanded, the same concern for quality control, a strong work ethic, and community involvement continues.
As you know, I try to provide the impact of the agriculture industry I am writing about on the state’s economy.
I could not find a data source that separated the potato chip industry from the larger snack food industry. I will keep looking and report if I find something.
However, it is amazing what I did find. The Pennsylvania snack food industry generates over $111 billion in economic activity yearly. That is not “small potatoes,” pardon the pun.
To me, Pennsylvania’s potato chip industry can be summed up as a true craft offering, an industry that has been innovative while maintaining important traditions, and a basis for a large amount of regional pride.
I feel it (the pride) and I brag about it when I am traveling. If you haven’t ventured into the world of eating Pennsylvania potato chips, take a leap into what I think you will find a very pleasant discovery.
The only thing to come close, and that I also really like, is a hard and salty pretzel with mustard. And that, my friends, is a topic for another day!
Until next time …
How Good’s Potato Chips Are Made
Good’s Potato Chips, located in Adamstown, Pennsylvania, is one of the oldest potato chip companies in the U.S. Here’s a look at how they make the popular chips found in those iconic red and blue bags.
