It was a sultry, sunny day in 2009 as Ed Girrbach and his son Chris pulled their Dodge pick-up truck in line with four 53 foot semi-tractor trailers waiting to load up with a fresh harvest of Michigan potatoes. In the bed of the pickup was a well-used 4 by 4 foot wooden crate that would hold 1,500 pounds of potatoes - enough for about 600 bags of chips. After loading, Ed and Chris would drive the 110 miles back to their small plant just outside of Traverse City and begin turning these quality potatoes into hand crafted kettle chips for their new company, Great Lakes Potato Chips.
We love potato chips – who doesn’t? So when we decided to make potato chips from Michigan potatoes right here in Traverse City, we knew they needed to be something special.
How do we do it? Small batches, fresh, almost all Michigan potatoes and spices and a good, old-fashioned Midwestern work ethic. The result? One sensational kettle chip that stands up to the most demanding snack craving you can dish out.
That time when the folks from “Small Town, Big Deal” stopped by to see how we make Great Lakes Potato Chips so darned delicious!
It’s all about flavor. Our skin-on style puts a little extra “zip” in the chip, providing you a full-flavor snack adventure – something those naked chips just can’t deliver. And although it’s nice that potato skins are known to contain nutrients and fiber, we leave’m on just because we love the way they taste.
View the photo gallery below to see how we take them from field to table!
The Great Lakes Potato Chip Co. LLC
522 W Commerce Dr
Traverse City, MI 49685
