Jays Factory Closes
by 
Matt B on December 5th, 2007
Jays Foods, Inc. is a local manufacturer of snack products, including potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn. It was founded in 1927 right here in Chicago and distributes its products in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri. There are distribution centers in fifteen major cities throughout these states. Unfortunately, Jays filed for bankruptcy this past October and is permanently closing its Chicago manufacturing plant today.
Just seeing Jays on the shelves brings back memories for me. As a kid, I was often sent to the corner grocery store (or even the corner pub) for a bag or two of Jays. The potato chips were also my first comprehension of what a regional product was, and I found it absolutely fascinating that Jays were not available everywhere in the U.S.
In 1927, Leonard Japp started a snack business here in Chicago that came to feature local favorite Mrs. Japp's Potato Chips, made from his own wife's recipe. After surviving the Wall Street stock market crash of 1929, Japp took on a new partner and business continued to flourish. However, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the name 'Japp' had a negative connotation and nearly drove the company out of business. The chips were quickly rebranded to 'Jays Potato Chips.' Before long, Jays became the premier potato chip in Chicago and throughout the Midwest.
Jays manufactured and distributed more than just chips though. It provided a full line of snacks, including O-KE-DOKE popcorn, Hot Stuff 'cheezles,' mini-pretzels, and tortilla chips. My fave was the cheese-covered popcorn, which of course resulted in cheese-stained lips and fingers.
The Jays brand will probably survive, continued on by its buyer (which is very likely to be Snyder's of Hanover, a Pennsylvania-based snack-food maker). However, the South Side production plant that has churned out potato chips for decades closes its doors today, abandoning 220 jobs.
Photo credit: taquitos.net
Tags: chicago, chicago-history, history, midwest, potato-chips, snacks, south side| 3.0 |
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