Jackson's Chips, a Muskego-based manufacturer of kettle-cooked sweet potato chips, is expanding the size of its facility, adding 10,000 square feet of space, which will nearly triple its production capacity.
The company opened the facility less than two years ago at S64 W15569 Commerce Center Parkway, across a cul-de-sac from Eagle Park Brewing Company's Muskego brewery.
Jackson's Chips says it will add two new, high-capacity kettles, as well as two additional high speed packaging lines and seasoning systems that will allow it to nearly triple its pounds per hour production capacity and run up to four different products simultaneously. The company will also quadruple its storage space and install a high-density, racking system.
The expansion project started in late August and is scheduled to be completed by early November.
In June the company established a second, full-time production shift and added overtime required to meet growing customer demand. James Marino, chief executive officer of Jackson’s, said that the company expects to continue to add jobs to meet increased consumer response to its products.
“Adding the two new kettles means that we can process more than one million pounds of sweet potatoes each week and make more than 600,000 bags of kettle-cooked sweet potato chips a day,” Marino said.
The new kettles will be equipped with the latest technology, including features that will optimize usage of its featured ingredient – avocado oil, Marino said.
Jackson’s Chips was started as a family business by Scott and Megan Reamer of Colorado, who began making sweet potato chips in their kitchen in an effort to create a snack their entire family could enjoy, especially their son Jackson, who required a restrictive, low-inflammation diet due to a rare auto-immune disorder.
The couple appeared in 2017 on the television show “Shark Tank” and gained a $1.25 million investment from panelist and entrepreneur Rohan Oza.
“From the start, we have only used non-GMO sweet potatoes sourced directly from farmers whose products are full of natural flavor, high in fiber, and loaded with antioxidants. Hearty slices are cooked low and slow to maintain the nutritional integrity and bring out the best flavor and texture of our chips and provide a crunchy, delicious snack people can feel better about eating,” Jackson’s founder Megan Reamer said.
Today, Jackson’s Chips can be found at Costco, Sendik’s, Woodman’s, Whole Foods, Festival Foods, Metro Market, Kwik Trip, Outpost Natural Foods, Pick ‘n Save, Fox Bros. Piggy Wiggly and other retailers.
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