Guy's Potato Chips

by Guy's

1938 – 2001 IT CAME BACK

Back — made in Kansas City, Kansas these days and sold direct and through Midwest stores. The claim that Guy's invented the barbecue chip is the brand's own; enjoy it with salt.

Last verified Nov 7, 2026

Guy and Frances Caldwell started frying in Kansas City in 1938, and Guy's grew into the Midwest's chip — the Liberty, Missouri plant employed about a thousand people in the Borden years. Bankruptcy finally caught it in 2001.

🧾 One more thingBorden bought Guy's in 1979 and sold it off in 1994; two bankruptcies in two years then finished the original company. Jack Joslyn revived the brand in 2006.

Filed under: Snacks & Chips · the ’70s & earlier

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📅 Timeline

1938Guy and Frances Caldwell start Guy's Nut and Potato Chip Company in Kansas City.
1979Borden buys Guy's; the Liberty, Missouri plant employs about a thousand people in this era.
1994Borden sells the brand off.
2000First Chapter 11; a court approves the company's sale to General Products & Services in March.
2001A second bankruptcy ends the original company.
2006Jack Joslyn revives the brand, which is now produced in Kansas City, Kansas.

❓ People also ask

Are Guy's chips still made?

Yes — the brand was revived in 2006 and is produced in Kansas City, Kansas today, sold through Midwest stores and the brand's own site.

Did Guy's invent the barbecue potato chip?

That's the brand's own claim, and it hasn't been independently settled. Treat it as Kansas City folklore with seasoning.

🧾 Sources

The Pitch (Kansas City), There's No Joy in Snackville (2000)
The Pitch (Kansas City), Guy's snacks return (brand revival coverage) (2011)
Missourinet, Guy's buyer approved (2000)
PotatoPro, Guy's Snack Foods — company profile (2026)

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