Kettle Brand Celebrates 30 Years With Returning Favorites

It’s hard to believe that Kettle Brand made its first batch of all natural, flavorful kettle-cooked potato chips nearly 30 years ago. For this milestone, the brand is bringing back four of its favorite retired flavors for a limited time: Red Chili, Jalapeño Jack, Salsa with Mesquite and Cheddar Beer.

Carolyn Ottenheimer, Kettle Brand’s chief flavor architect, has been developing the brand’s recipes for more than 13 years and is behind some of its biggest sellers, from Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to Sweet Onion. She said limiting the choices to four was difficult.

“Looking back now, it’s easy to see how we’ve often been ahead of our time, on the cusp of culinary trends hitting American culture. Our limited batch collection is only a small selection from the more than 40 flavors introduced over three decades.”

• Red Chili: Introduced in 1982, this flavor combines the tastes of Cayenne pepper, sriracha sauce and a vinegar tang for a searing chili heat. A bit before its time, the chip fits perfectly with current flavor trends.

• Jalapeño Jack: Originally debuted in 1989, this flavor not only has a visual resemblance to a slice of Pepper Jack cheese, but has the same creamy, salty Jack cheese base mixed with the spice of red and green peppers and a strong jalapeño flavor.

• Salsa with Mesquite: First launched in 1999, the chip combines a blend of tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and garlic with the bright flavor of lime to create a combination that’s sweet, smoky and salty.

• Cheddar Beer: After debuting as a fan pick during the brand’s first People’s Choice vote in 2005, this flavor earned a cult following. With tangy sharp cheddar coupled with malt beer notes, the chip balances smooth and salty flavors.

The four classics are available in 5-oz. bags retailing for $2.79 in select natural food stores, while Jalapeño Jack and Red Chili will debut in 8.5-oz. bags and retail for $3.49 in grocery stores this fall. These flavors will only be available beginning this August and ending next summer.