Exploring Life & Business with Christie Buck of Christie’s Chips

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christie Buck.

Hi Christie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
My background is in the restaurant industry. I went to culinary school in my early 20s while I was living in Chicago, IL, and began working in hotels and restaurants. The lifestyle was so challenging. I began thinking maybe it wasn’t for me. I still only cared about food but was unsure what my future would hold. I took a job working at a manufacturing plant in their R&D department.

It was at that time that I started thinking about starting my brand. Brands were coming to us at the plant and it was my job to help them develop their vision. I wanted to be on the brand side. I wanted to create my vision, not someone else’s. After a year at that job, I packed up my things and moved out to southern California. I took a job as a food broker and started learning everything possible about the consumer packaged goods industry.

It was at that time that I started working on what is now known as Christie’s, in my small kitchen in Santa Monica. I was making potato chips, messing with fully planted-based versions of these classic flavors, and getting everyone I knew to try them. When I kept receiving incredible feedback on the flavors, I began thinking maybe I could make this a brand more people could enjoy. I sought the help of two creative friends to work with me on bringing this brand to life.

I rented a commercial kitchen and started making these potato chips where I was handcrafting everything and sealing the bags myself. I was going door-to-door pitching this brand and selling cases out of the back of my car. I built the brand this way over the last couple of years. In May of this past year, I launched a large facility that now produces my chips. I have continued building this brand in hopes of sharing my delicious chips with everyone. This has been the most incredible, challenging, and rewarding pursuit of my life.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has been anything but smooth. I knew that there would be challenges, but I had no idea how many challenges I would encounter and continue to encounter regularly. The struggles truly began when I came to realize that starting with a manufacturing plant to produce my products was out of the question. The minimums were astronomical, and it became clear I would have to seek an alternative solution.

Learning where I could produce, how to find raw materials at the right price, cost out my business, create a sales pitch that would work, find the stores that would buy my products, and somehow continue growing all the while maintaining a full-time job to pay my bills was just the beginning. Time management became a vital skill. Stamina, perseverance, and vision carried me through the challenges.

When I received a PO that was far larger than I could produce myself, the search for a co-packer began again after a year and a half of producing and operating this business from a rented commercial kitchen. It became clear that I was going to not only have to find a co-packer but essentially pitch the vision of my brand to get someone to work with such a small company. I thought I had found a co-packer and was ready to move forward when they essentially dropped me and I still had this massive PO to fulfill.

At this moment my heart broke and I feared I would lose the business. I got back to the drawing board, pushed even harder, and found the most perfect partner I could have ever asked for. I could talk for hours about the challenges I have experienced throughout the last few years. I have come to thrive in problem-solving. I feel any business owner can relate to this.

As you know, we’re big fans of Christie’s Chips. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I launched my potato chip brand two years ago in October 2020. Back in 2019, I came to understand there weren’t any fully plant-based versions of the classic flavors like sour cream and onion. There were puffs and tortilla chips but no potato chips.

As a child, potato chips were my all-time favorite snack, so I started messing with recipes in my kitchen. I landed a sour cream and onion that was indistinguishable from the real thing and got everyone I knew to try it. It was at that time that I started building this brand in hopes that I could share my creation with others. I wanted my chips to taste like the real thing while also being better for you.

It was important that while my chips taste just like the chips I grew up with, they were made with cleaner, better ingredients. They contain fewer calories than other brands and don’t use any artificial preservatives or colors. Christie’s is the only woman-owned potato chip brand that is non-GMO project verified and certified vegan. When you try my chips, you’ll be amazed they’re vegan.

What are your plans for the future?
We are currently working on a new flavor with plans to launch it in the new year. We have another flavor planned for development after the new year launch to line up with the summer months. We hope to keep expanding Christie’s product line with new exciting flavors. Recipe development is one of my favorite parts of the business, so it will remain a central focus of the company.

We are also launching new distributors to continue bringing our brand to more people. We are launching new regional chains and hope to continue our nationwide expansion. Next year we are also participating in our first food show which we are so excited about. As we develop our brand, our product line, and all aspects of our company, we will continue to innovate and bring a modern twist to a snack-time classic.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.christieschips.com

Image Credits
Molly Adams