Earlier this summer, Pennsylvania-based Herr Foods Inc. unveiled Flavored by Philly: Local Eats—a collection of chips exclusively crafted for the City of Brotherly Love.
Local Philadelphia customers voted for (and tasted) their favorite flavored chips out of three locally-inspired flavors, and the city's choice has been made—Tomato Pie, a Philly classic.
"We are thrilled to crown Corropolese Italian Bakery & Deli Tomato Pie Chips as the winner of our second annual Flavored by Philly contest," said Ed Herr, chairman and CEO of Herr's in a press release. "Their innovative take on a beloved Philadelphia delicacy truly embodies the spirit of the Flavored by Philly contest.
The three flavor finalists were announced in June, and fans could vote for a winner through August 8. The finalists, not including winner Corropolese Bakery, Tomato Pie (Norristown), were John's Roast Pork, Roast Pork Sandwich (Philadelphia) and Mike's BBQ, Korean BBQ Wings (Philadelphia).
"Tomato Pie is an old family recipe that has been cherished within our local community for generations," said Joe Corropolese, owner of Corropolese Italian Bakery & Deli. "As a family business deeply rooted in the community, we wanted to showcase the flavors that our customers have grown to love and appreciate."
The contest saw a 50% increase in participation, compared to its debut in 2022, with more than 17,000 snack lovers voting for their favorite Philadelphia flavor.
The salty snacks category has grown since 2021. Salty snacks made up 4.36% of inside sales in convenience stores in 2021. C-store salty snacks saw gross margins of 40.83% on average in 2021, up 0.93 point year over year.
The potato chips subcategory accounted for the largest percentage of category sales at 38.5%, according to 2021 NACS SOI data. The subcategory increased sales year over year by 8.1% and gross profits by 11.1%. “Potato chips are a staple for convenience stores and a profit driver,” said Jayme Gough, NACS research manager. “We’re seeing a ton of innovation in this subcategory, including spicy, limited-edition and international flavors.”