KP Snacks
Brannigans, Discos, Frisps, Hula Hoops, McCoy's, Nik Naks, Pom Bear, Popchips, Roysters, Skips, Space Raiders, Tyrrell's, Wheat Crunchies
Address: 5th Floor, The Urban Building, 3-9 Albert Street, Slough SL1 2BE, United Kingdom
Phone: +44- 1753 217 600
Website: www.kpsnacks.com, www.intersnack.com
Email: [email protected]
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McCoy's Potato Crisps

McCoy's was developed into a brand by KP Snacks in an attempt to create a niche Crisp to tackle Walker's dominance of the Crisps market in the United Kingdom.
Kenyon Produce, as KP was originally known, was a father and son operation that opened in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, in 1853. They originally produced sweets, jam and pickles. 
By the early 1990s, the company was known as Kenyon & Son and Craven Ltd. The company became roasted and salted nut specialists, and remain that way today. 
The company dominated the cinema snack market during the golden age of film and by the early 1950s they were Britain's foremost salty nut and snack producer supplier.
The company was taken over by United Biscuits in 1968, but the KP subsidiary continued to expand into the specialist Crisps and Snacks market.
In 2012, for a reported half a billion pounds, the company was sold to German snack and food distribution specialists Intersnack.
Along with others, such as Nik-Naks and Discos, McCoy's has developed into a recognisable brand in its own right.
The market segment bulldozed by the advertising and marketing work was men, under the banner, "The Real McCoy's – Accept No Imitations." Advertising after 2010 directed them more bluntly as "Man Crisps."
McCoy’s is currently the third biggest brand in the UK's bagged Crisps market. Around 5million packs are eaten each week. A third of British households are said to have bought McCoy's Crisps.
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​McCoy’s Bacon Sizzler Crisps
Thickly cut ridged crisps with a healthy dose of darkish orange seasoning. A first bite, and the flavour erupted. It was a very string bacon crisps flavour. Bearing in mind the fact that bacon crisps never taste like bacon itself it is always worth comparing alongside peers rather than a recognisable flavour. These were as good as the flavour gets.
(19)*
McCoy’s Ridge Cut Flame Grilled Steak 
A Nose Plunge test provided a meaty aroma. Not much, but there was a faint smell. The ridges thickened the potato slices, which was most welcome. There was a hint of seasoning. And then to the all-important taste. They had a beefy flavouring, but it was stock like. There was also a strange hint of curry. That may have been to represent the Falme Grilled aspect, but it was not quite right, whatever it was.  
(12) 
McCoy’s Fiery Steak Crisps
Ridged, as is usually the case with McCoy’s. Also a nice meaty smell when the bag was opened. The first hit in the taste department was undoubtedly fiery peppery sauce. There was also a consistent meat backdrop to a nicely balanced spicy kick.
(18)
McCoy's Salted Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test revealed a pleasantly warm and rich potato aroma. The flavour could arguably be described as 'Just About Salted' because the dominance here was very much the oily potato. It was a nice, warm, Autumnal sort of flavour - A comforting crisp around a bonfire. However, overall, these didn’t really do the job described on the packet.   
(9)
McCoy's Salt & Malt Vinegar Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test revealed a welcoming malt vinegar smell. It was mild so it didn't make my eyes water, but it was like opening a bag of chips from the fish shop. The key to the best crisps is an even balance between a flavouring combo. Salt and vinegar is a difficult one to get right. Vinegar often overwhelms salt in this pairing. In this case, there was a leaning towards vinegar, but the taste was so mild that it was barely distinguishable from the potato. A few had no noticeable seasoning at all.   
(10)
McCoy's Cheddar & Onion Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test revealed a clear Cheddar aroma. Not just random cheese, but Cheddar. There was no discernible onion flavour and although cheesy, the predominant flavour was salted potato. The aftertaste featured a tincture of onion, but nothing much else. There even seemed to be a slightly soapy taste to a few of the crisps.   
(10)
McCoy's Sizzling King Prawn Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test revealed a weak spicy aroma. The taste was oil fried prawns. I am not sure they were king prawn or sizzling, but there was a very mild shrimp taste mixed with a sort of Chinese takeaway flavouring. As monosodium glutamate was one of the flavour enhancers it could have been a combination of the sorts of things that are mixed up with or Chinese food that provided the familiar taste.   
(12)
McCoy's Thai Sweet Chicken Crisps 
In a good flavour combination, you should be able to identify both ingredients in equal proportion. Somehow the folk at McCoy’s have managed to create a generic Thai food sort of flavouring, which is quite potatoey and somewhat reminiscent of a very mild Thai dip. There was no taste of chicken whatsoever.   
(9)
McCoy's Hot Mexican Chilli Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test revealed very little. If there was anything it was a mild version of the smell a new plastic train pass wallet might have. There was a spicy flavour, but it was powdery, almost like the chilli powder packs you get for seasoning a chilli con carne. There was no beef flavour, no chilli flavour, and no heat. If a barbecue flavoured crisp had no tangy, sweet or enjoyable properties, it might taste like these.   
(8)
​McCoy’s Fire Pit Flame Smoked Chorizo
The bland packaging revealed a colour narrative for Chorizo. The colour purple has been attributed to the smoky sausage flavouring. A Nose Plunge Test did reveal a smoky, meaty aroma, which was welcome. The deeply ridged crisps were also thickly cut and harboured a good amount of seasoning. There was a nice hit of smoky seasoning that certainly included a mild spicy sausage flavour. Not quite chorizo, but not far off. And very tasty.
(17)

Withdrawn