Kettle Chips: Cameron Healy. The Wild Bet That Made a Brand

Cameron Healy, founder of Kettle Foods and co-founder of Kona Brewing Company, recounts building a $300 million brand by making potato chips in Salem, Oregon, and unexpectedly finding success in the United Kingdom. Healy describes starting with a natural foods distribution business and later transitioning to manufacturing roasted nuts. Inspired by Maui potato chips, he ventured into kettle-cooked potato chips, facing early challenges like rancid oil and a near-fatal car accident. A pivotal motorcycle trip to England led to the discovery of a strong potato chip culture, prompting Healy to launch Kettle Chips in the UK, where it quickly surpassed US sales. Later, a vacation in Hawaii sparked the idea for Kona Brewing, balancing both ventures with meditation and yoga.