GREAT LAKES POTATO CHIP CO.

The Story: Self-proclaimed potato chip lover Ed Girrbach worked for Merrill Lynch in Detroit for 30 years. After moving to Traverse City, alongside his wife and son, Chris, they opened Pangea’s Pizza. Chris took over in 2009 when Ed retired. Not the couch potato kind, Ed looked for a side hustle, looking into the growing trend to buy local. He observed that regional snack companies were almost extinct or bought out by the big brands. Aware of the fact Michigan is the #1 grower of chipping potatoes, he forged a plan to make their own chips. It involved father and son jumping in their Dodge pick-up truck, fitted with a 4 by 4-foot wooden crate to house 1,500 pounds of fresh potatoes, by their math, enough spuds for 600 bags of chips. But first, they had to drive 110 miles home to their small plant to transform them into hand-crafted kettle chips to launch Great Lakes Potato Chips Co. Armed with bags of Sea Salt, Barbeque, and Sea Salt & Vinegar, they went into “sales mode” at trade shows far and wide.

Today: Ed spends more time in the sunny state of Florida. They proudly count their 50 employees as family. And recently moved into a 26,000 square foot facility. The new equipment expansion can make as much as 1,600 pounds of chips per hour, producing 8 different flavors of kettle chips with a few seasonal ones too. The chips and the company have won many esteemed awards, recognized for their exploding success.

What’s Next?:“With the expansion, we have five cookers, but the ability to add two more. We have been growing double digits year after year. If the demand continues, we will be able to increase production to around 2,200 pounds per hour.”

Fun Facts:

Their unique skin-on style guarantees a better flavor.

Cholesterol Free

Gluten Free

They are sold throughout The Great Lakes Region (MI, OH, IL, IN, WI, MN) as well as Canada and some other limited states.