8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

                         Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                               September 17, 1997
                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

                              POORE BROTHERS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                           1-14556
            DELAWARE                       0-21857                 86-0786101
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation)                                               Identification No.)

                           3500 South La Cometa Drive
                             Goodyear, Arizona 85338
                (Address of principal executive office)(zip code)

                                 (602) 932-6200
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Item 5. Other Events
- --------------------

         On  September  17,  1997,  Poore  Brothers,   Inc.  (the  "Registrant")
announced the  consolidation of the Registrant's  manufacturing  operations into
its new 60,000  square  foot  Goodyear,  Arizona  facility.  As a result of this
consolidation,  the Registrant is closing its LaVergne,  Tennessee manufacturing
operation.  The consolidation and closure of the Tennessee  facility will result
in charges  of  approximately  $500,000  and the  elimination  of about 35 jobs.
Substantially all of the charges will be recorded in the quarter ended September
30, 1997.

         On September 17, 1997, the Registrant issued the press release attached
hereto as Exhibit 99.1, which press release is hereby  incorporated by reference
herein.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
- ------------------------------------------

         (c)      Exhibits.

                  99.1     Press release dated September 17, 1997.





                                    SIGNATURE


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                   POORE BROTHERS, INC.
                                          (Registrant)



Date: October 2, 1997              By: /s/  Thomas W. Freeze
                                      ----------------------
                                      Thomas W. Freeze
                                      Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit Number                                       Description

99.1                                   Press Release dated September 17, 1997

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1







             POORE BROTHERS ANNOUNCES NEW ARIZONA PLANT START-UP AND
                   CONSOLIDATION OF MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS


Goodyear, AZ, September 17, 1997 - Poore Brothers, Inc. (NASDAQ: POOR) announced
the  successful  start-up of  production at the Company's new 60,000 square foot
Goodyear,  Arizona manufacturing facility and the consolidation of manufacturing
operations  in that  facility.  The Company has recently  closed its old Arizona
facilities.  As a result of this consolidation,  the Company will be closing its
LaVergne, Tennessee manufacturing operation in late September. The consolidation
and closure of the Tennessee  facility  will result in charges of  approximately
$500,000 and the elimination of about 35 jobs.  Substantially all of the charges
will occur in the current quarter.

The Company's new Goodyear,  Arizona facility was built with the flexibility and
capacity to manufacture all Poore Brothers' products,  thus eliminating the need
and costs associated with operating two smaller manufacturing  facilities.  Eric
J. Kufel, President and CEO, stated, "Our new Arizona operation is substantially
more  efficient  than our  previous  facilities.  The  savings  associated  with
operating one facility far outweigh the incremental shipping costs incurred as a
result of closing the  Tennessee  operation.  Additionally,  recent  significant
investments in new production and quality assurance  equipment will now allow us
to provide all customers with enhanced product quality.  The Company anticipates
achieving  gross profit  improvements in the fourth quarter of 1997 due to lower
manufacturing costs as a result of these actions."

The Arizona start-up and the  consolidation of operations from the Company's two
smaller facilities marks the end of an aggressive  six-month  restructuring plan
by the new management  team designed to improve the Company's cost structure and
focus the  Company on growing  its core  potato  chip  business.  In addition to
construction of the new plant and manufacturing  consolidation,  management sold
the Company's  unprofitable Texas distribution business and discontinued several
unprofitable  non-Poore  Brothers  product  lines from its Arizona  distribution
business.  In total,  these moves resulted in the shedding of  approximately  $5
million in unprofitable revenues,  which represented nearly 30% of the Company's
1996 reported sales.

Mr.  Kufel  added,  "We are a  leaner,  more  focused  organization  with a base
business  that now has the  potential to achieve  profitable  long-term  growth.
Non-performing  businesses  have  been  eliminated  and we are now  aggressively
pursuing new revenue opportunities to replace those unprofitable businesses."

Poore  Brothers  also  announced  that since the  beginning of the year,  it has
achieved  Poore  Brothers  potato  chip  distribution  in over  600 new  stores,
primarily in Southern  California chains (including Ralphs,  Vons, Lucky, Stater
Brothers,  Hughes and  Albertsons) and Colorado  chains

(including Safeway and Albertsons).  Mr Kufel commented,  "Although we have very
successfully acquired new shelf space for our products, we now need to invest in
trial-oriented  marketing  programs to stimulate strong new account growth.  Our
ability to invest in  marketing  programs is  directly  linked to our ability to
generate cost savings."

The Company also announced that it had reached a two-year  agreement with one of
the largest  supermarket chains in Southern  California,  whereby Poore Brothers
will  be the  exclusive  manufacturer  of  their  private  label  potato  chips.
Additionally,  Poore Brothers  products were selected recently to be featured in
November 1997 on QVC, the TV home-shopping  network.  Poore Brothers was honored
by the network as one of Arizona's best consumer  products.  QVC reaches over 60
million households across America.

Mr. Kufel added,  "While 1997 has been a difficult  transition year, the Company
is now well  positioned and capable of achieving  profitable  long-term  growth.
Without  the  unnecessary   burden  of  subsidizing  losses  from  non-strategic
operations, we look forward to investing in core business growth."

Poore Brothers manufactures batch cooked potato chips and distributes them under
the Poore Brothers brand name throughout the western and southern United States.
Poore Brothers  manufactures and distributes private label potato chips for sale
by  grocery  chains  served  by its  Arizona  manufacturing  facility,  and also
distributes  throughout Arizona a variety of snack food products manufactured by
other companies.

For further  information  about Poore  Brothers or this release,  please contact
Thomas W. Freeze,  Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, at (602) 925-0731
(ext. 169).

Certain statements contained herein may be "forward-looking" statements (as such
term is defined in the Private Securities  Litigation Act of 1995). Because such
statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially
from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that
could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking  statements include,  but are not limited to, those discussed in
filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.