Bottom Line: Both the Utz Red Hot Chips and Crab Chips deliver on taste and bring a kick of spice as well.
Frito Lays may be one of the primary snack purveyors in the U.S., especially when it comes to chips, but who says they get to have all the fun when it comes to munchies? The fact is that they do have some strong competition out there, and Utz Brands is making some inroads on their market share. That snack company is probably best known on the East coast, but they are starting to get some shelf space in other parts of the country, and I recently discovered several varieties of their chips on an end-cap display at my local Super Target here in Texas. The Red Hot Chips caught my eye, and I also bought a bag of the Crab Chips (which I have had before and really like).
The Red Hot chips are made with “Spicy, Red Hot Seasoning” according to the bag which certainly helps explain the name. They deliver a nice kick of heat offset by some sweetness and just a hint of smoke. They taste kind of like a spicy BBQ chip, though not too heavy on the latter flavor and with some hints of hot sauce (though without the sourness so common from the Lays “Flamin’ Hot” flavor). Heat-wise, they are approaching Medium level, and the burn does linger a bit. They may not quite live up to that “Red Hot” name, but they still have a nice, spicy kick and will satisfy if you are looking for a snack with some heat. Given a choice between these and the Lay’s Flamin’ Hot potato chips, I would take the Utz because the flavor is better even though they aren’t as hot as their competitor.
The Crab chips are not, as the name suggests, made from thin slices of crab (though that would be interesting). Instead, they use the seasoning that is put into a crab boil. (False advertising? Should they be called Crab Boil chips? Call a lawyer!) And while Old Bay is not specifically named, the taste is very similar to that popular seafood spice mix (they actually refer to its as “Chesapeake Bay Seasoning”). There is also a little bit of sweetness that comes from the honey powder (I didn’t even know that was a thing). And there is a slight kick that probably comes from Cayene (which is not specifically mentioned in the ingredients but likely one of the “Spices”). There is not too much heat from these, maybe Mild level at best, but it becomes more noticeable after you have eaten a few. These chips are also very salty, but not quite to the point that it overpowers the other flavors
Both of these are thin chips (like traditional Lays) and I have to admit that I am much more of a fan of kettle-style chips. Those are usually thicker and deliver much more of a crunch. But I still like the Utz thin chips well enough that I would get them again. My biggest complaint is that they tend to break into little pieces because they are so thin. But flavor-wise I really enjoy these, especially the Crab Chips which I first discovered about a year ago.
As mentioned above, I found these just recently at Target, and I have also seen Utz snacks at convenience stores in my area from time to time (though you will likely pay full retail–aka sucker’s–price there). They also put out the On the Border and TGI Fridays branded products which you may have found in your local grocery store. And now their chips are starting to get more shelf space as they put some pressure on Frito Lays. The Red Hot and the Crab chips are both worth seeking out as an alternative to some of the Lays flavors that you may feel like taking a break from, so grab ’em while you can.
Tale of the Tape:
Utz Red Hot Chips
Ingredients: Potatoes, Cottonseed Oil, Salt, Sugar, Paprika, Onion, Torula Yeast, Corn Starch, Spices, Yellow Corn Flour, Artificial Color (FD&C Red # 40 Lake, FD&C Yellow #6 Lake), Mono and Diglycerides, Garlic, Natural Flavor, Extractives of Paprika, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate.
Serving Size: 28g (About 20 Chips)
Calories: 150
Fat: 9g (2.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 15g
Sodium: 300mg
Utz Crab Chips
Ingredients: Potatoes , Cottonseed Oil, Salt, Spices, Dextrose, Paprika, Maltodextrin, Sugar, Onion Powder, Honey Powder (Maltodextrin, Honey), Disodium Ionsinate, Disodium Guanylate, Citric Acid
Serving Size: 28g (About 20 Chips)
Calories: 150
Fat: 9g (2.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 15g
Sodium: 300mg