Great Lakes Potato Chips

What Great Lakes Potato Chips does

Great Lakes Potato Chips is a Traverse City, Michigan-based manufacturer of skin-on, kettle-cooked potato chips and tortilla chips, founded in 2010 by Ed Girrbach and his son Chris Girrbach. The company produces ten permanent potato chip flavors (Original, Bold Sea Salt & Vinegar, Michigan Cherry BBQ, Wave Cut Pink Himalayan Salt, Barbeque, Parmesan Ranch, Sea Salt Pepper & Onion, Buffalo Wing, Jalapeño Ranch & Sea Salt, and Wisconsin Cheddar & Sea Salt), two tortilla chip flavors, and 1.375 oz and 8 oz variety party packs, all cooked in 100% non-GMO sunflower and/or canola oil and marketed as gluten-free with no trans fats. The core production process is small-batch kettle cooking with skin-on slicing, and nearly 100% of potatoes are sourced from Sackett Potatoes, a single sixth-generation farm in Mecosta County, Michigan, delivering approximately 120,000 pounds per week.

The company operates from a 14,000-square-foot production facility in Traverse City and employs approximately 35 people. Its go-to-market is a hybrid model combining a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (with free shipping within the continental U.S., excluding California) with a wholesale distribution network of 22+ regional and national food service distributors — including Gordon Food Service, Sysco, US Foods, Lipari Foods, and Greco & Sons — covering seven U.S. states plus Canada. Retail placement spans independent grocers (Tom's Food Markets, Oleson's, Piggly Wiggly), warehouse clubs (Sam's Club, Costco), and food service accounts (universities, restaurants). Pricing is unit-based: $54.99 per case across both the 40-bag 1.375 oz party pack and the 12-bag 8 oz party pack.

Revenue grew from $60,000 in the first year to roughly $4 million by 2017, a compound pace of approximately 30% annually, earning an Inc. 5000 ranking (#2,467) in 2018 on the strength of 225%+ three-year revenue growth. The company is family-owned with no external institutional investors; through 2017 the Girrbaches had reinvested all profits and were evaluating whether to bring in outside capital to support further expansion. Brand-building has been driven by industry recognition (Chicago Tribune #1 Kettle Chip 2015; dual Gold Medals at the National Chip Festival 2016; Crain's Most Investable Second-stage Food Company 2016), community partnerships (Big Brothers Big Sisters), and trade show participation.

Name

Great Lakes Potato Chips

Legal name

Great Lakes Potato Chips LLC

Website

https://greatlakespotatochips.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Great Lakes Potato Chips is a Traverse City, Michigan-based, family-owned manufacturer of skin-on, kettle-cooked potato chips and tortilla chips, serving consumers and food service customers across seven U.S. states and Canada via e-commerce, 22+ distributors, and warehouse club placements at Sam's Club and Costco.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Kettle-Cooked Potato Chips

NAICS

Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing (311821)

SIC

Cookies & Crackers (2052)

akta.pro primary industry

Potato & Vegetable Chips Manufacturing (AFAKAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chips & Savory Snacks (Potato, Tortilla, Extruded) (CRADABAE), Tortilla & Corn Chips Manufacturing (AFAKAIAB), Specialty Snack Foods Manufacturing (Ethnic/Regional, Gourmet, Functional) (AFAKAIAO)

Keywords

• Kettle cooked chips
• Potato chip manufacturer
• Snack food production
• Tortilla chip snacks
• Gluten free snacks

Headquarters

HQ city

Traverse City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consumer Packaged Goods Sales: Direct sales of potato chips, tortilla chips, and logo wear to consumers through e-commerce and to retail stores through distributor network. One-time purchase model with no subscription.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Great Lakes Potato Chips is a Traverse City, Michigan-based kettle-cooked potato chip and tortilla chip manufacturer producing 10 potato chip flavors and 2 tortilla chip flavors at a 14,000-square-foot production facility. The company sources nearly 100% of its potatoes from Michigan farms (primarily Sackett Potatoes in Mecosta County) and cooks chips skin-on in small batches using 100% non-GMO sunflower and/or canola oil, hand-seasoning each batch. Products are distributed direct-to-consumer online and through a 22+ distributor network plus warehouse clubs (Sam's Club, Costco) and independent grocery stores across seven U.S. states and Canada.

Product overview

Great Lakes Potato Chips is a food manufacturing company producing kettle-cooked, skin-on potato chips and related snack products. The core product portfolio consists of 10 permanent potato chip flavors (Original, Bold Sea Salt & Vinegar, Michigan Cherry BBQ, Wave Cut Pink Himalayan Salt, Barbeque, Parmesan Ranch Style, Sea Salt Pepper & Onion, Buffalo Wing, Jalapeño Ranch & Sea Salt, and Wisconsin Cheddar & Sea Salt), two variety party packs (1.375 oz and 8 oz), and Logo Wear merchandise. All chips feature skin-on potatoes, are kettle-cooked in non-GMO oils, and are gluten-free. The company was founded in 2010 and has grown from a father-son operation to producing 25 million ounces annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Original Potato Chips Flagship skin-on, kettle-cooked potato chip made from Michigan-grown potatoes, cooked in 100% non-GMO sunflower and/or canola oil and seasoned with pure sea salt; named the #1 Potato Chip by the Chicago Tribune.
• Bold Sea Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips Skin-on kettle-cooked potato chips with sea salt and a hearty blast of vinegar for a tangy flavor profile.
• Michigan Cherry BBQ Potato Chips Kettle-cooked potato chips with original barbecue seasoning mixed with Traverse City cherries, available year-round after initial seasonal release.
• Wave Cut Pink Himalayan Salt Potato Chips Wave-cut kettle-cooked potato chips seasoned with mineral-rich Pink Himalayan salt for a hearty crunch with balanced finish.
• Barbeque Potato Chips Full-flavored skin-on potato chips with tangy, smoky barbecue seasoning made from the original recipe.
• Parmesan Ranch Style Potato Chips Hearty skin-on potato chips with a light Parmesan mix highlighting cool ranch flavor.
• Sea Salt Pepper & Onion Potato Chips Skin-on potato chips with spicy and salty seasoning featuring classic salt, pepper, onion, and garlic flavors.
• Buffalo Wing Potato Chips Skin-on kettle-cooked potato chips with bold cayenne kick and tangy finish delivering zesty buffalo wing flavor.
• Jalapeño Ranch & Sea Salt Potato Chips Potato chips with zesty jalapeño heat paired with smooth, savory ranch and sea salt; no dairy, no gluten, and no artificial flavor enhancers.
• Wisconsin Cheddar & Sea Salt Style Potato Chips Kettle-cooked potato chips with cheddar flavor and sea salt, marketed as the crunchiest comfort food; available in multiple bag sizes and listed at Sam's Club and Costco warehouse locations.
• 1.375 oz. Party Pack Variety pack containing 40 bags of 1.375 oz chips across Original, Michigan Cherry BBQ, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Parmesan Ranch, and Wisconsin Cheddar & Sea Salt flavors, priced at $54.99 per case with free shipping within continental US.
• 8 oz. Party Pack Variety pack with 2 bags each of Michigan Cherry BBQ, Parmesan Ranch, Original, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Wisconsin Cheddar & Sea Salt, and Sea Salt Pepper & Onion flavors in 8 oz bags, priced at $54.99 per case with free shipping within continental US.
• Logo Wear Apparel and wearables featuring Great Lakes Potato Chips branding, including t-shirts and other items, sold direct-to-consumer through the company e-commerce site with free shipping.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named #1 Kettle Chip by Chicago Tribune in 2015, establishing national quality recognition.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sackett PotatoescoreOthersPrimary potato supplier - a sixth-generation, family-owned farm in Mecosta County, Michigan specializing in A-grade chipping potatoes. Delivers approximately 120,000 pounds of potatoes per week. Nearly 100% of Great Lakes Potato Chips' potatoes come from this supplier.
• Big Brothers Big SistersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership where Great Lakes Potato Chips donates a portion of sales from 8 oz. and 16 oz. bags to support mentorship programs for children.
• MSU Product CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Michigan State University Product Center for business development support, trade show connections, and retail partnerships with Kroger and Meijer.
• Short's BrewingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborative podcast appearance on Short's Cast Summer Cookout Series, featuring Ed Girrbach interview.
• Gordon Food ServicecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor food service distributor covering Michigan (Brighton, Wyoming) and Wisconsin (Kenosha) locations.
• SyscocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor global food service distributor covering Grand Rapids, MI location.
• US FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor food service distributor covering Michigan (Wixom), Illinois (Bensenville), and Wisconsin (Milwaukee) locations.
• Lipari FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood service distributor covering Warren, MI location.
• Greco & SonscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor covering Wisconsin, Illinois, and Pennsylvania regions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• UTZ Quality Foods: UTZ is a large salty-snack manufacturer with broad distribution including kettle-cooked lines, comparable to Great Lakes as a broader snack incumbent whose product mix overlaps in the kettle-cooked sub-segment.
• Frito-Lay (PepsiCo): Frito-Lay is the dominant US salty-snack manufacturer with Lay's, Kettle, and other brands; it is the principal competitive incumbent Great Lakes faces on retail shelf and in foodservice.

Direct peers

• Dirty Potato Chips: Dirty is a craft kettle-cooked chip brand with bold-flavor SKUs sold in premium grocery, comparable to Great Lakes in small-batch kettle process and flavor-innovation approach.
• Miss Vickie's: Miss Vickie's is a kettle-cooked potato chip brand owned by Frito-Lay/PepsiCo, comparable to Great Lakes in kettle-cooking format and premium flavor positioning while competing from inside the dominant incumbent.
• Jay's Potato Chips: Jay's is a Chicago-area kettle-cooked potato chip maker with strong regional distribution, directly comparable to Great Lakes as a Midwest-based premium kettle chip brand.
• Cape Cod Chips: Cape Cod is a regional-origin kettle-cooked potato chip brand owned by Snyder's-Lance/Hershey; it is highly comparable to Great Lakes in cooking process, regional heritage, and premium grocery positioning.
• Kettle Brand: Kettle Brand is a leading US kettle-cooked potato chip brand, directly comparable to Great Lakes Potato Chips in product format (skin-on, kettle-cooked chips), premium positioning, and natural-ingredient messaging.

Emerging players

• Boulder Canyon: Boulder Canyon offers kettle-cooked and better-for-you potato chips in natural food and grocery channels, comparable to Great Lakes on clean-ingredient positioning and premium shelf placement.
• Route 11 Chips: Route 11 is a small-batch kettle-cooked chip maker serving premium retailers and food service, comparable to Great Lakes in production style and premium-channel go-to-market.

Regional players

• Better Made Snack Foods: Better Made is a Michigan-based regional snack manufacturer with broad distribution in the Midwest, directly comparable to Great Lakes on regional identity, Michigan roots, and grocery/foodservice placement strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GreatLakesChips
• Xx.com/greatlakeschips
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-great-lakes-potato-chip-company

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great Lakes Potato Chips