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Fredric Baur, an organic chemist and food storage technician, left a truly unique legacy when he passed away in 2008 at the age of 89. He was so immensely proud of his groundbreaking work in designing the iconic Pringles can that he requested a portion of his ashes be buried within one of his creations. His children honored this unusual wish, placing some of his cremated remains in an original flavor Pringles can in his grave in suburban Springfield Township, Ohio. This decision highlighted the profound impact his invention had on his life and the snack food industry.
Baur's ingenuity was first put to the test in 1956 when Procter & Gamble tasked him with developing a new kind of potato chip to address common consumer complaints: broken, greasy, and stale chips, along with bags full of air. He spent two years perfecting saddle-shaped chips made from fried dough and, crucially, a tubular can to house them. This cylindrical packaging, which Baur patented in 1966, was revolutionary. It ensured that the chips remained fresh, protected them from damage, and allowed for uniform stacking, a stark contrast (Review) to the haphazard bags of traditional potato chips.
The distinctive saddle shape of each Pringles chip is actually a hyperbolic paraboloid, a mathematically precise form that contributes to its structural integrity and allows for efficient stacking within the can. This innovative design not only prevented breakage during transport but also maximized the number of chips that could be packed into a single container. While initially some consumers found the uniform nature of Pringles a departure from the varied shapes of traditional chips, the can quickly became a recognizable symbol of snack culture worldwide, demonstrating the power of ingenious packaging in brand success.