Product Description
The potato chip has been one of America’s favorite snacks since its accidental origin in a nineteenth-century kitchen. Crunch! A History of the Great American Potato Chip tells the story of this crispy, salty treat, from the early sales of locally made chips at corner groceries, county fairs, and cafes to the mass marketing and corporate consolidation of the modern snack food industry.
Crunch! also uncovers a dark side of potato chip history, including a federal investigation of the snack food industry in the 1990s following widespread allegations of antitrust activity, illegal buyouts, and predatory pricing. In the wake of these “Great Potato Chip Wars,” corporate snack divisions closed and dozens of family-owned companies went bankrupt. Yet, despite consolidation, many small chippers persist into the twenty-first century, as mom-and-pop companies and upstart “boutique” businesses serve both new consumers and markets with strong regional loyalties.
Illustrated with images of early snack food paraphernalia and clever packaging from the glory days of American advertising art, Crunch! is an informative tour of large and small business in America and the vicissitudes of popular tastes.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #974855 in Books
- Published on: 2008-08-18
- Original language:
English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Hardcover
- 208 pages
Features
- ISBN13: 9780299227708
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“The appealing tale of how the pedestrian potato was transformed into America’s favorite snack food.”—Margaret Engel, coauthor (with Allison Engel) of Food Finds: America’s Best Local Foods and the People Who Produce Them
“Dirk Burhans has a knack for seeking out cool, interesting businesses and, more importantly, the people who make them hum. You’ll have no better guide through the little-known but fascinating world of regional potato chips.”—Brian Butko, author of Klondikes, Chipped Ham, & Skyscraper Cones
About the Author
Dirk Burhans grew up in the heart of traditional potato chip country in eastern Ohio. He is a past publisher of the magazine Greasy Spoon (previously known as Burger Boy) and has been a frequent contributor to many newspapers and magazines on the subjects of potato chips, soda pop, and hamburger chains. Burhans has a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Missouri and has worked as an avian ecologist, graphic artist, and part-time musician. He lives near Columbia, Missouri.
Customer Reviews
The Bookschlepper Recommends
It is un-American not to eat potato chips; so I concluded after reading this history of the food, its impact on the grocery business and its place in Pennsylvania and Midwestern history. From its inception at Saratoga Springs, the potato chip has been a favorite snack food; its manufacturing echoed the Model T's assembly line; its sales routes opened up grocery marketing; its early trade association lobbied to keep the industry going during WWII. Best of all is the location of a Lancaster supermarket with 14 kinds of lard-fried chips. Can we all say "road trip"? Written for the Lays eater as well as the lay reader, this will make your munching acceptable. Industrial history should all be this interesting to read. Be sure to buy a bag of chips to eat while you read. [Caveat: the reviewer was employed in the distant past by the publisher.]
