CHIPS WAY
Feeling happy with the good old taste
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Celebrating 50 years want an article created?
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Celebrating its half-centenary, Chips Way sells a wide selection of potato chips, flips, popcorn, and sweet biscuits into ten European markets. “Our products have become synonymous with friendship, fun, and indeed, nibbling,” said Luka Jovanovic′, Director and General Manager of the Serbian brand leader. Colin Chinery reports.
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ontinuous advances in technology and, production methods, along with skilled personnel, have positioned Serbian-based Chips Way as a leader in the salty snacks market. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, the €8.5 million turnover business sells a wide selection of potato chips, flips, popcorn, and sweet biscuits into ten European markets, empowered by a fine tradition and ever-evolving new flavours. “Throughout our 50-year history we’ve been expanding our production facilities and manufacturing plants, conquering new markets and gaining new customers in the process, thanks primarily to the quality, breadth and depth of our product mix,” said Director and General Manager, Luka Jovanovic’ . Chips Way was established in 1971 in the city of Cacak in central Serbia – then part of Yugoslavia – and its 50-year tradition “is the assurance that our products have become synonymous with friendship, fun, and indeed, nibbling,” said Mr Jovanovic’ . ⏝
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Among its range of products are potato chips with numerous flavours – including ketchup, pepper, chili, oregano, barbecue, sour cream, onion, tzatziki, and cheese – different flavouring flips – such as peanuts, tomato, cheese, pepper, caramel, and cacao – and popcorn.
Feel happy Last year’s launch of the Feel Happy brand saw the introduction of another product from the flips family – sweet flips, caramel and cacao flavoured. “Made according to a Japanese recipe, with the aim of satisfying the broad range of our consumers tastes, Feel Happy was designed to enhance the sweet part of our products,” said Mr Jovanovic’ . “We are especially proud of Cacanski chips, flips, Gricko and popcorn; brands that have not only lasted for so many ⏝
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Luka Jovanovic’ Director and General Manager
years but have also become a part of our affectionate consumers, families.” With more people snacking at home – attributable in part to the lockdown factor – the global snack food market is expected to grow this year from $213 billion to $230 billion – a 7.8% compound annual growth.
Meeting growing demand “Demand for quick snack products has been around for a long time but increased significantly during 2020 due to the pandemic,” reported Mr Jovanovic’ . “We can proudly say that we have successfully responded to the increased demands of customers, and once again justified their trust.” Inventiveness and flavour creativity are on-going, and Chips Way understands the need to stay relevant in the market, said Mr Jovanovic’ . “It’s a critical point, which is why we are always in the process of developing new flavours and products. “Although the production of salty snack products is our trademark, we recognised the demand for the sweet products in the market, which is why we decided to invest in developing and producing Feel Happy and sweet flips products. Additionally, we love to listen to our consumers’ needs, another reason we are working constantly on further improvements and inventions.”
New trends Seven in ten food companies have a presence on social media platforms, Chips Way among them, with a strategy creating engagement, emotional links, and improving brand awareness. “Chips Way understands the great influence of social networks on all aspects of modern life, and to be in the closest possible contact with consumers, we have opened accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to tell consumers about new products 80
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and implementations, receive feedback on existing brands, and follow new trends in marketing and product presentation.” Production is delivered across three plants, one for chips, another for flips and popcorn, and the third for biscuits. Although the company was founded in 1971, the production machines in the plants were purchased much later, in 2000, 2014, and 2019. And to provide the highest level of production process, IFS Food 7 standard is implemented, guaranteeing the best quality of the product for both buyer and final consumer. “An important feature is a special warehouse for storing potatoes, overseen by our Chips Way highly qualified agronomy engineers,” said Mr Jovanovic’ .
It’s in the soil A crisp or chip product can only be as good as the potato from which it is made, and here Chips Way plays a distinctive and winning card – the home-grown Serbian spud. “One of the most valuable aspects of our production process, is the origin of potato used in chips production, the potato carefully bred and delivered here in Serbia,” acknowledged Mr Jovanovic’ . “The climate and soil of Serbia are particularly suitable for potato production, which is why we have subcontractors from the northern part of the country delivering late varieties, and those from western Serbia supplying early varieties.” With potato being the basic and most important staple of chips production, partnership with subcontractors sees Chips Way involved in every aspect of the cultivation process to ensure the highest quality product. “Based on many years of experience and work with our subcontractors, we have chosen potato varieties that give a characteristic taste to our chips – which makes us recognisable on the market and among consumers.”
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Healthier crisps Is the modern consumer looking for ‘healthier’ crisps and chips? “At the moment, we do not have major demands to produce healthier chips, but we are certainly interested in developing such products in the future,” answered Mr Jovanovic’ . “For consumers who want to consume snacks with lower caloric values, we always recommend popcorn, which has a significantly lower salt and fat content compared with other snacks. “When we talk about safety and health, we also take into account the safety of our products and employees, and by applying IFS Food 7 standard, we have ensured the highest levels of both.” An eco-conscientious business, Chips Way makes compost and artificial fertiliser from potato waste and separates waste into categories for transport by specialist companies. “Knowing that there is always room for improvement in this area, we are in constant communication with inspection and environmentally oriented institutions,” assured Mr Jovanovic’ .
Plant expansion To meet growing consumer demand, the company is working on expanding its potato chip production facilities. “It will be a great reinforcement for our production process and future projects, and it’s an exciting development,” said Mr Jovanovic’ . With 2021 marking the 50th anniversary of its founding, Chips Way’s experience and tradition makes the company recognisable among all generations, said the company’s General Manager.
“As much as we invest in new machines and plants, we also invest in the development and satisfaction of our staff. And only by combining these elements, can Chips Way envisage an even more successful future.
A great staff Chips Way’s employees – many of whom have spent almost their entire working life in the production of chips and snacks – “are our greatest strength,” acknowledged Mr Jovanovic’ . Experienced staff, together with quality raw materials, sustained improvement of production lines and monitoring market trends, will continue to drive the company’s success. “We believe that the constant development of all aspects is necessary for survival in the market,” continued Mr Jovanovic’ . “Although we respond to the demands of the existing market, there is a current limitation in the capacity to expand into new markets. However, by investing in a new product line, we are working hard to remove this obstacle, and are very much looking forward to the next period that awaits us. “In the next two years, we want to increase production for the existing market, and expand where we are not present right now, such as Austria and Slovenia.” And the formula for the winning product? “Carefully selected potatoes, plus constant development of new flavours, plus experienced and skilled staff, equals good taste,” summed up Mr Jovanovic’ . That’s the Chips Way. nn
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www.chipsway.rs phone +381 32 302 400 Milutina Mandića 32000 Čačak