40 years of making Smith's potato chips in SA

PepsiCo’s Regency Park manufacturing facility is celebrating its 40th year of making snacks such as Smith’s, Red Rock Deli, Doritos and Twisties, having opened in South Australia in 1983.

To make its snacks, PepsiCo purchases 40,000 tonnes of potatoes from South Australian farmers in Angle Vale, Parilla and Langhorne each year.

The site employs 310 South Australian residents, including Anna Marie Dykstra (pictured), who is celebrating her 30th anniversary with the company this year. Dykstra started working as a packing check way attendant and has had multiple roles before her current Training Leader role.

“This is my second family. I say that because sometimes when you’re tired, you still want to come in, because you are looking forward to seeing your friends, to work again,” Dykstra said.

“I enjoy working here, I really enjoy it, and I’m so proud of being an employee of PepsiCo.”

In 2019, PepsiCo completed a $37m upgrade to the facility, with over $72m invested into the site over the past five years.

The site processes 60,000 tonnes of Aussie-grown potatoes each year, with 88,000 potatoes washed, sliced and cooked every hour. It uses 100% sustainable potatoes and corn, and 100% renewable electricity, as well as recycling 96% of production waste.

Doug Stakic, PepsiCo ANZ Manufacturing Director, said South Australian farming and manufacturing is an integral part of the business, with 40% of the potatoes used nationally sourced from South Australia.

“We are proud of our contribution to the South Australian economy through our Regency Park facility over the past four decades, and we are committed to continuing this contribution for decades to come through ongoing investment and expansion,” Stakic said.