From pretzels to potato chips, Pennsylvanians know how to chow down.
Grumbling bellies in the middle of the afternoon are no match for the thousands of pounds of snacks that are produced in this region each year.
Those with an appetite big enough to tackle the salty offerings of central Pennsylvania should pack the kids in the car and hit the road for free tours and factory samplings. Bring your water bottles. You’re going to get thirsty.
We’re headed south to York County, where the self-proclaimed “Snack Capital of the World” offers suggested stops on its Sweet and Salty Trail guide. Here are a few worth the trip.
Martin’s Potato Chips
Technically located just outside of York County in Adams County, Martin’s Potato Chips has a history rooted in snacking.
Legend has it that Fairy Martin started making her famous potato chips in 1941 to keep her son from spending money at the Utz potato chip stand in the local market.
Today, the company produces more than 1 million bags of potato chips and popcorn each month. According to the company website, the product is so popular that the past three presidents have served Martin’s chips on Air Force One.
“We order boxes at a time,” said Joanne Kinner, who used to live in Hanover but moved to Florida a couple of years ago.
She was going on the tour with family members recently and getting ready to stock up on her favorite potato chips.
Tours are only available Tuesday mornings and calls should be made in advance to reserve a spot. Visitors have to wear hairnets, but it’s worth it. This is one of the few factory tours that will allow you step right onto the production floor.
The process of making potato chips hasn’t changed much at Martin’s. The washed spuds make their way on conveyor belts to be peeled, sliced, fried, cooled and salted. If you’re tempted by the delicious smells of freshly fried potato chips, the tour guide can help satisfy your craving. At Martin’s, visitors can sample potato chips right off the line before they’re packaged.
Martin’s Potato Chips, 5847 Lincoln Highway West, Thomasville, www.martinschips.com.
Snyder’s of Hanover
When you’re making your way back to York County from Martin’s, it makes sense to stop by Snyder’s of Hanover.
A reported 80 percent of America’s pretzels are made in Pennsylvania, helping contribute to the nearly two pounds of pretzels the average American eats each year, according to Snyder’s tour guides.
Visitors can go on guided tours Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Calls in advance are recommended.
Since 1901, Snyder’s of Hanover has been making pretzels, still using the original recipe. This 30-minute tour runs along a hallway above the factory floor, which allows for great views of what’s happening below.
“The kids are always well-behaved when they know they get a treat at the end,” said Michael Lourette, who took the tour with his family recently.
The tour is a great way to see the variety of products that Snyder’s offers. A century-plus in business, the company has grown to manufacture more than 10 different kinds of pretzels, tortilla chips and salsas.
The best part of the tour? A free bag of pretzels when you leave.
Snyder’s of Hanover, 1350 York St., Hanover, www.snydersofhanover.com.
Utz Potato Chip Factory
Unlike some other snack factory tours, Utz Potato Chip Factory tour is self-guided. Open Monday through Thursday, the 30-minute tour takes visitors through the factory via a private entrance and video tour. Be sure to give yourself enough time to press the buttons that prompt the narration at various stops along the way.
As the largest independent snack factory in the United States, Utz produces 3.3 million pounds of snacks a week, about half of which are potato chips.
When it first started in 1921, William and Salie Utz made about 50 pounds of potato chips an hour from their summer kitchen in Hanover. The company grew each decade until it became the snack franchise it is today.
Eleven different stations through the tour give visitors a view of the factory below. A small bag of chips is given to each visitor at the end, but, if that doesn’t satisfy your hunger, a factory store is located on-site.
Utz Potato Chip Factory, 900 High St., Hanover, www.utzsnacks.com.
Wolfgang Candy Co.
If salty snacks are weighing you down and your sweet tooth is begging for some attention, head to the Wolfgang Candy factory tour.
A fourth-generation family business, Wolfgang Candy Co. was founded by Delphy Eli and Mima Mae Wolfgang in 1921.
Food safety regulations no longer allow tours in the production area, but there are still opportunities to learn the history of candy-making and see how the handmade items are created today.
Tours are available at 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday, although larger groups may be accommodated at other times.
On the tour, visitors learn how chocolate is tempered and see how hollows are made. The whole tour takes about 45 minutes.
The Das Sweeten Haus also has display cases filled with wooden sugar molds, glass candy jars and other candy-collectible antiques.
Janice Tally, a York native who was visiting the factory recently, said she loves to go on the tour for the smell alone.
“That sweet chocolate sticks with you all day,” she said. “The thing about local treats is they’re the ones you grew up with. Even if you move away or try other things, nothing is as good as the foods that remind you of home.”
Wolfgang Candy Co., 50 E. Fourth Ave., York, www.wolfgangcandy.com.
Other Snack Happenings
Central Pennsylvania is full of sweet and salty destinations. A few others include:
- Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, 219 E. Main St., Lititz. Visitors get to tour the original 1861 bakery and take a shot at twisting their own pretzel. www.juliussturgis.com.
- Wilbur Chocolate Company, 48 N. Broad St., Lititz. Visit the Candy Americana Museum, where you can sample a free Wilbur Bud. www.wilburbuds.com.
- The Turkey Hill Experience, 301 Linden St., Columbia. While it isn’t a real factory tour, The Turkey Hill Experience gives visitors a backstage look at dairy production and the work that goes into making its famous ice cream. www.turkeyhillexperience.com.
- Hershey Chocolate World, 251 Park Blvd., Hershey. You can’t go on a snack-food tour and not mention Hershey. The free tour is a popular destination for tourists. www.hersheys.com/chocolateworld.
