The Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company Inc. in Waterville, New Brunswick, started potato chip production late last year. Now, a short two months later, co-owner Ryan Albright says the kettle-cooked snack treats are being well received.
Albright said he first introduced his new line kettle chips in local businesses in December. Consumer response has been great since then, he said, noting Covered Bridge potato chips are in nearly every convenience and food store from Bath to Fredericton.
"We are doing what we can to keep up,"Albright said. "And we are going to be dealing with some other retail chains next week."
Albright's kettle potato chips are different than the average potato chip. He uses locally-grown russet potatoes. While darker in colour, he said, it adds to the natural flavour of the chip. Kettle chips have a different texture and are crispier than regular chips because they are cooked at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. Most potato chip producers utilize a continuous cooker which uses a high temperature to fry the chips quicker
"So you don't get the curling and the hardness you get on a kettle chip,"Albright said.
Unfortunately, the process cannot yield as many bags of chips as continuous cooking. Albright has one cooker and can currently produce about 2,700 big bags of chips in an eight-hour period.
Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company Inc. has more in mind than just producing chips. Albright believes his company will increase tourism to the region and that was part of the company vision.
