The production of potato chips began in Smižany in 1986 as part of the associated production at JRD Smižany.
At that time, JRD Smižany was one of the largest potato growers in Slovakia. Mr. Handlovič, currently one of the partners in SlovChips s.r.o., used to be an employee of the production plant. After the Velvet Revolution and the change of the economy to the open market, it was no longer accessible for JRD Smižany to navigate the new conditions, so they leased the production plant to a company that continued producing chips in the new regime. Mr. Handlovič became a partner of the newly established company and worked as a production director. Thanks to a qualified and experienced production director, the company renting the production plant from JRD Smižany could continue producing high-quality potato chips. However, they had issues with selling them in the new conditions.
At that time, Mr. Handlovič offered us to buy business shares in the original company with subsequent better management of supplier-customer and economic relations. New people who entered newly founded SlovChips s.r.o. had different ideas and skills for work in new markets and financial circumstances. Over time, they needed to buy production premises and operating capacities from JRD Smižany, rent warehouses, and start producing and selling potato chips according to current standards and rules.
We are happy about the interest in working at our company
Today, SlovChips s.r.o. Smižany is owned only by Slovak owners, and its ownership structure has no foreign capital. Therefore, it is an exclusively Slovak producer and supplier of potato chips in the Slovak market. The first step that the new company took towards the modernization of production and sales was to expand the range. And so, in addition to the traditional Spiš chips in a simple, transparent foil, the production of other brands with new flavors and metalized films began. The product line now includes Prima, Gazdovské, Sedliacke, Chrumm and others. The market interest in preservative-free products inspired us to launch the production of chips under the Nature Product brand. These are flavored with special ingredients without preservatives and flavor enhancers. Subsequently, we expanded the portfolio of our products with another salty assortment, especially sticks, and various salty snacks. Currently, we supply the market with Gazdovské, Prima, and Soletky sticks in many sizes and flavors, in addition to traditional ones and even chocolate ones. We do not produce them in our plant, but they are mainly produced according to our recipes by Slovak manufacturers and our long-term partners.
The production of high-quality potato chips would not be possible without the high-quality ingredients – potatoes. Ensuring sufficient quantity and quality of potatoes throughout the year is difficult due to the specific characteristics of varieties suitable for such production. These are potatoes with a high starch content, which are very susceptible to mechanical damage, and at the same time, low in sugars, which require very careful handling and storage. However, in the case of high-quality ingredients, the company can afford to produce chips without any further treatment, especially the thermal one, and the potato chips will retain their typical taste and aroma. We have to be strict in selecting the potato type and grower, which is not so easy in Slovakia. Therefore, due to the fluidity of supply with the main ingredient, we also buy potatoes in the neighboring countries, especially in the Czech Republic and Hungary. As for the other details involved in the production of our chips, we prefer Slovak suppliers, and thus, we try to reduce the transport costs and, therefore, the carbon footprint.
We believe that with the high quality and exciting portfolio, we can reach more and more customers
Our products are increasingly appearing on the shelves of Slovak stores, primarily due to their quality. We aim to cultivate a customer base that values our commitment to quality. We resist the allure of lower-priced competitors and remain loyal to our entire product portfolio. Apart from the Slovak market, we actively explore sales opportunities abroad, particularly in EU countries. We are gradually introducing our products to neighboring countries and even in Ireland, where Peasant Potato Chips are available at the Dublin airport and various stores within the ‘CENTRA’ network.
Our effort is to constantly improve, not only in terms of the quality and range of the assortment but also in the area of personnel, because we are aware that this is possible with the responsible and conscientious work of the entire team. We are proud that when doing business in this region, we can offer interesting jobs with competitive salaries in various areas, whether in production, distribution, or marketing. We are happy about the interest in working at our company, especially young people who don’t have to relocate to other parts of Slovakia or abroad for work. They can thus apply and develop their talents for the benefit of their region.
We believe that with the high quality and exciting portfolio, we can reach more and more customers who will express their satisfaction with their loyalty. We are also convinced that despite various adverse circumstances, SlovChips s.r.o. can maintain its presence in the Slovak market and expand abroad to offer even more exciting job opportunities and security to its employees in today’s complicated economic situation. www.slovchips.sk
Text: PR, photo: slovchips.sk
