PopChips: Made Right Here in Southern California

Los Angeles - In this edition of our series "Saving the California Dream", we spotlight Patrick Turbin, the founder of PopChips -- a Southern California company Forbes just named as the fourth most promising in America.

Patrick Turbin
"For a product like ours, which is a completely new paradigm in the chip business, we created a different category of chips that are popped, as opposed to baked and fried, and that's all about innovation. You have to have access to top talent.

"One of the things that being located here in California gives us is access to super creative and talented people so we use that to our advantage and that's something we rely heavily on and will have to continue to rely on in order to stay competitive and remain in California."

Heidi
"Is there anything we can do in this state to inspire growth?"

Patrick Turbin
"One of things that's very frustrating with the small businesses is the bureaucratic red tape you have, and the more requirements put upon you, and very few resources on how to guide your through it efficiently. I think right now, even though the state has a lot of budgetary problems, there's still billions being spent.

"New businesses are like a baby in intensive care. Until they get to a certain size, they're extremely vulnerable. There's a reason most small businesses go out of business, so if some of those resources were used to help offset that, foster that growth, help offset some of those costs, whether it's higher utitilies, or accessing lower facility costs, those things can really even the playing field with out of state competition."

Heidi
"And yet, you're staying in Cali..."

Patrick Turbin
"Yes we are. Business at the end of the day is still about people. We need to keep holding on to to top talent and creative minds, and that becomes our competitive advantage over a pure low-cost manufacturer out of state."

Heidi
"This product really is made in America."

Patrick Turbin
"Not only made in America. I'm happy to say, 'It's made in California.'"

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PopChips launched in 2007 and now ship to 15,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada.

2010 sales were more than $45 million.

The company employs about 200 people on a block in the Rancho Dominguez/Compton area where, 25 years ago, manufacturers lined the streets. Now PopChips is one of the rare ones.

A.C. Nielsen data lists PopChips as the #12 potato chip brand nationally, and the only brand in the top 20 that is growing over a hundred percent a year.