These New Michigan Potatoes Could Be in Your Next Bag of Chips

Let’s be honest, nobody really thinks about where potato chips come from. You just open the bag and go to town. But behind the scenes, there’s actually a pretty big science operation making sure that bag is full and tastes right every single time.

Why Michigan Is Key to America’s Potato Chip Supply

That’s where Michigan State University comes in. Researchers there just rolled out five brand new potato varieties according to WJRT. It might sound boring at first, but this is actually kind of a big deal, especially if you’re a chip fan.

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We’re talking about potatoes designed specifically to keep the chip supply strong year-round. Because here’s the thing most people don’t realize, potatoes are only harvested once a year, but chips are made all year. So if those potatoes don’t store well or get wiped out by disease, suddenly your favorite snack could be in trouble.

How MSU Created Potatoes Built for Year-Round Chips

That’s why a researcher named David Douches has spent more than 20 years working on these. The goal? Potatoes that can sit in storage for months, fight off diseases, and still come out crispy and perfect when they hit the fryer.

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And Michigan plays a huge role in all of this. The state is one of the top potato producers in the country. And get this, about 70% of Michigan’s potatoes go toward chips. There’s even an estimate that one out of every four bags of chips you eat in the U.S. started right here.

New Michigan Potato Varieties Focus on Storage and Disease Resistance

Now these new varieties, with Pure Michigan names, all bring something different to the table. Manistee is basically the storage king, holding up for months without losing quality. Mackinaw fights off some of the worst potato diseases out there. Petoskey is built for crunch, with less oil absorption. Huron Chipper focuses on high yield and adaptability. And Blackberry, which is purple inside and out, is aimed at more specialty markets.

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Bottom line, you can’t rely on just one type of potato anymore. Weather, disease, storage issues, there’s a lot that can go wrong. So having multiple options helps keep the shelves stocked and the chip aisle looking the way we all like it.

So next time you grab a bag of chips, just know there’s a very good chance Michigan had something to do with it. And somewhere along the line, a scientist spent two decades making sure that crunch hits just right.