Founded in 1926, the C.J. Vitner Company was just five storefront shops on the south side of Chicago selling candy, magazines, tobacco, and ice cream. Recognizing that tavern businesses were flourishing despite the economic downturn, the C.J. Vitner Company began selling a new kind of product directly to the taverns — snacks.
They were soon distributing three snacks — Popcorn, Potato Chips, and Pretzels — to a growing list of taverns all across Chicago. This is now the brand of utz.