Best Potato Chip? (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, York: 2015, wedding, to buy)

[toobusytoday]

I really like the Diffenbach, but can only get them at a discount store around here. I think with the exception of maybe Utz and Herr's, most chips are regional. Gibbles are too greasy. I've thought Snyder just made pretzels. I don't think I've seen their chips. I haven't seen Charles in a regular grocery store for years and have never heard of Goods or Middleswarth. In our family we all like the dark chips, that are just on this side of being burnt. I think just Utz and Herr's make them. It's funny how you can get used to having lots of choices for pretzels and chips. I was in a grocery store in Florida last week and there was a really, really small selection of pretzels!

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by bigben1234

UTZ Crab Chips are the best!

It's almost as good as Herrs Old Bay.

[TwinbrookNine]

Better Made, a product of Michigan, was declared the best years ago (I forget by who, but it was a big deal). Frankly, I've never had anything better, anywhere.

[2nd trick op]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Wise.

I worked in the Wise plant for eighteen years; sorry to report that the operation is a shadow of its former self.

The plant was run by the founder, Earl Wise, and his family from its founding in 1921 though the passing of the first generation in 1963; the heirs apparently weren't enthused about the demands of running a business, so it was sold to the Borden Company about a year later. The plant was soon unionized (Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen -- loved that name! -- Where does youse want dis side o'beef, Lady?) within a year.

After a disastrous fire in 1944, Wise had immediately built a new plant with four times the capacity, and entered the huge New York market; Boston and Philadelphia soon followed, and the winter-season "snowbirds" created one in South Florida. Eventually, the entire Eastern Seaboard was served, but the salesmen never ventured further west than Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

During the Sixties, Wise began experimenting with all the innovations of the times -- ripple-cuts, sour-cream flavoring, tapioca-based "onion rings", even a "fabricated chip" along the lines of Pringle's, and called "Stackables". Borden backed all of this, and was attempting to combine several other regional snack-food companies (Old London, Buckeye, Geiser, Golden Flake, Guy's and Laura Scudder) into a national partnership, with Wise as the "anchor" handling research & development, and the like. "Cheez Doodles" were originally an Old London product, but this was one item where Borden beat even Frito-Lay to the punch in "taking the product national".

But Borden eventually over-extended its efforts. and Frito-Lay, backed by PepsiCo, had much deeper pockets. In the mid-Nineties, Borden fell on hard times, and had to retrench; could no longer pay major retailers for shelf space and abandoned many of those markets; Utz and Herr appeared to be the big winners.

The management worked hard to keep its core clientele in the big Eastern Seaboard cities, and the operation was eventually sold to the heirs of the two largest distributors -- who fifty years before had been instrumental in securing the New York market. But the operation was again sold, and is now reportedly financed by Mexican capital.

The plant in Berwick still turns out perhaps 30 truckloads of snack foods a day -- and prospective employees are still willing to put in several summer and Holiday peaks as a part-timer in order to get a full-time job and a union card (now Unted Food and Commercial Workers); and negotiations for the new labor contract this winter almost broke down -- the big issue was proposed 10- and 12-hour shifts (haven't had a strike here since 1974).

But a lot of the locals don't seem to recognize that just as Rolling Rock beer now comes from the Busch brewery in Newark, there are places willing to produce the Wise product under a subcontract. Wise did the same for several contemporaries back in the early Eighties.

So the plant continues to deteriorate, and I fear it's just going to be a matter of time soon; a sad story for an operation that reportedly was capitalized at about $60 million at its height -- (and those were 1980 dollars!)

Sic Transit Gloria!

[fisheye]

What I don't get about these snack manufacturers is: Who says what goes on the grocery shelves? I know this is complicated; Herr's has about 75 different products they offer. My wife loves the Herr's Potato Stix. They are sold in both a can and small bag. But they are only in our supermarket a few times each year and they disappear quick. It surprises me that the store does not realize that they sell fast? However, according to the vendors, these decisions are not up to them. So, I guess, who does make the decision which products get featured and which do not?

[2nd trick op]

Here's a good place to start on the "shelf space" question:

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

It applies to a lot of products; soft drinks are possibly the most flagrant example.

The company below has a long history, and had developed a "cult" following for some of its products, which could be bought on-line. But it knew it couldn't pay for shelf space, so the product was available only in certain outlets -- local IGA's and the like. It appears to have been particularly affected by slow sales due to a rough winter, and suspended operations a few months ago. But I expect it to eventually turn up again -- still struggling.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-Treat_Bottling_Company

[PhilliesPhan2013]

I have to rep my native Philadelphia area and go with Herr's, even though it is not on this list. I grew up eating Herr's snacks. If you're growing up in Philadelphia and live close to a corner store, how could you NOT eat Herr's? I love ALL of their products. I still remember when they came out with the Honey Cheese Curls and Honey BBQ chips. I may drive to Wawa now to pick some up!

Do Rap Snacks have PA origins? I remember eating those as a little kid in West Philly.

When it comes to chips ON the list, my vote goes to Utz. I haven't tasted the other brands. I have had Snyder's, but do their Pretzel Bites count? If so, their Honey Mustard and Onion Pretzel Bites are THE BOMB!

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by 2nd trick op

Here's a good place to start on the "shelf space" question:

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

It applies to a lot of products; soft drinks are possibly the most flagrant example.

The company below has a long history, and had developed a "cult" following for some of its products, which could be bought on-line. But it knew it couldn't pay for shelf space, so the product was available only in certain outlets -- local IGA's and the like. It appears to have been particularly affected by slow sales due to a rough winter, and suspended operations a few months ago. But I expect it to eventually turn up again -- still struggling.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-Treat_Bottling_Company

I just wanted to thank you; I cannot rep you yet. That explains many of the problems we have finding the products we love. It is also disturbing that the new competition does not get any chance to demonstrate their value.

[mrplow3]

Wow what a crime that poll is.

Martins BBQ chip destroys anything Utz makes.

[Icy Tea]

I ranked Good's( blue and red bag) as the best regular potato chip BUT.... UTZ has a golden russet potato chip that is the best potato chip I've ever eaten. They'll get you addicted. So now I split my munching between the three.