Father and son make nine-hour road trip from Virginia to Canada

How far would you go for your favourite potato chips? A father and son living in Virginia made a road trip of more than nine hours across several states to buy a load of ketchup-flavoured Lay’s from the only place they could – Canada.

Last weekend, Jim’s No Frills in Niagara Falls, Ont., posted photos on its Facebook page of the hungry father and son posing with a family-sized bag of Lay’s in the son’s hand, and a shopping cart full of 40 more bags in front of them. (They left one in the store for someone else to enjoy.)

Also posted: An image of the shopping cart behind their car, a rugged old Jeep bearing a Virginia license with the motto: “Virginia is for lovers.” Ketchup lovers, no doubt.

Since then, the man, Rich Lieberman, and his son have been besieged with (polite) requests for media interviews with the CBC, CTV and others.

“Last week Jacob and I went viral in Canada for driving there just to stock up on his Ketchup potato chips (and a father son road trip),” the man posted on his own Facebook page for “Gertrude the Jeep.” He added: “It’s always fun doing an interview while cleaning an aquarium.”

Ketchup chips are hardly the only delicacy unavailable south of the border. Smarties, Swiss Chalet sauce, Coffee Crisp, Kinder Surprise Eggs and authentic Montreal bagels all require an international journey for Americans to enjoy. Though Lieberman said the chips were only for his son, telling the CBC: “I have no interest in trying them.” His loss.