Miss Vickie's is bringing back its popular Ristoranti series, a collaboration with three renowned Canadian restaurants, starting July 12. The limited-edition chip flavors include Pizzeria Badiali's Vodka Sauce Pizza (Toronto), Ask For Luigi's Cacio e Pepe (Vancouver), and Nora Gray's Spicy Pepperoncini and Focaccia (Montreal). To manage the anticipated high demand, the company introduced a Chip Reservation system, offering 100 free numbered kits that were fully booked within hours of going live on June 26.
Pizzeria Badiali's Vodka Sauce Pizza Flavor Returns
For Toronto chef Ryan Baddeley, the initial launch last fall was a whirlwind, likening it to the TV show The Bear. “The shop itself kind of felt like that in the sense that we’re just a small little local shop, getting a lot of national coverage and a lot of people coming in from everywhere,” he said. The chip flavor, inspired by Badiali's signature vodka sauce pizza, became a social media sensation, with fans searching for bags across Canada. Baddeley noted, “It was pretty neat to see people in the grocery stores were grabbing these chips from a West End slice shop in Toronto.”
New Chip Reservation System to Combat Frenzy
To avoid the scarcity that plagued the first release, Miss Vickie's launched the Chip Reservation portal on June 26. Snack enthusiasts could apply for one of 100 free numbered kits on a first-come, first-served basis. The portal was “fully booked” by lunchtime, according to the company. The exclusive boxes contained one bag of each returning flavor. Baddeley expressed excitement about the local support: “The local communities especially here in Toronto know us and I think we're excited to champion a local, small restaurant that was getting this national coverage of a potato chip.”
How the Collaboration Came Together
Baddeley revealed that Miss Vickie's approached him during their research for the inaugural Ristoranti series. “We were interested in doing something from the Miss Vickie's perspective — being the best chips in Canada, in my opinion — from the Toronto perspective; I think we had something really unique to offer,” he said. The Miss Vickie's team visited Pizzeria Badiali, sampling the vodka sauce pizza and margherita. “They were eating the plain, unsalted Miss Vickie's with each bite, which was cool to see. We sent them away the next day with the individual ingredients of each pizza so they could do some more testing as well. We were happy they also thought the vodka sauce was the way to go,” Baddeley added.
Availability and Retail Plans
Starting July 12, the chip flavors will be available at major retailers across Canada. Pizzeria Badiali, which has since opened a second location, plans to stock plenty of bags. “It was just as hard for us to get them in as anyone,” Baddeley said, referring to the first release. The chef noted that family members in Vancouver and a business partner near Edmonton found bags in unexpected places, highlighting the national reach of the collaboration. “They were in high demand and were hard to find, which kind of led us into this next season here,” he added.
