Mister Bee Potato Chips
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| Product type | Assorted |
|---|---|
| Owner | Independent |
| Country | Parkersburg, West Virginia |
| Introduced | 1951 |
| Markets | West Virginia, Ohio, Western Kentucky |
| Tagline | "Mister Bee's Please" |
| Website | www.misterbee.com |
Mister Bee Potato Chips is a brand of potato chips produced since 1951 in the USA. The company was founded by Leo and Sara Klein as a small local business in Parkersburg, WV, and grew to a million-dollar enterprise by 1972.
Leo Klein operated the business until 1979, when he died at the age of 73. The Kleins' son, Alan, assumed control after Leo's death and held the title of CEO beginning in 1988. The third generation of the family, Doug Klein, became the President and COO in the 1990s. The company remained with the Klein family until incurring financial difficulties in 2010. Mister Bee now operates as West Virginia Potato Chip Company, and was purchased in 2015 by new owners Mary Anne (Welch) Ketelsen, Douglas Ketelsen, James Richard Barton, Gregory Barton, and Gregory Reed, along with Mary Maxine Welch participating in financing.[1]
Flavors
The company features several varieties of potato chips. It currently[when?] offers regular original, dip style, salt and vinegar, sour cream and onion, jalapeño, BBQ, and honey BBQ.
Financial issues
Mister Bee stopped production in November 2011. The company is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring. According to Doug Klein, it has no plans to lay off anyone and no plan to close the company.[2] Christie Mallett was named the new president on April 22, 2012, replacing Klein after a private investor contributed to restart operations.[3] Mister Bee resumed production on April 30, 2012.
See also
References
- ^ ""About Us"". Archived from the original on December 21, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
- ^ Jess Mancini, "Mister Bee remains hopeful", Parkersburg News and Sentinel, December 1, 2011 (subscription required)
- ^ Paul LePann, "New Mister Bee president sets lofty goal", Parkersburg News and Sentinel, April 22, 2012 (subscription required)