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    • Every couple of years, Frito-Lay officials stop by the Hanover Borough office to check out any new building permits filed by Utz Quality Foods.

    Basically, those officials are searching for any clue to expansion within Utz -- a sign the potato chip maker could be sharpening its competitive edge within the snack food industry, said Bruce Rebert, Hanover's borough manager.

    Over the years, Utz has appeared to adhere to strategies, such as ensuring that its products on grocery store shelves remain fresh, that have given the company the weapons it has needed to compete with larger chip makers, Rebert said.

    Thanks to a pending deal that Snyder's of Hanover and Utz made public earlier this week, other snack food makers don't have to dig through records to theorize how big the two local companies might grow.

    Pending approval by the Federal Trade Commission, Snyder's plans to acquire Utz by the end of the year.

    Snyder's plans to continue operations in all four of the local Utz plants, plus the Snyder's of Hanover's plant, said Carl E. Lee, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Snyder's, in a statement.

    Lee said the company doesn't anticipate any job losses as a result of the sale.

    If the deal between the two companies closes, Utz will become a Snyder's of Hanover-based brand.

    "Everybody is hopeful that (the pending deal) will help Utz and Snyder's increase their market shares in the snack food industry," Rebert said.

    Melissa Speal, marketing

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    director for the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce, agreed.

    "We think that they are putting themselves in the position to combine efforts and to be more competitive," she said.

    Like Rebert, one local business owner believes that the pending deal will ultimately benefit both Snyder's and Utz.

    "Both families give a lot to the community," said Brad Eline, owner of Pretzels Plus in Penn Township. "If nothing else, (the deal) will be a positive thing for the area."

    One of the benefits of the deal will likely be in the distribution of the Utz brand to larger audience.

    Snyder's could start to ship the brand across the nation and the world, Rebert said.

    "I've seen Snyder's sold in China and Japan," he said.

    On the other side, Utz is known as a one-day delivery company, Rebert said.

    The manufacturer's niche is to strive to only have one day between when it makes a chip to when the product hits the grocery store shelf, he said.

    "They don't let their product get old," he said.

    Also of interest

    · Chipmaking of the potato kind has deep roots in York County.

    · Who makes the best potato chips in York County, Martin's or Utz? Or someone else?