I’ve been a Mothman fan since I moved to West Virginia 30 years ago. I’ve been a potato chip fan since before I could form complete sentences.
So, when Mister Bee, the state’s only potato chip factory, rolled out their new Mothman potato chips, I knew I had to get a bag – but just finding them was tough.
Not every store had the chips and those that did couldn’t keep them on the shelves.
So, I drove to Mister Bee in Parkersburg to talk to plant manager Rob Graham and maybe score a bag … for research purposes.
Photo Credit: Bill Lynch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
A Visit To Mister Bee Headquarters
Rob took me around the warehouse and showed me part of the factory.
“This is actually the magic, where all the magic happens, right here,” Graham said. “So we have four different seasoning lines there, and it’s all computer oriented and controlled by a computer.”
Following a manufacturing line, the chips go into a tumbler where they’re coated with seasoning and then sent to an electronic scale, where amounts are measured out into bags.
The bags are filled, sealed and cut.
“Then when the Packers are packing it into the cases, it hits the conveyor belt and off and out into the warehouse,” Graham said.
Mister Bee processes tons of potatoes, but keeping up with demand has been tough.
Off the top of his head, Graham wasn’t sure how many cases of potato chips left the factory, but he estimated and did some quick math.
Graham said, “OK, so 30 pallets times 35 that’s probably going to get us what? Over 1,000 cases. Yeah, 1,050.”
Mister Bee is getting them out as fast as they can, which isn’t always as fast as they’d like.
It’s a good problem to have, but Graham said they’re not entirely surprised. The Mothman flavor is part of a popular line of West Virginia based flavors Mister Bee has been rolling out.
Graham said the company was looking at a lot of different ideas related to the Mountain State.
“Who knows what the future is going to bring? There’s all kinds of history in West Virginia.”
Now, the people of Mister Bee didn’t set out to make a red-eyed monster-flavored potato chip. The folks at the factory just really liked the recipe they came up with. And the Mothman is just cool.
The name at least describes what the chip is supposed to taste like.
Graham said, “So, the seasoning is almost like barbecue, and then also, boom, there it is. It hits you with that little, little spicy aftertaste with a little heat.”
So, What Do They Taste Like?
Graham sent me home with a few samples – OK, a bunch of samples and I shared.
But getting an idea on what these chips were all about, I needed help. So, I did a roving taste test with some of my coworkers.
The results were kind of mixed.
Adam Harris, executive producer for Mountain Stage said, “Um, they’re good. I don’t know what makes it Mothman.”
WVPB’s Health Reporter Emily Rice added, “OK, it’s almost barbecue, but not. There’s something there that is very Mothman.”
Video Production Assistant Ethan Rayment said, “It’s kind of like a vinegary barbecue, um, sweet and sassy. I don’t really know what that means, but that’s what I’m getting from it.”
Jeff Shirley, associate producer for Mountain Stage, enjoyed the flavor, but didn’t agree with Rayment’s description.
Shirley said, “Yeah, I like it. Um, it’s almost like barbecue without the zip, you know? Like a laid back barbecue flavor, almost.”
And Video Production’s Chris Oxley had his own take.
“It’s got a Mothman bouquet,” he said. “It tastes of his musk. I like it. I would eat it. I would eat another.”