Popchips
IndustrySnack
Founded2007; 17 years ago (2007)
Founder
  • Patrick Turpin
  • Keith Belling
HeadquartersDelaware, United States
OwnerVSB OpCo, LLC
Websitepopchips.com
Original flavor 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

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

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

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

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

Since 2007, Popchips has won the following awards:[11]

One of the 8 Most Addicting Foods - Yahoo! Shine

Distribution

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

Popchips are produced in a number of flavors in addition to the original flavor:

Potato

Potato Ridges

Nutritional Information

References

  1. ^ "How Popchips Are Made, Why They're So Popular". www.seriouseats.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
  2. ^ "Our Story". Popchips. Archived from the original on 19 November 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Nunes, Keith. "Popchips names new c.e.o." Food Business News. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  5. ^ "#4 Popchips". Forbes magazine. 30 November 2011. Archived from the original on 17 January 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  6. ^ Nelson, Brett. "Top 20 Americas Most Promising Companies". Forbes magazine. Archived from the original on December 3, 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  7. ^ Hayden, Erik. "Pop Chips Pulls Offensive Ashton Kutcher Ad". Time. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
  8. ^ "I'm still waiting for Ashton Kutcher's apology - CNN.com". CNN. Archived from the original on 2016-04-20. Retrieved 2016-04-08.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "Awards". PopChips. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  12. ^ Greenwald, David. "Katy Perry Announces Her Own Popchips Flavor". Billboard. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  13. ^ "Popchips". Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  14. ^ "Popchips". Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  15. ^ "Popchips". Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.

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