Wachusett Potato Chip Company facts for kids

Wachusett Potato Chip Company is a famous snack company that started in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1937 by two brothers, Theofil and Stephen "Sam" Krysiak. The company got its name from a nearby mountain called Mount Wachusett.

The Story of Wachusett Chips

How It All Started

The company first began in Clinton, Massachusetts. In 1947, Wachusett Potato Chip Company moved to Fitchburg. They bought an old jail building and its land. The company changed the building to make it a place where they could make and send out their snack products. It has been used for making chips ever since!

Over the years, the company added more parts to the building and made improvements. This helped them make more chips and store them. In the 1980s, they did a big renovation. They even added air conditioning to the factory. They also got more storage space in Sterling, Massachusetts.

Delicious Flavors and Where to Find Them

Wachusett Potato Chip Company has made many different potato chip flavors. Some popular ones include sour cream and onion, ketchup, salt and vinegar, and barbecue. They also made ripple chips. The flavors that people liked the most are still made today. Before the company was sold to Utz, they also sold their own brand of cheese curls and popcorn.

You can find Wachusett chips in many stores. These include Wal-Mart, Hannaford, Stop and Shop, and Price Chopper. They are also sold in local restaurants and delis. Wachusett also made special potato chips for supermarkets like Price Chopper Supermarkets. They even made chips for food service companies like Sysco.

Changes Over the Years

Joining the Utz Family

On October 19, 2011, Wachusett Potato Chip Company was sold to Utz Quality Foods, Inc. Utz is a snack company based in Hanover, Pennsylvania. Utz paid $1.7 million for Wachusett's large factory, which is about 56,000 square feet. Utz announced that all 50 Wachusett employees would keep their jobs. This included members of the Krysiak family who started the company. Wachusett then became a part of Utz.

When it was sold in 2011, Wachusett was the last independent potato chip company in New England. At one time, there were 14 different chip makers in the area! Edward Krysiak was the president of Wachusett at that time. He took over the business in 1960 after his father passed away. For 51 years, he worked hard to keep the business modern and up-to-date. He really wanted to find a buyer who would keep the company in Fitchburg. Ed Krysiak passed away in 2022.

A New Chapter with Our Home

In April 2024, Utz sold Wachusett to a company called Our Home. Our Home is based in New Jersey and makes snacks like Popchips. This deal included the Fitchburg factory and another Utz factory in Berlin, Pennsylvania. The total value of this sale was $18.5 million.

As part of the deal, Our Home will continue to make Utz-brand products for a while. This is called a co-manufacturing agreement. Kevin Brick, a vice president at Utz, said that this change would not affect the Wachusett brand. He said, "There are no changes to our brands as part of this announcement, including the Wachusett brand, a long-time local favorite." This means Wachusett chips will still be available for everyone to enjoy!

References