Are Cape Cod Chips Vegan & Cruelty Free? (April, 2024)

Trying to work out if Cape Cod Kettle Cooked Potato Chips are vegan can be difficult.

Potato chip brands often mask the actual ingredients behind vague terms, such as “natural colors and flavors,” and even when they do give you a full list, they never include how those ingredients were made.

To make sure you are only eating foods that align with your vegan diet and lifestyle, I’ve investigated the ingredients and production process of Cape Cod chips.

Here’s what I found out.

Table of Contents

Are Cape Cod Chips Vegan?

Yes and no. Some Cape Cod chips are vegan, and some are not.

The original Cape Cod chips, along with several other flavors, are vegan. These have very basic ingredients including potatoes, oil, and salt.

However, some of their other flavors contain dairy or other animal by-products and are not vegan. These flavors contain either milk, cheese, or honey. They also contain the ever vague “natural flavors.”

Natural flavors can come from both plant and animal sources. In the case of Cape Cod potato chips, I simply cannot say for sure that these flavors are vegan.

So, Cape Cod does have some vegan flavors of potato chips amid other, non-vegan, potato chip flavors.

Are Cape Cod Chips Cruelty-Free?

Yes! Cape Cod chips are cruelty-free.

Cape Cod potato chips do not require animal testing at any stage of production. Additionally, they do not use any ingredients that have been tested on animals, like artificial colors or flavors.

Animal testing is a cruel and outdated practice that does not reflect the values of many modern consumers. When companies choose to forgo animal testing, it’s a big win for animals and for compassionate consumers.

Fortunately, Cape Cod products do not contribute to animal suffering, so you can feel good about snacking on their potato chips.

What Are Cape Cod Chips Made Of?

Here are the ingredients of Cape Cod potato chips:

Potatoes
Sea salt

Vegetable oil

Sunflower oil
Canola oil
Safflower oil

Non-vegan ingredients from other flavors

Buttermilk
Cheese
Cultured nonfat milk
Whey
Honey
Milk fat
Sour cream
Sugar

Let’s break down each ingredient of Cape Cod potato chips:

Potatoes

Potatoes are a type of starchy tuber that grows underground. They are a vegan-friendly food that is used in many popular snacks, including potato chips and french fries.

Vegetable oil

Vegetable oil is a term used to describe any oil that is derived from plants. This includes oils like olive oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil. These are vegan-friendly oils that are commonly used in cooking and baking.

Sea salt

Sea salt is a type of salt that is derived from evaporated seawater. It is used as a flavoring agent in many foods. It is also vegan friendly.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk is a dairy product that is made from fermented milk. It is used to add flavor and richness to many baked goods. Buttermilk is not vegan.

Cheese

Cheese is a dairy product that is made from milk curds. It is used as a flavoring agent in many foods. It is a dairy product.

Cultured nonfat milk

Cultured nonfat milk is a type of milk that has been treated with bacteria to give it a sour taste. It is a dairy product and is not vegan.

Whey

Whey is a dairy product that is made from the liquid that remains after milk has been curdled and strained. As a dairy product, whey is not vegan.

Honey

Honey is a sweetener that is made by bees. Honey is an animal product and is avoided by most vegans.

Milk fat

Milk fat is a type of fat that is found in milk. Milk comes from cows and is not vegan.

Sour cream

Sour cream is a dairy product that is made from fermented milk. It is used to add flavor and richness to many baked goods. Sour cream is not vegan.

Sugar

Sugar is a sweetener used in many foods. While sugar is derived from plants, it is usually filtered with animal bone char to make it white. This makes refined sugar unsuitable for vegans.

Why Are Cape Cod Chips Vegan?

The original and a few other flavors of Cape Cod chips, such as Dark Russet and Lightly Salted, are vegan because they contain only the plant-based ingredients potatoes, vegetable oil, and salt.

Other flavors, however, do contain one or several of the non-vegan ingredients honey, milk, and milk derivatives. Before you buy a bag of Cape Cod potato chips, be sure to check the ingredient list to make sure it does not contain any animal-derived ingredients.