Better Made Snack Foods of Detroit, best-known for its classic potato chips, is expanding its reach outside this home state.
The Gratiot Avenue snack maker, founded in 1930, is now distributing in 14 other states, from Florida to Nevada. It also has distributors in Japan and Qatar. Products include popcorn, pretzels and pork rinds.
In 2015, Better Made was keen on keeping with its original business plan of distributing only in Michigan, Kurt Nagl posts at Crain's Detroit Business. When Michigan residents leave, they often take Better Made bags and ask local stores elsewhere for tghe brand, so requests from smaller distributors across the country helps the company grow.
The website talks about the production process:
Better Made uses 60 million pounds of chip potatoes every year and the entire process is a little more complex. The potatoes are purchased in bulk (45,000 to 85,000 pounds per truck load) and unloaded from delivery trucks which are lifted by a hydraulic lift. The potatoes are then transported by conveyors to storage bins.
As needed the potatoes are automatically conveyed to the fryers where they are washed, peeled, sliced, and inspected. Next, the potato slices are conveyed to temperature-controlled cookers where only 100% cottonseed oil is used. The cooked chips are then lightly salted and automatically advanced by an overhead vibrating conveyor system to automatic packaging machines that weigh, form, fill, and seal the finished bags.
