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Granny Goose's iconic logo 4

Granny Goose Foods, the potato chip company, was founded in Oakland by Matthew Barr in 1946. 1 The factory employed about 400 at its high point and was located at 930 - 98th Avenue, Oakland, California.

"To cash in on the 1960s spy mania, the Granny Goose Potato Chip Company hired rugged veteran actor Philip Carey to star in a series of secret agent styled commercials advertising their product line. His main assignment in each TV spot was rescuing a beautiful woman caught in the middle of treacherous situations. Just as it seemed the heroine was a goner, in popped our hero with the silly line "You may not believe this...but my name is Granny Goose." Then in the midst of all this confusion, he'd offer his new acquaintance a Granny Goose potato chip." 3

TV Acres, in covering the death of Granny Goose advertising actor Philip Carey also mentions "The Granny Goose Potato Chips company was founded in 1946 by Matthew Barr, the owner of Oakland-based Barr Foods. The founder's young granddaughter named the company. It's mascot is a white goose with a blue bonnet. Barr sold the company in 1948 to a group of investors. In January 1966, Granny Goose Foods, Inc. sold to De Monte Corporation. In 2004, the company (formerly a subsidiary of Sunshine Foods) closed its Oakland, California plant on April 22, 2000 and consolidated its operations to Kaysville, Utah." 3

Granny Goose magazine advertisement (1961) 4

Another account on the origins of the Granny Goose company, in the March 1, 2003 obituary of Mervyn Wangenheim, states that "1948, he and his father, Mervyn Sr., and brother, Peter K. Wanger, founded Granny Goose, which manufactured potato chips and other snack foods in an Oakland plant" and that "In 1969 the company was sold to Del Monte." 2[which is very different from other accounts of the company]

Stanford Magazine also covered the obituary in the July/August 2003 issue: "Mervyn Wangenheim Jr., ’38, ... He worked for California Food Processors until 1948 and then founded the Granny Goose snack food company with his father and brother. In 1969, he sold the company ... ."

Links and References

  1. Granny Goose Wikipedia

  2. Mervyn Wangenheim / Family manufactured Granny Goose chips SFGate March 1, 2003

  3. TV ACRES: Advertising Mascots > Granny Goose (Philip Carey)

  4. The Baby Boomer eMuseum

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