Review: Corkers Crisps
Who doesn’t love a cheeky bag of crisps from time to time? I am always amazed when I walk down the crisp aisle in the supermarket at the vast array of flavours which are now available! Recently Corkers Crisps got in touch to ask if I would like to try their range of British flavoured crisps* and I was happy to accept!
So, who are Corkers Crisps? The company was founded in 2010 by best friends Ross Taylor and Rod Garnham in the fenlands in Cambridgeshire as a way to diversify the family potato farm. Using the accumulated knowledge of generations of their families using their unique Naturalo potato (whose flavour comes from being grown in the rich peaty fenland).
Corkers have recently won Potato Grower of the Year by UK Growers and been named Best Regional Supplier by Waitrose. You can find them in well known institutions such as Tate and National Trust properties, as well as delis, farm shops and selected Waitrose stores.
Ross Taylor, Director of Corkers Crisps, says, “Our family have been farming potatoes since the 1800s but it was actually on the ski slopes four years ago, alongside my best friend Rod, that the idea for Corkers was born. We haven’t looked back since, securing listings everywhere from the National Trust to Waitrose, receiving plethora of Great Taste Awards, the accolade of Potato Grower of the Year and we even have a couple of Guinness World Records to boot! For us, Corkers is a celebration of the quirks, tastes and traditions that make Britain so great.”
As well as producing great crisps the Corkers team have an excellent sense of humour, and have sent the first pack of crisps into space – which landed just outside of Mildenhall RAF airbase…lucky! They were awarded the Guinness Book of Records with the Biggest Bag of Crisps in 2013. The first hand cooked crisps were washed in Ross’s bath before they were fried (hopefully without Ross being in the tub at the time!). For a Corkers potato to move from soil to packet it takes 42 minutes and in 2014 they produced 10 million bags of crisps.
I was sent a selection including at least 1 of each of the 7 British flavour range which are made with quality, all-natural ingredients and cooked in fresh sunflower oil. The flavours were as follows:
- Sea Salt – Corkers take on this classic is a Great Taste Gold Award Winner
- Pork Sausage and English Mustard – Expect the delicious flavours of barbecued British bangers finished with a hint of Old English Mustard
- Red Leicester and Caramelised Onion – A winning combination of slow roasted onion and rich creamy red Leicester cheese
- Sea Salt and Cider Vinegar – Made using the finest English cider which is sweet in taste with a hint of zest, these crisps will make your mouth water with every crunch
- Sweet Thai Chilli – Tantalise your taste buds with a savoury flavours of chilli and herbs
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper – Sure to warm your pallet, these Gold Taste Award winning crisps are made from sweet and hot peppers
- Duck and Hoisin Sauce – A partnership of two British greats, both the duck and the Naturalo potato, hail from the Corkers family farm.
So how did I find the crisps? I really like the extra crunch which the Corkers Crisps have, the texture reminds me somewhat of Kettle Crisps rather than your average bag of Walkers etc, and it gives the Corkers something a little different. The range is impressive and they all had a strong flavours which is a bonus. My favourite were the Red Leicester and Caramelised Onion which had a bold cheesey flavour and the Sweet Thai Chilli which were mild but still zingy. I also really like the use of British produce and the packaging, which looks retro yet somehow modern!
I would certainly recommend Corkers Crisps to anyone who wants to try a snack a level above the run of the mill options out there at the moment, and look forward to enjoying more Corkers throughout the summer for BBQs and picnics! I award them 5 out of 5 stars for great flavour and texture and for doing their bit for British ingredients.
