MEMBER PROFILE - Mrs. Fishers, Inc.

CELEBRATING 90 YEARS OF DELICIOUSNESS

Mrs. Fishers, Inc.

By Paul Anthony Arco

Rockford is known for many things, including Cheap Trick, the Rockford Peaches and Fred VanVleet. And for a world of snack lovers, Mrs. Fisher’s potato chips rank high on that list as well.

The mouth-watering snacks, which come in several flavors, have been produced here in Rockford for 90 years. They are beloved, both near and far, by loyal customers who are commonly referred to as ‘Fisher fans.’ And who can resist the adorable Spuddy, the iconic dancing potato who adorns every bag? How popular are these chips? “We’re usually the first stop people make when they’re in town,” says Chris Spiess, the company’s vice president. “Sometimes they don’t even tell their family they’re in town first.”

Mrs. Fisher’s was founded in 1932 by Ethel and Eugene Fisher, who started the business in their basement to make extra money. The longest-running owners, brothers Chuck, Pete and Paul DiVenti, ran the business for 30 years, before turning the reigns over to Mark and Roma Hailman. Roma spent years working in production and accounting before assuming control of the business with her husband in 2007. Mark died six years later and now Roma runs the business with the help of her nephew, Spiess.

“When Mark passed away, it left a huge void in our business,” said Spiess, who joined the family business 15 years ago, coming from Schnuck’s where he worked in the bakery. “Roma understands it’s not easy to be a small business these days. There is a lot of stress and pressure to be successful, but she has picked a talented team who will get us through.”

Plans to reach every store in Illinois

With 18 employees, Mrs. Fisher’s has been churning out chips at the same 10,000-square-foot plant on Fulton Avenue for the past 50 years, with no plans of leaving Rockford’s north end. “This is our home,” said Spiess. “Many of our loyal fans who we know by first name come in here every day, and we don’t want to disappoint them.”

Mrs. Fisher’s offerings include the everpopular classic, ripple cut, barbecue and French onion. Others include cheddar and sour cream, a brown and crispy ‘dark chip’ and Dark Jalapeno, which is the second-best seller.

“Our customers like a hearty chip that has a thick cut, good salt content, good crunch and unique flavor,” said Spiess. “There is nothing like a Mrs. Fisher’s chip. When people walk in, they say they’ve never tasted anything like it before. Then they walk out with a box of chips to put in their trunk.”

Much of the company’s original equipment remains in place, including the fryer that Spiess said may be a relic but enhances the signature crunch and taste of the chips. The company buys 2.7 million pounds of raw potatoes each year from distributors across the country. A Spudnik machine unloads the potatoes on a conveyor belt, where they are washed, sliced, fried, and salted and placed in bags. Mrs. Fisher’s produces 13,000 pounds of chips each day.

Four route drivers and five distributors deliver the chips within a 100-mile radius of Rockford, including Wisconsin and Chicago. Chips are also available in Peoria, and the company has loftier goals. “We want to become Illinois’s official chip,” Spiess said. “We want to be in every store in the state.”

The plant includes a retail store where people can walk in to order chips by the bag or bucket, along with accessories such as dips and apparel. Mrs. Fisher’s chips can be shipped anywhere in the country and are popular gifts for college students or members of the military.

Spiess calls Mrs. Fisher’s a generational business.

“Your great grandmother might have gone to church with Ethel Fisher. Your grandkids might have had our chips with a ham sandwich at lunch,” he said. “It’s cool to know that generations of Fisher fans have turned to us for their snack needs for this long.”

MRS. FISHER’S INC. - Owner: Roma Hailman 1231 Fulton Ave. 815-964-9114 www.mrsfisherschips.com