Popchips is an American brand of popped potato and corn products marketed as similar to
potato chips. They are manufactured by processing
potato starch at high pressure and temperature, in a process similar to that used for
puffed rice cakes.[1]
History
Keith Belling is a co-founder and CEO of Popchips which was created in 2007. Belling teamed up with Patrick Turpin, and created a new popped chip.[2] The company created a chip that utilizes potato and corn products that are cooked at a high pressure and temperature.[3] Turpin co-founded Popchips, Inc., and serves as its President.
In November, 2015 David Ritterbush was named CEO of the company, replacing Paul Davis.[4]
Popchips received widespread criticism for their May 2012 video ad campaign featuring actor
Ashton Kutcher.[7] The campaign featured Kutcher as an Indian man 'looking for love' in a dating ad-style spoof. Kutcher's use of brown-face make up and a stereotypical Indian accent was deemed racially insensitive and offensive and received backlash from online viewers and members of the Indian-American community.[8]
Celebrities
Ashton Kutcher was the first celebrity to endorse the company, with 13 million followers on
Twitter. Kutcher boosted the publicity of Popchips.[9] In 2012, Popchips also gained another celebrity endorser,
Katy Perry. Since 2012, Perry featured in advertisements and also helped to launch her own flavour of Popchips, Katy's Kettle Corn.[10]
Awards
Since 2007, Popchips has won the following awards:[11]