Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
SPUDSMART.COM INTERNATIONAL EDITION 201528 Crafting a Great Brand Canadas Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company is using its keen marketing prowess to promote its products and its getting noticed in the countrys national media. BY MARC ZIENKIEWICZ THE CANADIAN potato chip industry is a big business with Research and Markets pegging its value at an impressive 1.6 billion by the close of 2016. Its also highly competitive with a plethora of well-known brands crowding stores and established players dominating shelf space capturing the attention of consumers certainly isnt easy. Ryan Albright knew he had his work cut out for him when he co-founded the Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company almost 10 years ago. Based in Hartland New Brunswick in Canadas Atlantic region the family-run start-up had some major industry players to differentiate itself from including Canadian potato chip giant Old Dutch which also operates a potato chip factory in Hartland. The question was how to carve a niche for itself. Theres no guarantee. You dont know what consumer response will be. We did tests in a deep fryer at home slicing the potatoes by hand Albright says. You put everything into it as you go. Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company makes old- fashioned kettle-cooked chips and employs around 95 people at its processing plant. It gets its name from Hartlands most popular tourist attraction the longest covered bridge in the world thats 291 metres in length. It brings thousands of tourists to the small community of 1000 people each year. MARKETING SYMBOL The covered bridge concept has turned into a successful marketing symbol for the company allowing it to set itself apart from other brands of potato chips on the shelf and recently attracting the attention of Rick Mercer one of Canadas best-known television personalities. The familys history with potatoes goes back a long way. Albright Farms is a family-owned fourth generation company that started in the early 1920s when the family farmed potatoes. Ryan and his brother Matthew now own the family farming business and theyre also partners in Covered Bridge Potato Chips. The potato chip company got its start when Ryan Albright now company president and CEO at only 34 years old formed a brokerage company in 2004 and found himself selling potatoes to others who went and turned them into potato chips. He wanted to do more than just sell potatoes to other chipmakers though and in 2006 Albright formed the Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company. The first bag of Covered Bridge chips rolled off the line in January 2009. The vision behind the company was to make tasty kettle-cooked potato chips and create a unique brand that would capture consumer interest. Tying this concept with the Hartlands historic covered bridge seemed like a no-brainer. Canadian potato grower Ryan Albright co-founded the Cover Bridge Potato Chip Company in 2006. PHOTO COVERED BRIDGE POTATO CHIP COMPANY.