Cape Cod Potato Chips facts for kids
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| Private (1980–85) Subsidiary (1985–pres.) |
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| Founded | July 4, 1980 |
| Founder | Steve Bernard |
| Headquarters |
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U.S.
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| Products | Snack foods |
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Cape Cod Potato Chips is a famous American company that makes delicious kettle-cooked potato chips. Their main office is in Hyannis, Massachusetts, right on beautiful Cape Cod. Since 2018, Cape Cod Potato Chips has been part of the Campbell Soup Company.
Contents
The Story of Cape Cod Chips
How It All Started
Cape Cod Potato Chips began in 1980. It was founded by Steve Bernard and his brother, Jude. They wanted to create healthier foods that weren't overly processed. Steve's wife, Lynn, had a natural foods store in the 1970s. Steve noticed there weren't many healthy snack options available.
He got the idea for potato chips after trying some natural chips from a company in Hawaii. In 1980, he sold his car parts business to start making chips. He bought a small shop in Hyannis, Massachusetts. This spot was perfect for reaching tourists. He also bought a special potato slicer for $3,000. Steve didn't know much about making snacks. He learned almost everything in a one-week course on making potato chips.
A Different Way to Make Chips
Most big companies make potato chips using a continuous frying process. This means potato slices travel on a conveyor belt through a long tub of oil. But Cape Cod chips are made differently. They are cooked in small batches in large kettles. The potato slices fry in a shallow pot of oil. Workers stir them with a rake. This special way of cooking makes the chips extra crunchy!
This "kettle-cooked" method isn't new. It's actually how potato chips were made before the 1920s. Steve Bernard helped bring this older, crunchier style of chip back into the spotlight.
Early Challenges and Success
When the company first opened on July 4, 1980, it was tough for a few months. Then, one winter, a car crashed right through the front window of the store! Luckily, Steve's daughter and wife, who were inside, were not hurt. The money from the insurance and the news coverage from the accident helped the company.
By the next summer, sales were much better. Cape Cod chips were soon being sold in many supermarkets.
Changing Owners
In 1985, a big company called Anheuser-Busch bought Cape Cod Potato Chips. It became part of their Eagle Snacks division. By the end of the next year, sales were huge. They were selling 80,000 bags of chips every day! The chips were available all along the East Coast. The company was making $16 million each year.
Steve Bernard bought the company and its factory back from Anheuser-Busch in 1996. Then, in 1999, another snack company called Lance Inc. bought Cape Cod Potato Chips from Bernard. By this time, annual sales had reached $30 million. In 2010, Lance Inc. joined with Snyder's of Hanover. Later, in December 2017, the Campbell Soup Co. bought Snyder's of Hanover, which included Cape Cod Potato Chips.
See also
