"Together Talks" feature # 42: My Dad's Chips presented by KLS, freight company
Some Background on My Father's Chips
Today's edition of "Together Talks" campaign, KLS had the opportunity to interview My Dad's Chips and CFO, Brian Edell. My Dad's Chips produces thin-sliced, kettle-cooked, Russet potato chips that contain 22% less salt than competitors. Cooked in their proprietary oil blend, My Dad's Chips have a robust real potato flavor! My Dad's Chips has been a staple of the Gaithersburg, MD community since 2009, when founder Gary Edell first made his chips. When his kids went off to college, Gary would send them Tupperware containers filled with potato chips to make them feel at home. When the kids shared the chips with their friends, they always said "WOW these chips are delicious! Where'd you get them?" to which the response was "they're My Dad's Chips" and the business was born.
Quick Start
The company ran their first production in April 2022 and the product was brought to market 5 months later. Initially they took every opportunity to sample and distributing POS materials including index cards and flyers. Throughout the year journey they have been told that the packaging stands out on shelves and the name sparks curiosity. Brian told us they take advantage of that to gain new consumers. The company just recently started a social media advertising campaign as they are focused on growth.
My Dad's Chips are currently sold in 145 total retail outlets, find them here. They recently partnered with Rainforest Distribution on May 1st, which got them into 68 locations within the first 6 weeks. The partnership has been great for My Dad's Chips and they are encouraged to see the continued growth in reach!
The company's products are also sold online D2C via their website, BUY HERE! and in various vending machines and office cafes in the northeast.
Innovation and Purpose
As impressive as this first year has been for My Dad's Chips, it wasn't all smooth sailing. Brian shared with us that about 5-6 years after his Father's first creation, the family was noticing the support the chips were gaining. And not just by friends and family. They thought it would be really cool to build something if they put their minds to it. Even crazier than starting a business is starting one in which they have no knowledge of the industry! That's right, Brian told us they knew nothing about the chip business, but believed in the product and went for it.
Several of the manufacturers that My Dad's Chips initially reached out to turned them down for a variety of reasons. They didn't want to use the proprietary oil, their potatoes, or cut the thin chips. They were facing adversity and didn't feel they had the right partner to help the company thrive and grow along its journey. Brian told us about the encounter that would be a pivotal moment for the company as he shared, "We were at a Penn State Football Game tailgating (our Mom went to PSU), we made a connection there who asked if we had heard of Hartley's in Lewistown, PA. They had an in and made the introduction for us." Now situated with a manufacturing partner that understands the vision of My Dad's Chips, they felt ready to conquer anything. Until the next adversity would hit...
"Our first run, we burned through 14,000 potatoes!", Brian informed us. He told us it was demoralizing, but they had two options, "Either sit there and feel sorry for ourselves, or learn what we did wrong and never make that mistake again", he shared. Glass half full outlook, they took this opportunity to educate themselves and the next run a month and a half later was a complete success. He told us how important it was to adapt and make adjustments on the fly.
What makes a chip?
My Dad's Chips has 3 key characteristics to stand out from the competition
Russet Potatoes Some competitors use russet potatoes but for a singular flavor, whereas My Dad's Chips only uses russets for each and every flavor.
Proprietary Oil Blend Not a single company in the entire $8.9B chip industry uses the blend of My Dad's Chips. Setting them apart from every other option on the shelf.
22% less salt Not a vehicle to consume salt. Most kettle cooked chips are thicker cut. Theirs however are intentionally thin to feel thin, light, and airy, but still sturdy enough to dip and put spread on. Even with being thin cut, they still really taste like potatoes too.
Partner with KLS
KLS offers LTL and FTL for both dry and reefer transportation.
Our nationwide coverage provides companies a reliable, consistent, and dependable logistics partner to handle your trucking needs.
For more information on how we can help call our office today 708-980-0920 or reach us via our email quote request here!
Current Landscape
The products are available in 2 sizes (1.75 oz and 7 oz for grocery), with 3 flavors being available (original, barbecue, and salt & balsamic vinegar). We asked Brian to describe the culture of the company and he elaborated, "Our ability to cater to each client. We like to call chips 'homestyle potato chips', because that is how they started, right in our kitchen. But also the feeling associated with our chips. We envision our clients and our customers being a part of the MDC Family. Growing together, being a part of something. What we are striving to become will be created by solving everything the potato chip has been lacking."
Another important aspect of the company's culture is their community giving back. MDC Gives Back works to support the communities closest to them. One avenue they do this is by partnering with organizations that support individuals who suffer from abuse. The other channel they participate with is "The Complete Player Charity", which strives to provide for those who don't have access to proper nutrition and education. They also seek to provide equal housing in parts of Montgomery county in Maryland working with The Dwelling Place. Brian said that partnering on these two causes keeps the perspective in mind of how important it is to give back while on their mission of building their company.
The Future
The company is working on an 18 oz bag for big chain retailers and restaurants. As Brian told us, "perfect for restaurants who want to offer a chip option as a side for their entrées." The company is working on 2 new releases by the end of 2023 - French Onion and Jalapeño Sriracha.
They also are intrigued about continuing to build the reach with their partnership of Rainforest Distribution. As Brian shared, they are hoping to penetrate the "Mid-Atlantic" region which covers (South Jersey to Virginia Beach).
The last piece they are working on is adding to the staff as they continue to grow. Brian is excited to add individuals who understand the goal of the company and want to be a part of the story and journey as they build the company.
Also purchase from their website and use the coupon code
"KLS" for a 20% discount!
Whirlwind of a year
We asked Brian to take us through the fears and doubts he had starting this a little over a year ago, and he informed us, "I quit my job before we brought the chips to market. It was a huge leap of faith. Every day is a fire drill, but we always seem to find an answer. It goes back to our first run where we failed. Even if we make a mistake, we always have the opportunity to learn and retrain ourselves to be better going forward. Everyone has that fear and doubt at the beginning, but everyone starts at zero. Everyone is a someone in this world and you are what you make of it."
Incredibly well said Brian.
The purpose behind the company isn't to get rich or build a humungous brand, but as Brian shared, "We want to provide as many people access to a better quality chip. That is our goal. To be open to community as possible, because we wouldn't be here without them. So we will continue to be transparent, open, up front, honest, and most of all inclusive."
When we put Brian on the spot inquiring about this favorite aspect of working at MDC, he told us it is always seeing the moment people experience enjoying the chip for the first time. We asked him if there is one moment that sticks out the most, and he said there have been a handful of surreal moments. "We got into Hoboken in Jersey, my Mom is from that area, so seeing it on the shelf with friends and family meant a lot to us. Watching the partnership with Rainforest develop has been rewarding. Recently I was sitting in the warehouse with my Dad and we had 50 pallets of chips to ship out, it was so humbling and awesome to see. All of it is validating, a reason to us doing this, we have proof of concept now. And the coolest part is people like the chips, just like we did back in '09", he told us.
Getting to share what they knew back in 2009, these chips are unlike anything else. Only now the whole world can have that experience when consuming My Dad's Chips.
Interested in being featured with "Together Talks"?
KLS is booking our upcoming schedule now!
Contact us as we would love to learn your story and share it amongst our audience.
Weekly we provide 2 companies our platform to expand their reach courtesy of our campaign. Let's collaborate!!!
In Closing
KLS wants to thank Brian for sharing the story of My Dad's Chips for today's "Together Talks" feature. Keep up to date with MDC by following their blog on their website, check it out here. Follow along for the My Dad's Chips journey with their social handles below!
Klimson Logistics Solutions - "Together Talks" feature # 42: My Dad's Chips presented by KLS, freight company
*Klimson Logistics Solutions is an Industry Leading Customer Service 3PL. Our focus and commitment to our clients has us striving to be the BEST customer service 3PL for LTL, FTL, Reefer, and Drayage in the country. KLS, freight company, is a 3PL providing nationwide logistics solutions. KLS shipping services include: LTL freight, FTL freight, Reefer LTL freight, Reefer FTL freight, and Drayage. Klimson Logistics Solutions thanks you for viewing our marketing campaign, "Together Talks". If you have any interest in being featured or questions regarding your freight operations please contact us today!
Why KLS?
Our precise and reliable effort.
We handle every shipment with the exact same process. It does not matter if you move one shipment a year or ten per day, you will receive the same level of customer service from us. When we started this company, we had one goal in mind, treat every shipment like it was our own. With our vast knowledge of the industry, we understood what a customer would want from a communication standpoint. We applied that process to be the standard here at KLS. Our reliability and being able to depend on our consistency is why we have such long-standing relationships with our clients.
Our Process?
Every shipment in our industry starts with a quote. We are firm believers that time is money, thus we strive to have quotes back in a 5-10 minute reply time for LTL and FTL, any FCL quotes are at the mercy of the carriers getting back to us. For LTL we have the flexibility to quote both off of NMFC and also Density depending on the carrier. Utilizing our services, you’re allowing us to use our expertise to class your freight accordingly to ensure we are providing the best rate we possibly can.
Once a quote has been submitted and a client chooses to proceed with KLS handling the arrangement of the shipment our full process begins. We create the BOL that will be used for the shipment. If it is a new location for our system, we will obtain all the important/special details (reference numbers, contact details, shipping hours, closed for lunch, dock/doors, etc.). We meticulously build every detail into our software for all future shipments involving that location. After we have both locations built and necessary reference numbers have been applied we will tender the shipment to the carrier. We use this method because it provides us a real time pickup number from the carrier to obtain updates prior to pickup. Our staff will either email the BOL directly to you or to the shipper (at your request) the minute after the tender has been accepted by the carrier. LTL carriers require a 2 hour window prior to close time in order to schedule it for a same-day pickup attempt.
The following morning you’ll receive an email from us. It will either provide the reason the pickup was missed (driver’s trailer filled up, driver missed the close time, truck broke down, shipper said no freight, etc.) or if the pickup was successful you will receive the PRO (tracking) number from us, along with the eta for delivery. Our staff will track it throughout the duration of transit and advise if anything happens that will alter the estimated delivery date. The day the shipment delivers we will email you with confirmation and the POD (Proof of Delivery), should you require it.
Your shipment has been quoted, scheduled, picked up, and delivered. The next step is waiting for the carrier to invoice us and make sure the rate matches up. If it does, we close out the invoice from the carrier in our system and automatically your invoice is created and sent to the requested party at your company. In the event the carrier has an additional charge on their invoice “Variance”, we will never send you an invoice with an additional charge without first identifying you of the charge.
Let us repeat, NEVER WILL WE JUST BILL OUT AN EXTRA CHARGE WITHOUT YOU BEING NOTIFIED.
You are our customer, we represent you. Should the carrier provide an extra charge on an invoice, “Lift gate, additional weight, reclass, detention, etc.) We notify you of the charge via email first. Second, within that email we identify what is required should you choose to dispute the charge. Again our goal is to honor your request, if you want to dispute, we will dispute. During a dispute we will provide you updates every step along the way. Once a dispute is closed out, whether it is approved or rejected, then we will invoice you as the invoice has been resolved.
For reference, our company only had 6.2% of all shipments go to dispute in 2022 and we successfully won 91% of those disputes on behalf of our customers.
This is our process for every single shipment you move with us. We don’t cut corners, we don’t hide from difficult situations. We believe in being available, honest, and transparent. We don’t ever want to tell you that a shipment is lost, damaged, misrouted, but it is our duty to notify you the second we find out something has gone wrong. We hate to present bad news, but it is part of the job. What you can guarantee is that we will work a shipment all the way through and turn over every stone until we get a resolution for our clients.
Services offered?
Our core business is LTL and FTL. Within these options we have options for both dry and refrigerated/frozen. We also offer FCL/Drayage options. Our company as a 3PL has nationwide options and services clients across the US.
Let’s breakdown our services more in-depth
LTL:
Standard and Guaranteed
CFS (Imports & Exports)
Tradeshows
Hazmat
Anything that is on a pallet can be moved LTL. Typically LTL is up to 10 pallets, but the sweet spot for a carrier is 6-8 pallets at most for an individual shipment. LTL quotes are good between 5-30 days depending on the carrier. LTL can be quoted either via NMFC or density to determine the class (we do this for you).
Volume:
Anything over 10-12’ of space in the truck is the technical rule for a volume shipment. When we run a quote for you we will determine if it qualifies for volume and provide you a rate if available. Volume moves allow you to get a reduced rate for larger shipments. The caveat to volume shipments it the quotes are only valid for 3-7 days and they move on capacity between terminals. If a terminal is backed up they will move their LTL freight first before the volume freight, which can lead to longer transit times for volume moves.
FTL/Dedicated/Expedited: 53’ Dry and Reefer 26’ Box trucks with lift gate Sprinter Van The main difference for FTL vs LTL is space and transit time. For standard pallets you can fit either 26 or 30 pallets in a 53’ dry van. The other main difference is transit time, for FTL each day counts in the transit time, whereas LTL does not count the day of pickup, weekends, or holidays in their transit time.
Reefer/Frozen:
LTL and FTL
We specialize working in the CPG space with food manufacturers. We regularly deliver to
the following locations:
Kehe
UNFI
Core Mark
DPI
Wegmans
Cugini
H.T. Hackney
Netrition
HEB
ALDI
Chambers and Owens
EBY Brown
Nassau Candy
Harris Teeter
Wakefern
NU INC
Long Distribution
What makes KLS different?
There are thousands for freight brokers and 3PL in our industry. Barrier to entry is rather easy and agents or owners will often hire sales people without any intention of properly training them. It results in high turnover for many freight companies and a forgettable experience for the client. We choose to operate differently through our consistency. We truly care about doing right by our clients and prospects too. While we would love to help provide our services to every company we speak with, that just isn’t realistic. We won’t always be the right fit for every company that moves freight and that is ok. Our authenticity as a shipping company sets us apart from the competition and that is backed up by our testimonials. We also run a marketing campaign bi-weekly called “Together Talks”. We interview, highlight, and promote two businesses every week. Our goal is to grow our network, make new connections, and learn something new with each collaboration. Check it out on our website and if you’re interested in being featured reach out.
Our company also runs a year long charity promotion. Book your first shipment through KLS and we donate to the charity of your choice in your name. Our way of thanking you for giving us an opportunity to show you the KLS way and what makes us one of a kind. This entire package is what we offer to every prospect and every client. Our goal is to help provide answers that customers may have when it comes to shipping. We want to always be available as a resource and will always offer a lending hand whenever we can.
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