What Sets Kettle Chips Apart From Regular Potato Chips?

Potato chips have been a snack time favorite since the mid-19th century. Since then, brands have been churning out different variations and flavors to appease the masses. While regular potato chips remain hot, kettle chips are becoming just as popular. But the real question is, do they really vary that much from regular potato chips? 

The answer is yes, they are different, and it begins with how they're created. To achieve the extra crunch people love, kettle chips need a longer cooking time to take in oils and are made in smaller batches, paying tribute to the original method. Another way kettle chips are different from potato chips is their thickness; while potato chips are relatively thin and easily breakable, kettle chips are cut thicker. And while many still Because of these differences, some suggest kettle chips have a higher nutritional value than regular potato chips, but, alas, they contain essentially as much fat as their predecessor.

While it seems like kettle chips have been around for a long time, compared to when potato chips were created, it's only been a couple of decades. In the early 1980s, the Kettle Foods brand began making these addicting chips. Calling Salem, Oregon home, the exciting new type of chip was flying off the shelves, effectively making the brand millions of dollars. Before success began, a man named Cameron Healy dreamt of starting a brand in natural foods but ended up in the chip industry.

Healy's roots began in Bend, Oregon, but he relocated to Salem, where he founded Golden Temple Foods, which focused on whole-wheat products. Eventually, he moved on from this venture and founded N.S. Khalsa Company to concentrate on nut products. Finally, he turned to making small batches of crispy potatoes, which would become kettle chips. Kettle Foods continues to use quality products and sourcing ingredients from local growers in the Pacific Northwest.