This month we are off to meet with Burts, whose delicious hand-cooked chips are rustic, hearty, and full of flavour and are made right here in the heart of Devon.
GR – Burts was originally started by Richard and Linda Burt following a trip to America. What in particular was it about that trip that inspired them to launch Burts Snacks?
Richard and Linda Burt were deli owners and committed foodies who moved to Kingsbridge in Devon to start a new life in 1995. They were introduced to the magic of hand-cooked potato chips, following a trip to America where they spotted an opportunity. Bringing a fryer over from the US in 1997, they spent two years perfecting the process of making premium thick cut, crunchy, hand-cooked chips and in 1999, Burts Chips was born. Richard bought a van and start supplying the delis, cafes and pubs across the South West and the rest you can say is history…
GR – There are a numerous competitors in the crisps and snacking market. What makes Burts different and why should people buy them?
At Burts, every chip is crafted with care, ensuring unparalleled quality and taste. With a history rooted in hand-cooked perfection and more than two decades experience, Burts has been independently praised for its great taste and premium snacks that leave a lasting impression. Whilst our key mission is to ultimately make delicious snacks, we pride ourselves on our community values by actively supporting local Devon ingredient suppliers and potato growers encouraging strong relationships within the community.
GR – Burts are very particular about selecting both suppliers and partners to work with. Can you tell us a little bit more about the criteria you use in your selection process?
We aim to always source our ingredients as local to our site as possible. We pick suppliers and growers who have a passion for what they do, who grow products to the highest standards and care for the produce that they make. Not only are they local, but our ingredient partners are some of the UK’s very best producers, including Quicke’s Cheese, The South Devon Chilli Farm, The Artisan Malt Vinegar Company, Spoilt Pig and Eversfield Organics.
GR – The way your chips are cooked is key to the flavour and crunch! Can you tell us in more detail about the cooking/frying process?
We have over two decades of experience and are known for our great tasting, crunchy potato chips, putting care and attention into each hand-cooked small batch. Every potato delivery that arrives at Burts is checked by a dedicated Quality Assurance Technician for quality, size and variety. The Master Fryer reviews this delivery too, as these attributes are important when considering frying temperature and duration of cook. The Master Fryers adjust the settings on the fryers for each batch including the temperature of the oil, the rate at which the potato slices are deposited into the fryer, the paddle speeds (which stir the potato slices when frying to help reduce sticking) and rake out timings (this is how long the chips stay on a gridded de-oiling belt to avoid overly oily crisps). All these personal interventions by the Master Fryer have to be carefully considered and dependent on the exact weight of the potato batch, thickness of the slices, water content in the potato and the potato variety. The crisps are then tumbled in Burts’ secret blend of seasoning and sealed in packs stamped with the name of the Burts fryer who hand cooked that pack and the name of the field the potatoes came from.
It’s these variables and close attention to detail that gives each batch of Burts their unique flavour, taste and appearance, as well as the perfect crispy crunch.
GR – You have had lots of flavours in the range over the years and you have also extended the range into popcorn. What future plans are there for Burts in terms of flavours and/or range extensions?
Last year was a busy year for Burts, we launched our refreshed packaging to bring our provenance to the fore as well as a new limited-edition Prawn Cocktail flavour, a new range of new Lentil Chips, Ridge Cut Chips and Popcorn. This year sees us adding some new and exiting flavours to the range, like Beef & Mustard Ridges which we’re really excited to put into the hands of our customers, but we’ve also been busy working on refreshing our packs for our popular Guinness flavoured hand-cooked chips.
We are just scratching the surface in terms of innovation with the tremendous manufacturing capabilities we have. This is just the start of our innovation journey!
GR – In 2016, Burts became the first hand-cooked potato chip company to be Red Tractor assured. What does Red Tractor assured mean?
Red Tractor Food Assurance is the UK’s biggest farm and food assurance scheme, developing standards based on science, evidence, best practice and legislation that cover animal welfare, food safety, traceability and environmental protection. At Burts, we only use Red Tractor approved potatoes and goes direct from farm to us, with two thirds of our potatoes coming from just 85 miles away from our Plymouth factory. We take pride in sourcing the finest Red Tractor approved British potatoes, ensuring that every chip is made from locally grown, high-quality ingredients.
GR – Last but not least, what is your favourite flavour in the range?
Favourites of mine include some of our best sellers and what I’d call classic crisp flavours including Lightly Sea Salted, Salt & Malt Vinegar and Mature Cheddar and Onion – all of which have been awarded for their taste credentials with a Great Taste or Taste of the West stamp of approval. That said, when I want to mix it up, my go-to is our Prawn Cocktail that packs a flavourful punch. We’re incredibly proud of this pack as it was co-designed with our charity partner, the RNLI, and helps to raise money to save lives at sea. So not only do they taste great, but you’re also doing good too!
To view the full range of Burts products please click here
