About Wise Foods

In 1921, Berwick, Pennsylvania grocer Earl Wise Sr. turned a surplus of potatoes into crisp chips he sliced and fried in his mother’s kitchen, selling them in paper bags. The idea quickly took off: within a year he owned his own delivery truck, and by 1925 he had opened his first plant. Even when a fire destroyed the factory in the 1940s, Wise rebuilt, adopted the owl as his emblem and introduced iconic snacks like Ridgies and Cheez Doodles before renaming the company Wise Foods Inc. in 1968. Over the decades, the range expanded to include Onion Rings, Dipsy Doodles, kettle‑cooked chips, Bravos and savory dips, demonstrating a passion for innovation without losing its artisanal roots. As the company grew, it passed through several hands, eventually joining the Arca Continental family in 2012. Today, Wise remains true to its heritage: it recycles obsolete packaging into park benches, reuses water in its processes and converts edible waste into animal feed or biodiesel. From its hometown of Berwick, it invites everyone to enjoy “real snacks for real people,” reminding us that a homegrown idea can become a legacy of flavor and community. Creativity and perseverance have transformed a family business into a beloved national symbol.Read their story