Better Made Potato Chips
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Snack food |
| Founded | 1930 |
| Founder | Cross Moceri, Peter Cipriano |
| Headquarters | Detroit , United States |
Area served | Michigan and adjacent states |
| Products | Potato chips, corn chips, cheese curls, cheese puffs, pork rinds, popcorn, pretzels, dipping sauces |
| Owner | Descendants of founders (after 1980s), Moceri family divested in 2003 |
Better Made Potato Chips is a snack company headquartered in Detroit, established in 1930 by Cross Moceri and Peter Cipriano. Starting as a small two-person enterprise on Gratiot Avenue, it has expanded into a prominent regional snack manufacturer distributing products throughout Michigan and adjacent states.
History
The origins of the company trace back to 1930 when Sicilian immigrants Cross Moceri and Peter Cipriano purchased a modest potato chip business located in east Detroit. They founded the Cross & Peters Company and officially launched the "Better Made" brand in 1934.
By 1937, the introduction of union representation led to improved wages—raising pay to 40 cents per hour—and better working conditions for employees.
Following expansion after World War II, the company relocated in 1955 to a larger facility measuring 25,000 square feet on Gratiot Avenue.
The first flavored chips debuted in 1973 with barbecue, followed by sour cream & onion varieties around 1974.
In 1994, Better Made merged with Bay City’s Made-Rite Chip Company, which contributed three additional production lines and expanded delivery capabilities by over 50 routes.
After the original founders passed away during the 1980s, ownership transferred to their descendants. The Moceri family divested their interest in 2003, at which point the company was rebranded as Better Made Snack Foods, Inc., achieving $36 million in sales that same year.
Products & Operations
Better Made predominantly sources potatoes from Michigan farms except during off-season periods and prepares its chips using exclusively 100% cottonseed oil. The company manufactures more than 60 million pounds of potato chips annually.
Its product assortment includes:
- Various potato chip flavors such as plain, BBQ, sour cream & onion, Red Hot, and salt & vinegar
- Corn-based snacks like corn chips, cheese curls, cheese puffs
- Pork rinds and popcorn
- Pretzels, dipping sauces, and limited-time seasonal offerings including ketchup and sweet BBQ flavors
Cultural significance
Better Made stands as the sole remaining Detroit-based potato chip brand from what was once a densely populated local snack industry. The brand’s distinctive yellow-and-red packaging has become an enduring symbol associated with Detroit.
In 2015, Karen Dybis authored *Better Made in Michigan*, chronicling the company’s history through rare family photographs and exclusive interviews with insiders.
The manufacturing plant was prominently featured in the final episode of Comedy Central’s Detroiters, highlighting both its exterior and interior environments.