Reviews: Chicago-Inspired Potato Chips and Creatine-Packed Protein Bars

Local Style Potato Chips

Local Style is a new entrant in the snack category, offering kettle-cooked potato chips inspired by the iconic flavors of Chicago. With SKUs such as Hot Dog, Deep Dish Pizza, Hot Giard, and Italian Beef – each recreated without meat or dairy – the brand aims to strike a balance between novelty and craveable snacking. (Side note: there is also a Classic Salted variety in case you aren’t into more adventurous flavors).

Things that stand out:

• Vibrant, well-executed packaging that combines bold Chicago-themed iconography with a playful, premium aesthetic. The bags are visually compelling and shelf-ready.
• A strong base chip: classic kettle-cooked with a crisp, hearty bite that works well as a canvas for the bolder flavors. Standout flavors include the Deep Dish Pizza, which captures the essence of tomato and cheese; the Italian Beef, with rich, spiced au jus and pepper flavor (but no meat); and the Hot Giard, which delivers a pleasant vegetal heat that mimics giardiniera.

Things to consider:

• The branding hierarchy could be improved — “Chicago” dominates the bag more than the actual Local Style brand, which could dilute long-term brand recall.
• Some of the flavors veer toward novelty, which may present a hurdle in being taken seriously beyond an impulse buy. However, the quality of the chips themselves helps overcome this perception. It’s one of those products you really have to taste to appreciate what they are going for.

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JiMMYBAR! Creatine Protein

Creatine has come to the nutritional bar set with the latest innovation from JiMMYBAR!. The Illinois-based brand has launched two varieties (Chocolate Peanut Butter and Double Fudge Brownie) that contain 20 grams of protein, 5 grams of creatine monohydrate and 5 grams of sugar.

Things that stand out:

• The packaging uses clear, bold callouts to signal directly to creatine-seeking consumers.
• The flavors and texture are delicious. The 58-gram bar is filling but not chalky, delivering a good chew with crispy inclusions.
• With demand growing for creatine among fitness enthusiasts and wellness consumers, being one of the first to market in the bar set is a strong move.

Things to consider:

• The branding is coded somewhat to male consumers and stands in contrast to JiMMYBAR!’s other SKUs with its matte black design. Considering that women have become the fastest-growing demographic of creatine users recently, a more female-oriented line extension would broaden the bars’ total addressable market.
• A $3-per-bar SRP could be a bit steep for a casual shopper grabbing it as an impulse buy, but marketing as a premium product will likely help build a steady consumer base.

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