Exploring the Enduring Popularity of Hard Bite Chips

When it comes to savory snacks, few can rival the iconic status of potato chips. As the upcoming Anuga Foodtec India 2024 tradeshow in Mumbai, India approaches - Heat and Control, a global leader in snack processing equipment - delves into the rich history and enduring popularity of batch fried potato chips, a cornerstone of the snack industry.

Within this lucrative category, one crunchy contender continues to steal the spotlight. With their signature crunch and seemingly endless flavour varieties — hard-bite chips are an enduring consumer favourite. But what’s the secret to their enduring popularity — and what is it exactly — that makes them so very special?

The answer begins with their cooking method. This type of potato chip undergoes a traditional cooking process known as ‘batch cooking’ or batch frying, and whether you know them by ‘hard bite’, ‘kettle-fried’ or ‘kettle-style’ — the signature crunch is the same.

Origins of batch cooked potato chips

Long ago, in the time before commercial production, potato chip lovers used the batch cooking method at home. They’d slice up their own small batch of potatoes — before lowering them into a kettle of hot oil — taking them out to drain them off— then repeating the process. In those days, the vessel people used to cook their small batches of potato chips was a kettle shape, and this is where the term ‘kettle chips’ or ‘kettle cooked’ originated. This rustic cooking method achieved a distinct taste and texture — which is much the same now — as it was then.

In modern-day potato processing, the commercial batch fryer is an industry workhorse. They’re known as an economical frying solution for high volume production of batch-fried potato chips, French fries, prepared foods, meat, poultry and seafood and meat alternative products.

A batch fryer from Heat and Control produces superior quality products with a long shelf life. This equipment offers years of efficient, reliable service, with a small footprint, which makes them ideal for entry-level or start-up brands, or established snacks processors looking to expand their product lines.

Batch Frying vs Continuous Frying