OH! Chips expanding to Ohio Stadium, Franklinton

When Brian Thornton launched his burger-focused food truck OH! Burgers two years ago, he figured it would be a springboard to opening a bar or restaurant. Instead, it's Thornton's potato chips-now branded separately under the fitting label OH! Chips-that are taking off.

A little stressed, but obviously excited, Thornton announced yesterday that his kettle chips will be served at 13 stands throughout Ohio Stadium at Buckeye home games. "It's getting us into a different market than what I am currently in now," Thornton says. "This kind of brings [OH! Chips] out into the real world.

It's a modest statement for Thornton, who produces specialty chips for bars, restaurants and food trucks all over town. Kettle chips accompany dishes at Strongwater Food and Spirits, and are available by the bag at Four String Brewing and The Ohio Taproom. You'll find beer chips made from spent grains and hops at North High Brewing. Ajumama food trucks gets Korean barbecue chips, while Blu Olive offers tomato basil. "That's one of our little niche-y things," Thornton says. "If a customer wants to have a specific chip flavor, we will work with them to hopefully achieve what they are looking for."

Anticipating the increase in demand for his fresh and crisp chips, Thornton will soon be opening a production facility in West Franklinton. The new factory, as he calls it, will up production from 12 pounds of chips an hour to 75 pounds.