Production process

Questions:

Do you count your crisps into your bags?

Answer:

Our packets of crisps are filled by weight and not by volume.

How do you make your crisps?

Answer:

Our potatoes reach the factory daily by lorry. They’re then washed, peeled and sliced. After slicing, they’re cooked in a blend of Sunseed and Rapeseed oil, to give them their golden colour and distinct texture. It’s then straight over to our flavouring drum, but it doesn’t stop there! We then check the finished product for colour, crunch, flavour and even smell! All that’s left to do now is ship the nation’s favourite crisps to your local stores.

How long does the whole manufacturing process take, to go from potato to bag?

Answer:

Our closest farms are less than 30 minutes from our factories, so during harvest time the potatoes can be turned into crisps in packets within an hour, and on shelves in supermarkets within a day or two!

How do you make your crisps so thin?

Answer:

The potatoes are sliced using precise measurement tools to ensure correct consistency thought the manufacturing process.

How many potatoes go into making one packet of crisps?

Answer:

Hi, It can depend on the size of the potato, but usually it is around one good quality potato, thinly sliced that makes one bag of Walkers Crisps!

How do you make Monster Munch?

Answer:

The maize and other ingredients are mixed into batches, which is then extruded under pressure to form the individual shape of the Monster Munch. These are then oven dried, and seasoned. After seasoning, the flavoured product is distributed to a series of packing machines.

How do you flavour the crisps without breaking them?

Answer:

After they have been cooked in sunseed and rapeseed oil, while they are still delicious and warm - we gently tumble the crisps through a curtain of seasoning.

How long are potatoes kept in storage before they become crisps?

Answer:

This all depends on the time of year. Potatoes, like all crops are on an annual cycle, harvested from July to October. We use potatoes straight off the fields and into our factories during this period, and we put them into potato stores for the period November through to the following June until the next harvest. Our closest farms are less than 30 minutes from our factories, so during harvest time the potatoes can be turned into crisps in packets within an hour, and on shelves in supermarkets within a day or two. At the other end of the scale, during May or June, the potatoes will have been tucked up in a potato store for seven or eight months before being turned into crisps.

How long are the potatoes in the ground for?

Answer:

On average it is 90 days and the potatoes are grown in various location across the UK.

Where are a few of the factories?

Answer:

We have factories around the UK from Leicester to Coventry, Lincoln and Skelmersdale

Do you have a factory tour?

Answer:

Unfortunately, due to hygiene and safety reasons, we cannot permit the general public to visit our factories.

What is the process to ensure no cross-contamination?

Answer:

At Walkers, we pride ourselves on maintaining the highest possible food and hygiene standards and we go to great lengths to ensure there is no cross contamination of our seasoning. When we've finished running each seasoning we rigorously clean each line before a new seasoning goes in. We have dedicated seasoning technicians who are personally responsible for the changeover of each seasoning and sign off on each of the cleans. The taste and quality of our crisps is at the absolute heart of what Walkers is about and why we are the nation’s favourite crisp.

How do you ensure all your crisps are uniform?

Answer:

The potatoes we use come in all shapes and sizes, so there will always be a little variety in your crisps’ appearance. We meticulously check the quality of our finished crisps every few hours, making sure the appearance, crunch, flavour and even smell are up to Walkers standards.

What do the coloured circles mean on the bottom of the bags?

Answer:

The coloured circle are codes which are related to those packets.