7 things you didn’t know about Kettle Brand chips

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7 things you didn’t know about Kettle Brand chips

Campbell’s History December 16, 2022

Made from whole potatoes, cut thick, and seasoned with authentic flavor recipes, this Campbell Snack has a history as long as its flavor lineup. Here are 7 things you didn’t know about Kettle Brand chips:

1. From cheese to chips.

The business that would later become Kettle Brand chips began in 1978 in Salem, Oregon. The brand’s founder, Cameron Healy, was a food entrepreneur and started with a borrowed van selling cheese. He convinced a Seattle-area cheese maker to let him sell their natural cheese around the Northwest to natural food stores. He named his van the Northwest Cheese Express.

After a brief stint making soybean margarine and peanut butter, Cameron was inspired to experiment with the process of frying sliced potatoes while on a trip to the island of Maui.

It turned into his third business venture in 1982: Kettle Brand chips!

Kettle Brand chips at a natural foods trade show in the 1980s.

2. Each potato that goes into our chips is grown with love and care from our trusted farm partners—also known as our Tater Makers!

Want to take a walk in their shoes? Kettle Brand’s Tater Tracker lets you meet our farmers and explore where your chip’s potatoes were grown.

3. Can’t decide which flavor chip to snack on next? It’s tough when Kettle Brand has around fifteen flavors—from Farmstand Ranch to Backyard Barbeque to Pepperoncini.

Which bags are people grabbing from shelves the most? Sea Salt and Vinegar and Jalapeño were the most popular varieties last year!

snag a bag now

4. Better for the environment.

In 2019, we redesigned our Kettle Brand chip bags, which resulted in a 43% reduction in plastic—keeping two million pounds of plastic out of landfills each year!

5. And Kettle Brand has been making inventive flavored chips since the very beginning—like these early varieties: Red Chili and Yogurt & Green Onion.

Some of the first Kettle Brand chip varieties

6. Speaking of flavors, we still take flavor innovation very seriously. The Campbell Snacks team comes up with new chip flavors inspired by culinary trends—like flavors found in specialty shops and on trendy restaurant menus.

Flavor testing is one meeting invitation we love on our calendars!

7. Kettle Brand was the first chip brand to launch the people’s choice award. This year we brought back a seasoned veteran, Buffalo Bleu, which was the #1 fan-voted flavor when the contest originally launched years ago. The flavor is the perfect addition to tailgate season!