Top Potato Chips Manufacturers in the USA

The U.S. potato chips industry includes large national snack companies, major regional manufacturers and specialist producers serving retail and private-label markets. Frito-Lay is the biggest producer by a wide margin, while companies such as Utz, Campbell’s, Herr Foods, Wise Foods, Better Made and Shearer’s Foods also have important positions in the U.S. market.

The market is not limited to traditional sliced potato chips. Manufacturers now produce kettle-cooked, ripple, wavy, reduced-salt, specialty-oil and private-label products. This gives food buyers and retailers a broad supplier base.

For businesses looking for potato chip suppliers, the right companies depends on distribution reach, product type, manufacturing capacity, brand strength and whether the requirement is branded or private-label production.

Top potato chip manufacturers in the USA

There is no single current public ranking that covers every U.S. potato chip manufacturer on the same basis. The companies below are selected based on reported category sales, national or regional distribution, manufacturing presence and relevance to the U.S. potato chip industry.

Also read: Best Frozen French Fries Manufacturers in the USA

1. Frito-Lay North America

Frito-Lay North America, part of PepsiCo, is the largest producer in the U.S. potato chip category. Its major potato chip brands include LAY’S and Ruffles. The company also operates more than 40 manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and Canada and has a large direct-store-delivery network.

LAY’S offers traditional, wavy, kettle-cooked, flavored and reduced-fat potato chips. The brand says its U.S. chips use potatoes grown on more than 100 farms across the U.S. and a small number in Canada.

For retailers and distributors seeking national coverage, Frito-Lay is one of the most important manufacturers to consider.

2. Mars, through Pringles

Pringles is different from traditional potato chips because the product is made mainly from dried potatoes, starches, flours, salt and seasonings before being formed and fried.

Following Mars’ acquisition of Kellanova in December 2025, Pringles became part of Mars’ global snacking portfolio.

Pringles has a large U.S. retail presence and a distinctive stackable format. Its product range includes Original, Cheddar Cheese, Barbecue, Sour Cream & Onion, Ranch and other flavors.

For buyers comparing potato-based snack formats, Pringles is an important manufacturer even though its production process differs from conventional sliced chips.

3. Utz Brands

Utz is one of the major U.S. salty snack manufacturers, with roots in Hanover, Pennsylvania, dating back to 1921. Its portfolio includes Utz, Zapp’s, Boulder Canyon, Golden Flake, Hawaiian, Bachman, Tim’s Cascade, Dirty and other brands.

Utz offers traditional potato chips as well as kettle-cooked and specialty products. Its Original, Ripples and Kettle Classics lines are among its potato chip products.

Utz reported that its flagship Utz brand generated more than $870 million in retail sales in 2025 and ranked among the 10 largest salty snack brands in the U.S. based on Circana data.

One important 2026 development is Utz’s proposed acquisition by Intersnack Group. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to closing conditions.

Also read: Best Potatoes for French Fries in the USA: A Complete Guide

4. The Campbell’s Company

The Campbell’s Company owns several well-known potato chip brands, including Kettle Brand and Cape Cod Chips.

Kettle Brand focuses on thicker-cut, kettle-cooked potato chips. Its current range includes classic, krinkle-cut, air-fried and avocado-oil products.

Cape Cod is another major kettle-style potato chip brand in the Campbell’s portfolio. Industry sales data published in 2025 placed Cape Cod at about $460.1 million in U.S. potato chip sales for the reporting period used in the source. Kettle Brand was reported at about $337.4 million.

For retailers targeting kettle-style chips, Campbell’s portfolio is particularly relevant.

5. Herr Foods

Herr Foods is a long-established U.S. snack manufacturer based in Pennsylvania. The company has been family-owned since 1946 and produces a broad selection of potato chips.

Its portfolio includes traditional, ripple, kettle-cooked, barbecue, salt and vinegar, sour cream and onion and other flavored potato chips.

Herr’s is particularly relevant for retailers looking for regional and specialty potato chip products. Industry data published in 2025 placed Herr Foods at about $159.3 million in U.S. potato chip sales for the reporting period used.

6. Wise Foods

Wise Foods is a long-standing U.S. snack manufacturer with a strong potato chip range. Its current portfolio includes Golden Original Potato Chips, BBQ, Honey BBQ, Salt & Vinegar, Lightly Salted, Kettle Jalapeño and Ridgies.

The company is particularly relevant in the eastern U.S. market. Its product range covers both standard thin chips and thicker or ridged formats.

For regional retailers, Wise can be an alternative to the largest national brands.

7. Better Made Snack Foods

Better Made is a Detroit-based potato chip manufacturer with roots going back to 1930. The company continues to produce its potato chips in Detroit and says it uses Michigan-grown potatoes for much of the year.

Its product range includes Original, BBQ, Sour Cream & Onion, Salt & Vinegar, Wavy, Rainbow, Krinkle Cut and other varieties.

Better Made is a useful example of a regional manufacturer that has maintained a strong local identity while distributing beyond Michigan.

Also read: Washington Potato Industry Production, Processing and Exports

8. Shearer’s Foods

Shearer’s Foods is especially relevant to B2B buyers because it manufactures salty snacks for the broader food industry. Its U.S. facilities produce traditional potato chips in flat, ripple and wavy formats, along with kettle-cooked potato chips and other snack products.

The company also provides manufacturing services for brands and private-label customers. This makes Shearer’s different from companies focused mainly on their own consumer brands.

For retailers, food companies and brands seeking a manufacturing partner, private-label and contract manufacturing capability can be more important than consumer brand recognition.

U.S. potato chip manufacturers by market position

The 2025 industry data gives a useful view of the relative scale of major producers. The figures below should be treated as category sales for the reporting period, rather than current 2026 company revenue.

Company or brand group	Reported U.S. potato chip sales
Frito-Lay	$6.5 billion
Kellanova	$1.5 billion
Cape Cod	$460.1 million
Utz	$441.2 million
Kettle	$337.4 million
Herr Foods	$159.3 million

The source uses a reporting period ending in 2025, so these figures should not be presented as a current 2026 ranking.

What should buyers look for in a potato chip manufacturer?

A large brand is not automatically the right supplier for every business. Buyers should compare several factors.

• Production format such as traditional, kettle-cooked, ripple, wavy or specialty chips
• Distribution coverage across national, regional or local markets
• Branded products versus private-label manufacturing
• Pack sizes for retail, foodservice, convenience and club channels
• Ingredient and seasoning requirements
• Manufacturing capacity and ability to support the required volume
• Food safety certifications when required by the buyer
• Logistics and delivery capability
• Product development support for private-label or custom products

This is especially relevant for B2B buyers. A manufacturer with strong private-label capabilities may be more useful than a household-name snack brand.

The U.S. potato chip market remains highly diverse

Frito-Lay has the largest position among the major producers, but the U.S. market is not controlled by one type of manufacturer. National companies compete with regional brands, specialty producers, kettle-chip makers and private-label manufacturers.

Recent data also shows that potato chips remain a major part of U.S. potato consumption. Potatoes USA reported that chips were the largest potato category by fresh-weight-equivalent volume in 2025, although chip volume declined 1.5% during the year.

For retailers and food companies, this creates several sourcing options. National brands offer broad distribution, regional manufacturers can provide distinctive products and contract manufacturers can support private-label programs.

Also read: Potato Consumption Per Capita by Country

Conclusion

The U.S. potato chip manufacturing sector includes national producers such as Frito-Lay and Mars, large snack companies such as Utz and Campbell’s, established regional manufacturers such as Herr Foods, Wise Foods and Better Made and B2B-focused producers such as Shearer’s Foods.

For sourcing decisions, buyers should look beyond brand popularity. Production format, distribution, capacity, private-label capability, food safety requirements and target market are often more useful factors when selecting a potato chip manufacturing partner.

Frequently Asked Answer (FAQs)

---

Image credit: Potato Insights
Sources:

• From potato to chip: The next chapter of Lay’s — PepsiCo
• About Us — LAY’S
• Frito-Lay North America — PepsiCo
• Mars Completes Acquisition of Kellanova — Kellanova
• Pringles FAQ — Pringles
• Corporate Overview — Utz Brands
• Utz 2025 Annual Report — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
• U.S. Potato Chip Industry Sales Data — Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery
• U.S. Retail Potato Sales Stay Steady in 2025 — Potatoes USA
• Salty Snacks Manufacturing — Shearer’s Foods
• Herr’s Potato Chips — Herr Foods

---

Follow us to receive updates🔔

Edit Template