Crispy, Crunchy, Light and Snappy: The History of Old Dutch Chips

Crispy, salty, good. These three little words truly embody the potato chip. If you hail from the prairies, you're probably thinking of a particular brand of chips - Old Dutch. Old Dutch has been a titan of the Western Canadian snack food scene for decades, but it didn't get to be that way overnight. As a matter of fact, Old Dutch didn't even begin in Canada.

MAP CREDITS

Story Map Editor: Michaela Hiebert

This story map was created with files and research from: Patricia Andres, Marco Chagas, Taylor Dunn, Alex Essyens, Kari Fedusiak, Marco Freynet, Ben Giesbrecht, Matthew Klysh, Cassidy Miller, Duncan Mortimer, Aiden Romanow-Bear, Tyler Schmidt, and Shiyu Wang.

Interviews

Bashucky, Bill (Old Dutch Winnipeg Plant Manager), interview by Elizabeth-Anne Johnson, December 10, 2013 in Winnipeg, MB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Boulet, Martial (Former Old Dutch Plant Manager in Winnipeg and Calgary), Skype interview by Sarah Story, December 12, 2014 in Calgary, AB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Campbell, Kardene (Former Kids Bids participant), interview by Sarah Story, November 25, 2014, Winnipeg, MB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

 Kuhl, John (Former President and CEO of Southern Potato Company), interview by Sarah Story, February 2, 2015 in Winkler, MB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Kuhl, Marlon (Vice President of Southern Potato Company), interview by Sarah Story, Winkler, MB, 2 February 2015. February 2, 2015 in Winkler, MB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Krochak, Doug (Former Kids Bids participant), interview by Sarah Story, November 24, 2014, Winnipeg, MB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Maqsood, Bebe (Former Worker at Old Dutch Winnipeg Plant), interview by Sarah Reilly and Elizabeth-Anne Johnson, January 27, 2013 in Winnipeg, MB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

McMahon, Dick (Old Dutch Foods Distribution Manager), interview by Janis Thiessen, October 15, 2013 in Roseville, MN. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Moore, Sharon (Former Kids Bids Participant). Skype interview by Sarah Story, December 8, 2014, in Calgary, AB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Oye, David (Old Dutch Director of Purchasing and Logistics), interview by Sarah Story, December 11, 2014, in Winnipeg, MB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Peterson, Geri (Former Kids Bids Participant), Skype interview by Sarah Story, November 29, 2014, in London, UK. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Petit, Jean-Pierre (United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 832 representative, and former employee and shop steward at Old Dutch Winnipeg), interview by Sarah Reilly, May 2, 2013 in Winnipeg, MB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Rempel, Wayne. (CEO of Kroeker Farms), interview by Sarah Story, January 22, 2014, in Winnipeg, MB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Thomas, Karen (Former Kids Bids Participant), Skype interview by Sarah Story, March 30, 2015, in Coquitlam, BC. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Voth, Gerhard Otto (Former foreman at Old Dutch Winnipeg Plant), interview by Elizabeth-Anne Johnson, November 21, 2013 in Winnipeg, MB. Digital Audio Recording. Canadian Snack Foods Project, "Old Dutch Series," Oral History Centre Archive, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

Sources

“Arson probed in Old Dutch fire.” The Winnipeg Tribune, July 26, 1975.

Benvenuto, Enzo. Kids Bids Thunder Bay, circa 1960s, photograph, Thunder Bay, Ontario, https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10154930613490556&set=pcb.1546946192187095 

Blackwell, Tom. “Chip firm hopes to taste victory: Low-key Old Dutch Foods seeks Ontario market share.” Kitchener – Waterloo Record, July 29, 1991.

City of Winnipeg Archives. Winnipeg Riot, June 10, 1919, i01388, Photograph Collection, 1871-1997, C0013-0000-0000-P0001-0022-001, https://winnipeginfocus.winnipeg.ca/i01388

“CFCN-DT.” Canadian Communications Foundation. Accessed June 10, 2021. https://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listing_and_histories/television/television-stations/alberta/cfcn-dt

“CFCN-DT-5.” Canadian Communications Foundation. Accessed June 10, 2021. https://broadcasting-history.ca/television/television-stations/alberta/cfcn-dt-5/

“CFQC-DT.” Canadian Communications Foundation. Accessed June 10, 2021. https://broadcasting-history.ca/television/television-stations/saskatchewan/cfqc-dt/

CFQC Staff. "Ron McFayden hosting program "Kids Bids" on CFQC-TV," ca. 1967, photograph, CFQC Photographers Collection, Saskatoon Public Library 

“CFRN-DT.” Canadian Communications Foundation. Accessed June 10, 2021. https://broadcasting-history.ca/television/television-stations/alberta/cfrn-dt/

“CKCK-DT.” Canadian Communications Foundation. Accessed June 10, 2021. https://broadcasting-history.ca/television/television-stations/saskatchewan/ckck-dt/

“CKPR-DT.” Canadian Communications Foundation. Accessed June 10, 2021. https://broadcasting-history.ca/television/television-stations/ontario/ontario-northern/ckpr-dt/

“CKY-DT.” Canadian Communications Foundation. Accessed June 10, 2021. https://broadcasting-history.ca/television/television-stations/manitoba/cky-dt/

“Contract Gets Okay.” Winnipeg Free Press, July 13, 1973. 

Dion, Gerard. “Rand Formula.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Feb 7, 2006. Accessed May 27, 2021. https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/rand-formula 

Esri Canada. “World Topographic Base,” ArcGIS Map Layer, October 26, 2017. https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=670c2a9ee3b949a8991b99df425abd0d Accessed June 10, 2021

Finkel, Alvin, Carter, Sarah, and Fortna, Peter, eds. The West and Beyond: New Perspectives on an Imagined Region. Edmonton: Athabasca University Press, 2010. Accessed May 27, 2021. ProQuest Ebook Central.

Freynet, Marco. Old Dutch Winnipeg.JPG, November 22, 2020, photograph, 1404 x 2013 pixels, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

“Haskett Growers Ltd.” Dun & Bradstreet, Accessed June 10, 2021. https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.haskett_growers_ltd.3def803bf64ffae79d88c9e97d5ab7c7.html

"Haskett Growers Ltd." Potato Country, Accessed July 12, 2021. https://potatocountry.com/seed-directory/4009/haskett-growers-ltd/

Hein, Mark. "Hostess on Buying Binge of Rival's Potato Chips Consumers Blocked from Product, Old Dutch Manager Says." The Globe and Mail, July 03, 1991. 

Hennepin History Museum. A Chip Off The Old Dutch, May 1, 2019, photograph, Accessed May 27, 2021. https://hennepinhistory.org/a-chip-off-the-old-dutch/

Hoffman, Andy. "Old Dutch to Digest Humpty Dumpty." The Globe and Mail, March 22, 2006. 

Holmes, Heather. “Advertising of Food” in Encyclopedia of Food and Culture, edited by Solomon H Katz and William Woys Weaver, 16-20. New York: Scribner, 2003.

“Humpty Dumpty Has Fallen! Lachine Plant to Close, 216 Jobs Lost.” CTV Montreal, May 8, 2013, Accessed May 27, 2021. https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/humpty-dumpty-has-fallen-lachine-plant-to-close-216-jobs-lost-1.1272136

Hunt, Stephen. "CFCN Celebrates 60th Anniversary." CTV News Calgary. September 9, 2011. Accessed July 8, 2021. https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/cfcn-celebrates-60th-anniversary-1.5098789

Kennedy, Tony. “Snack attack: Old Dutch Foods is ambushed by Hostess Frito-Lay in Toronto stores.” Minneapolis Star Tribune Dec 23, 1991. 

Kirbyson, Geoff. “Old Dutch Plant Marks 50th Year.” Winnipeg Free Press, August 26, 2005. 

Kroeker Farms. "Organic Crops." Accessed July 12, 2021. https://kroekerfarms.com/organic-crops 

Magnus, Dudley. “The Strikes Here ‘Drag On’ - Now 8.” Winnipeg Free Press, June 30, 1973.

McCallum, Mary Jane Logan. Indigenous Women, Work, and History: 1940-1980. University of Manitoba Press, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central.

Naylor, James. “Standing Together.” Canada’s History, April 1, 2019. Accessed May 27, 2021. https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/peace-conflict/standing-together

Nestle, Marion and Michael Pollan, Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2013.

Nielson, Carmen. "Discounted Labour: Women Workers in Canada, 1870-1939." Business History Review 81, no. 3 (Autumn, 2007): 611-613. 

Old Dutch Crunchers. “Gallery.” Accessed June 16, 2021. http://www.olddutchcrunchers.com/gallery.php

“Old Dutch Foods builds new $3.5 million plant.” The Winnipeg Tribune, November 12, 1976. 

Old Dutch Foods. “Community: Fine Foods Advertising Ltd and Old Dutch Foods Ltd Partnership Program.” Accessed May 27, 2021. https://www.olddutchfoods.ca/community/partnership-program-2019

Old Dutch Foods. “Community: The Canadian Hockey League.” Accessed May 27, 2021. https://www.olddutchfoods.ca/community/the-canadian-hockey-league

Old Dutch Foods. “Community: Win a Day with a CHL Team.” Accessed November 29, 2020. https://www.olddutchfoods.ca/community/win-a-day-with-a-chl-team-2009

"Old Dutch Foods Serves Up a Revolution in Snacking with Double Dutch(TM) Thick Ripple Appetizers." Canada NewsWire, May 07, 2014. 

“Potato Chip Factory Expands, Creating 40 Additional Jobs.” Government of New Brunswick, April 24, 2017. Accessed May 27, 2021. https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/news/news_release.2010.08.1332.html

"Potato Chip War Rekindled with More Old Dutch Accusations." The Globe and Mail, June 12, 1992. 

Reiter, Ester. "The Interchangeable Worker and Fighting Back: Identifying Some Strategic Issues.” Labour / Le Travail 21 (1988): 173–89. doi:10.2307/25142943.

Romanow-Bear, Aiden. Stock image of a Bag of Old Dutch Chips on a shelf + logo, photograph, 2020. 

RW-TV: RetroWinnipeg. “Old Dutch Commercial (1985).” YouTube Video, 00:30. January 2, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLeaCUlj4RU.

Southern Potato. "Company Info." Accessed July 12, 2021. http://www.southernpotato.com/company-info.php

Staff Writer. "Summer 2011 Grower Spotlight." SpudSmart, August 3, 2011, accessed July 12, 2021. https://spudsmart.com/summer-2011-grower-spotlight/

“Strikers Getting Some Pay.” Winnipeg Free Press, June 4, 1973. 

Swire, Can Pac. Someone at the hotel wants lots of chips, 2017, photograph, 4000px x 6000px, Flickr, Accessed May 27, 2021. https://www.flickr.com/photos/18378305@N00/39151915785

Thiessen, Janis. Old Dutch Potato Chip Box, 2000, digital photograph, personal collection, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Thiessen, Janis. Snacks: A Canadian Food History. University of Manitoba Press, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central.

“Three Strikes Backed.” Winnipeg Free Press, May 16, 1973.