First records made a comeback, then baggy jeans. Now Britain’s most nostalgic comfort food is enjoying a revival as a TikTok-famous jacket potato company plans a nationwide expansion.
SpudBros, the family-run baked potato brand based in Preston, is preparing to launch across the UK following a partnership with EG On The Move, the Zuber Issa-led street retail group.
The move comes more than five years after the collapse of Spudulike, once a staple of British high streets, and signals renewed confidence in a product many thought had been abandoned in the 1990s.
SpudBros was launched in 2020 by brothers Jacob and Harley Nelson after they took over an old potato wagon in Preston, Lancashire. During the pandemic, they used social media, particularly TikTok, to build a loyal following by showcasing oversized baked potatoes in short videos with toppings like garlic butter, cheese, beans, chili con carne, tuna slaw and bolognese sauce.
This online popularity led to real growth. Since then, the brand has expanded beyond Preston, opening locations in London, Liverpool and Sheffield, while attracting celebrity fans including Will Smith, Joe Jonas, Liam Neeson and YouTube star MrBeast.
The latest step in its growth is a deal with EG On The Move, which operates around 160 petrol stations across the UK. SpudBros Express branches opened on a trial basis last week at EC sites in Blackburn, Lancashire and Wakefield, West Yorkshire. If successful, the partnership could lead to the concept being rolled out across EG’s national network.
Jacob Nelson said the early starts were just the beginning. “I am confident that Blackburn and Wakefield with EG On The Move is just the start of a much bigger journey,” he said.
Salim Hasan, chief operating officer at EG On The Move, said the group expects the partnership to become a long-term fixture at its street locations. “Working with the SpudBros Express leadership and brand team, we expect the opening of these two test stores to be a strong and successful long-term roadside partnership,” he said.
Earlier this year, the Nelson brothers also signed a deal with Taster to help develop the SpudBros Express concept and explore franchising opportunities. EG On The Move already operates more than 200 food and beverage concessions nationwide with partners including Starbucks, Subway and Greggs.
The return of jacket potatoes to the fore stands in sharp contrast to the fortunes of Spudulike, which closed its remaining 37 UK stores in 2019 after struggling with falling high street footfall and rising costs. The demise came at a time when several restaurant chains, including Carluccio’s and Ed’s Easy Diner, also closed locations, although some brands, such as Jamie’s Italian, are now attempting their own comeback.
For SpudBros, the combination of social media influence, comfort food nostalgia and high-traffic roadside locations could prove to be a potent mix. If the EC On The Move trials are successful, the humble jacket potato could once again become a staple of Britain’s eating habits – this time by Generation Z rather than office lunch breaks.
