What innovation, pioneered by Laura Scudder, was the critical factor enabling mass distribution beyond local regions for potato chips?
Answer
Packaging in wax paper bags
The essential barrier preventing the potato chip from becoming a national commodity for decades was ineffective packaging, which resulted in rapid spoilage of the product cooked in animal fats. Laura Scudder solved this logistical hurdle by introducing the use of wax paper bags for packaging chips around the 1920s. This method successfully kept the product fresh for significantly longer periods, which was the prerequisite for shipping chips greater distances, thus moving them out of regional dependency and into grocery stores nationwide, thereby creating the foundation for the modern commodity snack.
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The Fake (and real) History of Potato Chips - YouTube
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