everything you ever wanted to know about popchips™
(but had your mouth too full to ask).

we're never too busy snacking to answer your questions. if you don't find the answers to your pressing questions here, feel free to drop us a line at snackers@popchips.co.uk. if we're in the middle of snacking, which is quite likely, we'll get back to you as quickly as our one-handed typing will allow.

how do you pop a chip?

we start with the finest potatoes, add a little heat and pressure, and pop! it’s a chip (or as you might say, a crisp). in fact, making popchips is almost as much fun as eating them. (we said almost.) if you want to learn more, check out how we pop.

crisp. chip. what’s the difference?

in the uk those thin, crunchy snacks called crisps are what americans call chips. and what brits call chips are what americans call fries. you with us? but while popchips are definitely crisp, we thought popcrisps just didn’t have the same ring, so we kept our name and figured you clever brits would get it anyway.

are popchips popped from sliced potatoes?

nope. we turn our potatoes into the equivalent of a grain of rice or kernel of corn before popping them (like popcorn). take it from us, we don’t think it’s possible to pop a potato slice.

don't chips need a lot of fat to taste really good?

you’d think. but we’re able to pop up the flavour without any oil in the popping process. then we use a bit of all-natural safflower, sunflower and/or canola oil when we season them. so popchips have all the flavour, and less than half the fat of fried potato chips. which means you won’t have to wipe your greasy chip hand on your jeans.

what kind of oil do you use?

we only use a bit of non-hydrogenated, trans fat-free, gm-free sunflower oil when we season the chips.

do you use any preservatives, artificial flavours, colours or ingredients?

nope. nothing fake or phony. popchips have no preservatives, no fake flavours and no fake colours. there’s absolutely nothing artificial!

do you add any msg or other artificial flavour enhancers to popchips?

no way! there’s absolutely nothing artificial. no fake colours, no fake flavours, no preservatives, and no fluorescent orange fingertips. and we definitely don’t add any msg.

so how long do popchips stay fresh?

we’re happy to say that popchips will stay fresh in an unopened bag for up to 12 months after they’re popped (but make sure to check out the “best before date” on the back of the packet). to anyone that has the self-restraint to let popchips sit in their cupboard that long to prove it, we commend you. remember, though, that they have no preservatives, so make sure to keep the packet sealed after it’s opened.

i want my popchips! why'd you make the bag so hard to open?

we know that feeling of wanting to tear into your pack of snacks. far be it for us to get between you and your chips, but in fact, we made it that way on purpose. our special air-tight bags help make sure popchips stay fresh and crispy. we've had a lot of practice tearing open our bags, so here are some tips:

• at the top of the bag, pinch the front and back right in the middle. give both sides a good yank, and you're in.

• or, try grabbing the seam on the back at the top with one hand and pulling on the front with the other. we promise it'll be worth the little extra effort!

do popchips have soy in them?

yes. popchips contain a little bit of soya lecithin which adds a trace amount of soy.

are popchips kosher certified?

not yet, but we’re working on it.

are popchips gluten-free?

popchips are not made with any gluten ingredients. however, we don’t claim they are gluten-free. because we make popchips on equipment shared with wheat, we can’t assure you there are no trace amounts of gluten. we’re working on it, but for now, if you’re highly allergic, we have to recommend you don’t eat popchips. sorry.

what about allergens like dairy or nuts?

our barbeque and sour cream & onion popchips contain dairy. and while none of our flavours are made with nuts, they may contain contain nuts because the facility that makes them also processes nuts in another part of the plant. our manufacturing facilities have rigorous allergen control programs in place to ensure any allergens are controlled. these allergens are marked on the ingredient section of each bag, another reason to read that label.

how much sodium is in popchips?

good news – popchips meets (make that beats!) the fsa’s 2012 target guidelines for our product category for salt / sodium content! while the guidelines provide for a target average of .90g per 100g serving, the sodium in popchips averages .80g per 100g serving. but why stop there? we’re always working on ways to keep reducing sodium levels, and will keep you posted on our progress. in the meantime, if you want to check on the sodium levels for your favourite flavour, click here.

how does the carb content compare to other crisps?

the carb content of popchips sits about in the middle of that of traditional fried and baked potato crisps. if you want to check on the carb levels for your favourite flavour, click here.

are popchips non-gm?

yes, popchips are non-gm.

are popchips vegetarian? vegan?

all of our flavours are vegetarian, and our original, sea salt & vinegar, and salt & pepper popchips are vegan.

are popchips’ bags recyclable?

not yet, but we’re working on it. because popchips have absolutely nothing artificial, we insist on having the best packaging that keeps our fresh flavour in. but we’re very concerned about our carbon footprint, which is why we recycle materials wherever possible. and we support great environmental causes to make sure we’re doing our share. in the meantime, we raise our hand out of the chip bag and promise that we’re working harder than ever to find a recyclable, compostable and biodegradable bag that’s both affordable and meets our high demands for the freshest, most flavoursome snacks.

stop holding back. where can i get some?

we’re just launching in the uk, and happy to say you can already find popchips at some of the leading retailers throughout london like waitrose, selfridges, whole foods, harvey nichols, planet organic, costco and wh smith (stations and airports). you can find popchips at retailers near you through our store locator or order them through ocado or amazon.

i’ve only seen a few flavours on the shelf. what’s up with that?

while popchips are available in a variety of taste-bud popping flavours, not every retailer carries them all. if you want more flavours, you might practice some snacktivism and pop into your local retailer to ask them to carry your favourites. or you can always order online from ocado.

are there more flavours coming?

today popchips have five delicious flavours but we are busy working on new flavours. send us a note to snackers@popchips.co.uk and let us know which new flavour you’d love to try.

who makes popchips and where are they popped?

we started popping our chips (er crisps) in california in 2007, and are now popping our award winning snacks right here in the uk.

where is popchips based?

popchips was born in california and our headquarters are in san francisco.

do you have an office in the uk?

yes we do! we’re just beginning to pop in the uk, so our place is a little cramped for company. we’d love to be friends though. so tell us your story, share your favourite flavour, follow us on twitter, like us on facebook and spread the snack love. or just shoot us a note and say hi. we'd love to hear from you at snackers@popchips.co.uk.

i have a shop. how do i get popchips on my shelf?

by all means, get in touch with our sales team at sales@popchips.co.uk and let’s get popping!

i'm a snack fanatic. what do i do now?

tell us your story, share your favourite flavour, follow us on twitter, like us on facebook and spread the snack love. or just shoot us a note and say hi. we'd love to hear from you at snackers@popchips.co.uk.