HARRISBURG, Pa. — When Dieffenbach’s, Inc., the makers of the Uglies® Kettle Cooked Potato Chip, heard from one of their potato suppliers that they had potatoes that were going to waste, they stepped in to help out the farmer and the community. In partnership with E.K. Are & Sons, Inc. and Dutch Country Transport, Uglies Brand is bringing these potatoes to the community when they need it most.
On May 20, in Wyomissing, PA, they gave away 40,000 pounds of potatoes to anyone that could use them. The event proved a popular one, with a long line of hundreds of cars forming in the parking lot and extending onto nearby roads.
Dwight Zimmerman, VP of Sales and Marketing, said, “This is a great opportunity for the Uglies® Brand to sponsor this Giveaway. The mission of the brand is to prevent food waste so all the potatoes we use are those that wouldn’t be sold at stores due to being too big, too small, an odd shaped or other minor imperfections.”
The potatoes handed out were a special Russet variety grown and stored specifically for the restaurant and food service industry. Due to the recent economic impact of COVID-19, there are millions of pounds of potatoes all over the United States with nowhere to go. The growers and agricultural industry partners are looking for other outlets that can use these potatoes to stop them from going to waste.
Dieffenbach’s Potato Chips, Inc., headquartered in Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania, has been dedicated to creating ‘Truly Enjoyable Snacks’ since 1964. As a third-generation, family-owned and operated kettle chip manufacturer, Dieffenbach’s is passionate about delivering premium quality, providing exceptional customer service and using the freshest vegetable ingredients. Understanding the best-tasting vegetables come from a healthy earth, Dieffenbach’s minimizes their impact on the environment by operating a zero-waste facility.
Has your agribusiness or farm adopted new ways of doing business to continue serving Pennsylvanians through COVID-19? We want to shine a light on those who have modified their operations to protect their workforce and consumers, give back to their community, and continue pushing forward in a COVID-19 world.
Send photos/stories to hengland@pa.gov. We look forward to being inspired by your story!
–Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture