Should Route 11 Potato Chips nix flavors to up efficiency?

Should Route 11 Potato Chips, a regional kettle-cooked potato chip manufacturer with a cult-like following, cut back on its flavor offerings in order to increase operational efficiency?

Hanging in the balance is the image of the brand, built on high-quality chips with unique flavors.

The resolution:

Route 11 Potato Chips trimmed its product line, eliminating the flavors Green Chile Enchilada and Garlic &Herb, which were very slow sellers. The revenue they generated did not offset the total cost of including them in the product line.

Perhaps more important is what Route 11 didn’t do. Trimming the product line further would have saved some cash, but the company didn’t cut the flavors that were core to the authenticity of its brand. Garlic &Herb is an interesting flavor, but perhaps not original.

On the other hand, Dill Pickle and Chesapeake Crab help define Route 11 as a company. So they remain part of the creative spark that draws people to the brand.