Under the Microscope:
Why Edgell chips are the right choice for your business
Edgell has built a solid reputation as a trusted supplier to Australia’s foodservice market, sourcing produce from more than 300 Australian farmers to create quality product solutions that can give your business the Edgell competitive edge.
Edgell’s expertise in potato products is exemplified in its extensive range of chips, which are one of the most profitable menu items for many foodservice operations.
Utilising its industry-leading research and development team, Edgell has capitalised upon global trends to deliver a range of chips that make it easy to find the one that’s right for your business.
While you might assume all chips are basically the same, most of the chips in Edgell’s range were developed specifically as a solution for a particular end-user need.
“There’s a science in choosing the right chip,” says David White, Executive Chef for Simplot Australia which owns the Edgell brand.
“Let’s start with whether you want a smaller or larger cut – smaller is higher yield and faster cooking but shorter hold time, whereas larger is lower yield but longer hold time. As you can see, there’s a range of options depending on what’s best for your business.”
While yield is an important consideration, it’s often overlooked when it comes to chips. Yield simply means how many chips it takes to fill up a cup or carton or cover an empty space on a plate, and some chips have a higher yield per kilo than others. This means that choosing the chips with the cheapest cost does not necessarily equal the best value or profit.
“Yield is what drives profitability, not carton cost. The more servings you can get per kilo, the more profit. ”
In contrast, ‘budget’ chips with their typically higher moisture content and uncoated presentation tend to have a lower yield when cooked.
“Next to consider is coated vs uncoated. Not only does a coated chip deliver greater yield, but the coating can also act as a carrier of flavour and seasoning to enhance taste and texture. Coating also extends hold time, making the chip stay hotter and crispier for longer - so this is beneficial if your business has slow periods when your customer throughput drops down.”
Hold time itself is a key consideration when deciding which chip to choose. Coated chips such as Edgell Supa Crunch or Beer Batter chips have a hold time well beyond that of traditional uncoated chips.
“Remember that most customers won’t bother to tell you that they’re disappointed with your chips – they simply won’t come back and you’ll lose them to the competitor down the street that is probably selling our Supa Crunch.”
It’s also the case that some people are willing to go out of their way, even drive across several suburbs, to get their favourite chips – so the humble chip does play a key role in attracting customers and giving your business the edge over the others!
EDGELL EXPERTISE SHINES IN THESE PERFECT PERFORMERS
The Edgell Perfect Performers range of chips are coated in delicious batters to retain heat and crunch and are available in various cut types and seasonings. Here are three of its leading lights:
EDGELL CRISPY FLATS
Edgell Crispy Flats come in a unique 5mm x 22mm flat style cut, ensuring generous plate coverage, outstanding yield and delicious crunch. Served stacked, dipped or loaded, their distinctive shape and terrific taste makes them an appealing addition to any menu.
Scott Drinkwater, Executive Chef at busy Dee Why RSL on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, serves Edgell Crispy Flats at Battery House, the state of the art sports bar which forms the social and sports hub of the club, and says they are a big hit with the younger people who make up a key component of the club’s demographic.
“They suit the menu we’ve got here and they’re versatile enough for us to use them in many different dishes,” Steve says of Edgell Crispy Flats. “We use them on all our burgers, fish and chips, we have Loaded Fries which is Edgell’s Crispy Flats with crispy bacon, cheese and chicken gravy and that’s very popular.
“They’re fast to cook, they’re crunchy while still retaining that potato taste inside, and the coverage on the plate is fantastic.”
EDGELL SWEET POTATO CHIPS
Edgell took the time to develop the very best sweet potato chip on the market – using only Aussie-grown sweet potatoes, paired with Edgell’s world class delivery-style batter and seasoning to develop a chip whose distinctive savoury flavour profile and superior hold time is sure to satisfy your customers.
Their 10mm cut delivers great yield along with all the flavour intensity of a thicker chip while ensuring also quick cook time and good temperature retention.
Catering HQ Managing Director Steve Sidd is a keen proponent of Edgell Sweet Potato Chips, utilising them across the dining outlets that Catering HQ operates at eight well known clubs throughout the Sydney metro region.
“From a customer’s perspective, they’re perceived as a healthier choice,” Steve tells us, “so we offer them as an upgrade option with their fish and chips, as well as a bar snack and a side in our café outlets.
“The presentation is terrific – they look great with an appealing vibrant colour, they don’t go soggy or discolour during holding but stay nice and crisp, and they taste great with a good quality dipping sauce like our Chipotle Mayo. The fact that they’re an Australian made product just underscores their appeal.”
EDGELL DELIVERY CHIPS
Hot chips have long been problematic for home delivery because of the difficulty in ensuring they’ll retain their heat and crunch. But thanks to Edgell’s Supa Crunch Delivery Chip that’s no longer an issue.
Crunchy to the last bite, Delivery Chips boast a superior hold time of up to 40 minutes during delivery and a whopping 60 minutes under heat lamps.
“Our research shows 82 per cent of customers are unsatisfied with the chips they get from delivery and takeaway pick up, as they’ve gone soggy and lost their crunch,” David White says. “We spoke to many foodservice operators to identify their key pain points – one was that while they try to deliver within 20 minutes, food sometimes takes twice as long to reach customers, especially when they’re using a third party delivery platform. So a delivery chip needs to retain its hold time not just for 20 minutes but 40. Consumers want their chips to reach them in good quality and when ordering from a platform like Uber their choice is often dictated by the star rating for chips.
“We realised we also needed to offer a ‘backup’ in the event of extra-long delivery, which is that the chips are microwavable as well. Chips a little bit cold? Microwave for 20 seconds and they’re back to tip top quality. We’ve been able to tick all the boxes and give operators a chip that will stand up under these conditions.”
