Honestly, if you grew up in Northwest Indiana, the smell of 11th Avenue was basically the smell of your childhood. It wasn't just industrial grit; it was that specific, salty, deep-fried aroma of Peerless Potato Chips. For 89 years, those red bags—the ones with "The Bigun!" splashed across them—were a staple at every Region graduation party and backyard BBQ. Then, in 2017, they just... vanished.
It wasn't a slow fade. It was a "That’s all folks" Facebook post that broke the hearts of thousands.
People were literally scrambling to gas stations, buying every last bag they could find. It felt like losing a family member. But what really happened to the Peerless Potato Chip Co. in Gary, Indiana? It wasn’t just one thing. It was a perfect storm of bad luck, corporate bankruptcy, and a health crisis that left a 90-year-old legacy with nowhere to go.
The Pilot, the Finger, and the 1928 Gamble
The story starts way back in 1928. Think about that timing. John Norman Hogg, an English immigrant and a former fighter pilot for the Royal Flying Corps in World War I, was working at Carnegie Steel. He lost a finger on the job. That’s the kind of Gary story you can't make up.
With his settlement money, he decided to start a chip company. Right before the Great Depression hit.
Talk about guts. He opened up shop on West 11th Avenue, and somehow, the business didn't just survive the 30s—it thrived. While the big national brands were focused on mass production, Peerless was all about that "Old Fashion Pure Vegetable Shortening Cooked" style. They were thicker. They were crunchier. They felt like they were made by someone who actually gave a damn.
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Why Peerless Potato Chips Tasted Different
If you ask a local, they’ll tell you Peerless wasn't just another chip. They were famously cooked in pure vegetable shortening. This gave them a specific weight and a mouthfeel that modern, mass-produced chips fried in cheap seed oils just can't touch.
- The Potato Cycle: They didn't just use whatever was cheapest. In the spring, potatoes came from Florida. Summer brought in crops from Southern Indiana and Kankakee. By winter, they were hauling them in from North Dakota.
- The Alligator Egg Incident: There’s a legendary story at the plant about a shipment from Florida that showed up with actual alligator eggs tucked among the spuds. That’s the kind of "farm to table" transparency you don't get with Frito-Lay.
- The Equipment: Until the very end, they used a 1951 Ferry fryer. Eventually, they added computer controls to it in the 80s, but it was still old-school tech doing the heavy lifting.
Jack Hogg, John’s son, took over in 1969 after coming home from Vietnam. He ran that place for nearly 50 years. He was the kind of guy who didn't even have a website for the company. You wanted chips? You called him. Or you went to the store. Simple.
The Straw That Broke the Camel’s Back
So, why did a company that survived the Great Depression and World War II fold in 2017?
It basically came down to a massive unpaid bill. Peerless's main distributor was Central Grocers, the parent company of the Strack & Van Til supermarket chain. When Central Grocers filed for bankruptcy, they reportedly owed Peerless a massive amount of money. For a small, family-run operation with about 15 employees, losing that much "accounts receivable" is a death sentence.
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At the same time, the retail landscape was becoming a nightmare.
Jack Hogg was open about the struggle. He told reporters that big chains like Walmart or Walgreens had "unreal requirements" and "marketing programs" that were basically pay-to-play schemes. If you didn't pay the slotting fees, you didn't get the shelf space. A small Gary company couldn't compete with the "bribery" (his words) of the snack giants.
Then there was the personal toll. Jack was 71 and battling Stage 4 lung cancer. He hadn't taken a paycheck in two years just to keep the lights on and his employees paid. He tried to sell the business. He really did. But the "gawkers" and lowballers didn't have the cash or the heart to keep the legacy alive.
Is There Any Hope for a Comeback?
Since the factory at 1661 W. 11th Ave. went quiet, there have been whispers. In 2020, a group reportedly acquired the brand, and by 2021, the owner of Popcorn World in Gary mentioned he was looking for investors to revive the Peerless name.
He had the recipes. He had the flavor profiles.
But as of 2026, those red bags haven't made a real return to the shelves. Reviving a chip brand isn't just about the recipe; it's about the distribution, the fryers, and that specific Gary water and grit.
What You Can Do Now
If you're still craving that Peerless crunch, you’re mostly out of luck for the original. However, you can keep the spirit of local Northwest Indiana business alive by supporting the few remaining independent snack makers in the Midwest.
- Check out regional alternatives: Some folks swear by "Kitchen Cooked" out of Illinois or "Sterzing's" from Iowa for that old-school, small-batch vibe.
- Visit Gary’s local gems: Even without the chip factory, the city's food scene—like the legendary 18th Street Brewery—is still worth the trip.
- Support local grocers: When you see a "local" brand on the shelf, buy it. The Peerless story shows exactly what happens when we let national conglomerates dictate what we eat.
The Peerless Potato Chip Co. wasn't just a business; it was a 90-year-old witness to the history of Gary. While the fryers are cold now, the legend of "The Bigun!" isn't going anywhere as long as "Region Rats" keep sharing the stories.