Popchips
Industry | Snack |
---|---|
Founded | 2007 |
Founder |
|
Headquarters | Delaware, United States |
Owner | VSB OpCo, LLC |
Website | popchips |
Popchips is an American brand of popped potato and corn products marketed as similar to potato chips. They are manufactured by processing potato starch at high pressure and temperature, in a process similar to that used for puffed rice cakes.[1]
History
[edit]Keith Belling is a co-founder and CEO of Popchips which was created in 2007. Belling teamed up with Patrick Turpin, and created a new popped chip.[2] The company created a chip that utilizes potato and corn products that are cooked at a high pressure and temperature.[3] Turpin co-founded Popchips, Inc., and serves as its President.
In November, 2015 David Ritterbush was named CEO of the company, replacing Paul Davis.[4]
Recognition
[edit]The company was rated by Forbes as among America's top 20 most promising companies in 2011.[5] Forbes also reported that investors in the company included Ashton Kutcher, David Ortiz, Jillian Michaels, and Sean Combs.[6]
Ashton Kutcher controversy
[edit]Popchips received widespread criticism for their May 2012 video ad campaign featuring actor Ashton Kutcher.[7] The campaign featured Kutcher as an Indian man 'looking for love' in a dating ad-style spoof. Kutcher's use of brown-face make up and a stereotypical Indian accent was deemed racially insensitive and offensive and received backlash from online viewers and members of the Indian-American community.[8]
Celebrities
[edit]Ashton Kutcher was the first celebrity to endorse the company, with 13 million followers on Twitter. Kutcher boosted the publicity of Popchips.[9] In 2012, Popchips also gained another celebrity endorser, Katy Perry. Since 2012, Perry featured in advertisements and also helped to launch her own flavour of Popchips, Katy's Kettle Corn.[10]
Awards
[edit]Since 2007, Popchips has won the following awards:[11]
- Best Crispy Snack for Kids - IVillage
- Best Snack - Shape (magazine)
- Best Potato Chip - Men's Health (magazine)
- Outstanding Snack - sofi Awards
- Best Chips - Real Simple (magazine)
- Best Chips Under 100 Calories - Eat This, Not That (magazine)
One of the 8 Most Addicting Foods - Yahoo! Shine
- Best Low Calorie Snack - Good Housekeeping (magazine)
- Best Chips - Slash Food
- Best Crunchy Snack - Fitness (magazine)
- #1 Potato Chip - Kiwi (magazine)
- Best Chips - Health (magazine)
Distribution
[edit]Popchips provides its snack through a network of retail stores including Target, Safeway, and Walgreens[12] in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland and also online.
Products
[edit]Popchips are produced in a number of flavors in addition to the original flavor:
Potato
- Sea Salt
- Sour Cream & Onion
- Barbeque
- Sea Salt & Vinegar
- Thai Sweet Chilli
- Mature Cheddar & Onion
Potato Ridges
- Crazy Hot
- Buffalo Ranch
- Cheddar and Sour Cream
Nutritional Information
[edit]- A share size bag of potato popchips (3 oz.) contain 120 calories per serving size (1 oz.).[13]
- A share size bag of tortilla popchips (3.5 oz.) contain 120 calories per serving size (1 oz.).[14]
- A share size bag of Katy's Kettle Corn popchips (3.5 oz.) contain 130 calories per serving size (1 oz.).[15]
References
[edit]- ^ "How Popchips Are Made, Why They're So Popular". www.seriouseats.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
- ^ "Our Story". Popchips. Archived from the original on 19 November 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ Eats, Serious. "How Popchips Are Made, Why They're So Popular". www.seriouseats.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
- ^ Nunes, Keith. "Popchips names new c.e.o." Food Business News. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
- ^ "#4 Popchips". Forbes magazine. 30 November 2011. Archived from the original on 17 January 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
- ^ Nelson, Brett. "Top 20 Americas Most Promising Companies". Forbes magazine. Archived from the original on December 3, 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
- ^ Hayden, Erik. "Pop Chips Pulls Offensive Ashton Kutcher Ad". Time. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
- ^ "I'm still waiting for Ashton Kutcher's apology - CNN.com". CNN. Archived from the original on 2016-04-20. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
- ^ Casserly, Meghan. "Popchips: The Next $1 Billion Snack Food Or Just Full Of Hot Air?". Forbes. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ Mullen, Katelyn (25 July 2012). "Katy Perry Popchips: Singer Signs On For Latest Celebrity Endorsement". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ "Awards". PopChips. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- ^ Greenwald, David. "Katy Perry Announces Her Own Popchips Flavor". Billboard. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ "Popchips". Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
- ^ "Popchips". Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
- ^ "Popchips". Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.