William Terrell started Terrell’s Potato
Chips in 1961. He had been a food distributor since 1946. He started with donuts, breads, and cookies. He sold other snack
foods in the late 1950’s, and had built his distribution up to five route
trucks, when he came up with the idea of selling his own potato chips. He found
a used potato chip cooker in Pennsylvania, and proceeded to set up a full potato
chip line in 1961 – 1962. Things weren’t always easy, but hard work and
perseverance kept things going. After his son, Jim, got out of the service he
joined his father in the chip business. In 1970 his plant and land were bought
out by the state to make room for a new highway, Route 481. This forced him to
search for a new place to produce his potato chips. He bought out a competitor,
also in Syracuse at that time, called Crispy Maid Potato Chips, and moved
everything to that plant on Midler Park Drive, where Terrell’s Potato Chip
still is today. Crispy Maid Potato Chips also had five route trucks. During that
time we distributed the Bachman brand on our route trucks along with Terrell’s
and the Crispy Maid brand, although the Crispy Maid brand faded the next few
years.
In 1975 James Terrell took control of the business, as his
father William wanted to retire. In the late 1970’s, when The Bachman Company
developed their own distribution to the stores, Terrell’s expanded their line
from just potato chips, to include pretzels, cheese twists, tortilla chips, and
other related products. As the years passed we grew in sales to three million,
four million, and then five million. During the late 1970’s, Jim’s son Jack
started helping in the business. In the eighties and nineties the company
continued to expand, picking up distributors in Buffalo and Albany, and also
adding more route trucks to our fleet, to as many as 27 trucks. In 1995 another
competitor decided they no longer wanted to compete, and Terrell’s took over
Jean’s Potato Chips, which opened more opportunities for the Terrell’s
Potato Chip Company. That helped us grow in sales to 6.5 million, and then 7.5
million, where we are today.
Today, Jack Terrell is in charge, as Jim retired in 1997.
The company continues to service customers with 24 route trucks, two tractor
trailers, and one box truck. Terrell’s covers most of New York State and even
sells in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. We produce Terrell’s brand, Jean’s
brand, and many private label brands which include, Byrne Dairy, Kinney’s
Drugs, and Charles Chips. We do some one ounce specialty packs for some
companies in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Terrell’s pursues selective private
label accounts that fit ours, and the customers needs. 90% of our business is
still Terrell’s brand, 10% being private label. We operate one 1500 pound per
hour fryer, three to four days per week, with plenty of potential. Our packaging
machines are state of the art with computers to be sure the correct weight is
achieved. Our fleet of vehicles range from the 1980’s to 2000’s. We service
corner stores, restaurants, major grocery chains, wholesale clubs, and
everything in between with our direct store delivery system.
