Old Dutch Foods

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Old Dutch Foods, Inc.
Type Private company
Founded 1934
Headquarters Flag of the United States Roseville, Minnesota
Key people Steven C. Aanenson[1]
President and CEO
Industry Snack food
Products See products section
Revenue US $168.3 Million (2007)[1]
Employees 500[1]
Website Old Dutch Foods

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

Contents

[edit] History

The company began as Old Dutch Products Co. in 1934. 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.

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

In 2005, they introduced Old Dutch Beef jerky.

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. [1]

[edit] Products

The Old Dutch brand is mainly known for the many flavours of potato chips they produce. They come in normal bags, and in Canada and the USA, distinctive "twin packs" are also available, which are cardboard boxes with two packages of chips inside.

Old Dutch Potato Chips advertising also featured a memorable 1989 commercial. The ad features a cartoon potato farmer dancing and singing with his live potatoes on the plantation. The trademark Old Dutch windmill can also be seen in the background. Other ads from the time period featured the signature windmill in cartoon or computer animated form, a relatively uncommon practice for its time.

Potato chip flavours available in the United States include the flagship Regular flavour, as well as Sour Cream & Onion, Cheddar & Sour Cream, Dill Pickle, Bar-B-Q, and Onion & Garlic. In addition, Ripples Chips are available in Original, French Onion, Mesquite Bar-B-Q, and Loaded Spud varieties. On February 4 2008, Mexican Chili was reintroduced back to Canada. Other products include Dutch Crunch kettle-cooked chips, cheese puffs, Puffcorn (puffed corn twists), Restaurante Style tortilla chips, pretzels, dips and salsas, and beef jerky.

Many of the same products are available in Canada. There are also chip flavours unique to Canada; these include All Dressed, Smokey Bacon, Ketchup, and Salt'n Vinegar. Rave chips, advertised as having more intense flavours than regular chips, are available in Buffalo Wings, Roast Chicken, Salt & Pepper, and Xtra Salt & Vinegar varieties. Other products available in Canada and the USA include Arribas (flavoured tortilla chips, similar to Doritos), and Bac'n Puffs.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Hoovers: Old Dutch (Retrieved December 4, 2007)

[edit] External links