Old Dutch Foods, Inc. is a manufacturer of potato chips and other snack foods in the Midwestern United States, New England and Canada. Their product line includes brands such as Old Dutch Potato Chips, Dutch Crunch, Ripples, Cheese Pleesers and Restaurante Style Tortilla Chips.

Old Dutch Foods, Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustrySnack food
FoundedSaint Paul, Minnesota,
United States (1934)
FounderCarl J. Marx
Headquarters
Key people
Steven C. Aanenson[1]
President
ProductsSee products section
RevenueUS $107 Million (2018)[2]
Number of employees
500[2]
SubsidiariesHumpty Dumpty Snack Foods
WebsiteOld Dutch Foods

History

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Old Dutch headquarters, Roseville

The company began as Old Dutch Products Co. founded by Carl J. Marx in 1934. Marx chose the name "Old Dutch" because The Dutch were associated with cleanliness and quality.[3] They originated in St. Paul, Minnesota, but moved to Minneapolis in 1937. In 1968, they moved again, this time to Roseville, Minnesota, where they remain today.

In 1954, Old Dutch opened a plant in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to manufacture chips for the Canadian market. The head office for Canadian operations remains in Winnipeg.

Today, their American arm is officially called Old Dutch Foods, Inc., and their Canadian arm is Old Dutch Foods, Ltd. They celebrated their 70th anniversary in 2004 with a line of television commercials.

Old Dutch Foods acquired Humpty Dumpty Snack Foods in a C$26.7 million takeover bid in 2006.[4] The Humpty Dumpty brand is generally sold in the New England states, Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Products

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The Old Dutch brand is mainly known for the many flavors of potato chips they produce. They come in bags, "twin packs" (cardboard boxes with two packages of chips inside) and "triple packs" (with three packages inside).

Potato chip flavors available in the United States include the flagship Regular flavor, as well as Sour Cream & Onion, Cheddar & Sour Cream, Dill Pickle, Bar•B•Q, and Onion & Garlic as well as Smokey Bacon. In addition, Ripples Chips are available in Original, French, Mesquite Bar•B•Q, and Loaded Spud varieties. On February 4, 2008, Mexican Chili and Au Gratin were reintroduced back to Canada. Other products include Dutch Crunch kettle-cooked chips, cheese puffs, Puffcorn (puffed corn twists - called Popcorn Twists in Canada), Restaurante Style tortilla chips, Arriba flavoured tortillas, pretzels, dips and salsas, Dutch Gourmet thick cut flavoured ripple chips, Ridgies flavoured ripple chips, baked chips, sunflower seeds, pork rinds, and beef jerky.[5]

Many of the same products are available in Canada and the United States, although somewhat altered, such as their vibrant yellow herb free Onion & Garlic chip. There are three exceptions: Ketchup, All Dressed and Salt & Vinegar flavours may not be available outside Canada.[6] (These flavors are sold in New England under the Humpty Dumpty brand.)

In 2005, the firm introduced Old Dutch beef jerky.

Manufacturing locations

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Canada

There are also 11 distribution centres across Western Canada.

US

References

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  1. ^ "Old Dutch Foods, Ltd". Bloomberg. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Old Dutch Foods, Inc". Hoovers. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  3. ^ Thiessen, Janis (2017). "Chapter 1". Snacks: A Canadian Food History. Univ. of Manitoba Press. ISBN 978-0887555275.
  4. ^ "Humpty Dumpty agrees to takeover bid from Old Dutch". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. March 21, 2006. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  5. ^ "Old Dutch Products". Old Dutch Canada. Old Dutch.
  6. ^ Weisblott, Marc (June 3, 2013). "The mystery of the history of ketchup chips in Canada". Canada.com. Postmedia Network. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  7. ^ "Old Dutch factory in Lachine closes its doors for good". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. September 27, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
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45°0′53″N 93°12′2″W / 45.01472°N 93.20056°W / 45.01472; -93.20056