"At the time, potato chips were only distributed in small, pick-and-mix-type bags, and because they couldn't travel well, they were typically cooked and prepared by local grocers, who would scoop them out of big glass cases and barrels, and sell them by the pound. These had to be eaten immediately."
"Using small wax paper packages, she-and the women she hired-would fill the bags, iron the top shut, and seal the package to ensure optimal freshness. To ensure quality, she also tasted a bag of potato chips out of every pile they packaged every night."
Laura Scudder, a nurse, lawyer, and scientist, transformed the potato chip industry in 1926 by introducing sealed wax paper packaging. Before her innovation, potato chips were sold loose from barrels by local grocers and had to be consumed immediately due to spoilage. Scudder began kettle-frying chips in a brick building attached to her gas station and developed a method where she and her employees filled bags, ironed the tops shut, and sealed packages to maintain freshness. She personally quality-tested chips nightly from every batch. Her business expanded to multiple locations, distributing products from Los Angeles County to the Bay Area, establishing the foundation for modern packaged chip distribution.
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