Trendy snacks: Will seaweed, hummus and cassava spell the death of the potato chip?

The alternative chip craze has exploded with a flurry of root veg and plant products on shelf, but can they compete with or even kill off the infamous potato chip? In short, no, according to a number of chip makers working on NPD that stretches far beyond potatoes. “Potato chips are going to be around forever – they’re not going to go away, nor are tortilla chips,” said Paul Cipolla, president and CEO of hummus chip company Plocky’s Fine Snacks. “…But I think what we’re trying to do nowadays is mix the base of tortilla and potato chips with better-for-you ingredients,” he told BakeryandSnacks.com. Cipolla said chip manufacturers could premiumize chips in the same way Starbucks made coffee special through customization and flavor variants. Carlos Gonzales, founder of cassava chip company Taste This Foods, agreed. “Potato chips are here to stay but what I think is going to happen is the ratio of exotic is going to increase significantly. You’re going to see a lot of blending of traditional stuff.” More