Burger King Potato Chips to Hit Market

Soon you won't need to hit your local Burger King to get its famous flame-broiled taste. Today the fast-food company announced that it has entered into an agreement to introduce its own line of snacks carrying the Burger King name.

The Miami-based corporation will partner with The Inventure Group, a marketing and manufacturing firm in Phoenix, Az., to manufacture a line of potato chips that mimic two of Burger King's signature tastes. The first flavor will be Ketchup & Fries, but the other flavor has yet to be determined, according to a corporate press release, though it does note that the taste will be "savory."

The chips will be carried in vending machines, on airplanes, and in convenience and grocery stores starting around November 2007, said Burger King's president of global marketing, Russ Klein, in the release.

"The entry of our brand into the snack food business through licensing is another initiative in a long line of innovative ways we're expanding our brand reach," Klein said. "Our vision is to secure a brand presence in more than 100,000 outlets through these new distribution channels, far beyond our 11,200 restaurants."

Various sizes are planned for the potato chips, including single serving bags of about 1 ounce for vending machines and a larger bag of about 5.5 ounces for grocery stores. In spring 2008, variety packs and larger, 20 to 25-ounce bags will also be introduced. A 100-calorie bag of potato chips will also be tested out in various Burger King restaurants and marketed as an accompaniment to their sandwiches.

The Burger King potato chips are not The Inventure Group's first foray into the world of licensed snacks. They have also developed snacks with various other brand names, such as TGI Friday's and Boulder Canyon Natural Foods. Launched in the early 1980s under the name Poore Brothers, The Inventure Group began acquiring other brands shortly after its initial public offering in 1998.