Herr’s “Flavored by Philly” chip competition returns for its fourth summer competition, with a slightly new set up, a fan-favorite cameo, and the highest stakes yet: immortality.
This year, instead of choosing new Philly-centric flavors, the Chester County-based chip company is pitting the previous three champions against each other in a Philly “Hunger Games.”
The prize? The winner gets added to Herr’s permanent product line.
Did our questions about a potential battle of champions after last year’s competition inspire this year’s “Flavored by Philly: Crunch Off?” We sure hope so.
Herr’s has partnered with Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber — whose organization, Neighbourhood Heroes, the chip company supports — to help draw more fans to vote in the competition.
“This competition is going to be fierce with such bold flavors, and I can’t wait to see which one earns a permanent spot,” said Schwarber, a self-professed chips fan.
First up for consideration in the crunch-off is the inaugural champion, “Long Hots and Sharp Provolone.” This fan-created flavor by Ryan R. beat out over 6,200 initial suggestions and then Shannon A.’s “Wiz Wit,” and Gregory D.’s “(215) Special Sauce” in the final.
Herrs describes the flavor as “a bold, roasted pepper flavor combined with notes of sharp provolone cheese in the background and a mild heat that builds with each potato chip.” Our own unscientific, in-office taste test found it “well-balanced,” Primos-eseque” and “inoffensive.”
The next challenger is the “Tomato Pie,” inspired by Corropolese Bakery in Montgomery County. This was the first year the competition looked for flavors that cast a spotlight on local businesses. The other finalists in 2023 were a “Roast Pork Sandwich” chip inspired by South Philly’s John’s Roast Pork and a “Korean BBQ Wings” chip, based on the wings at Mike’s BBQ, also in South Philly.
“The familiar flavors of sweet tomato sauce and Romano cheese paired with Herr’s signature hearty crunch,” is how Herr describes it. “Tomatotastic” was the most memorable reaction in our office.
Rounding out the lineup is last year’s winner, the “Special Hot Stromboli” chip based on Romano’s Stromboli in Essington. The flavor, inspired by the unique pizza turnover sandwich invented in 1950, pipped the “Potato Pierogi” flavor, inspired by Mom Mom’s Kitchen in Southwest Center City, and a “Cheese Ravioli and Marinara”-flavored chip, inspired by Talluto’s in South Philly.
Herr’s says the chip flavor “delivers a savory blend of cheese and spices with just the right amount of heat,” while WHYY tasters said it was the “perfect blend of chip and sandwich.” One evaluator said it was like eating a Subway sandwich.
For the past three years, the chips have only been available for a limited time, leaving some, like Peter Romano Jr., who leads the third generation of the family restaurant, scrambling to stockpile as many bags as possible before they leave store shelves.
This year, though, the winner earns a permanent spot on Herr’s product line, where they can join the likes of barbecue, sour cream and onion, and salt and vinegar.
“This competition is a celebration of Philadelphia’s culinary identity that we are proud to be a part of,” said Ed Herr, the company’s chairman and CEO. “We’re honored to let our fans decide which of these incredible flavors becomes a permanent addition to our snack family.”
Voting opened at 9 a.m. this morning on Herr’s competition page and closes on August 4. The winning flavor will be revealed on August 31.
There’s also a sweepstakes for voters, with eight gift baskets of snacks, merchandise and a $100 gift card up for grabs.
Stay tuned for the WHYY office’s annual unscientific taste test, which has successfully predicted the winner each year. While everyone has already tried the chips in the past, they haven’t pitted these flavors against each other. So who knows what different feedback we might get.
Surely we can make it four-in-four!
