In the heart of England, a culinary craze has taken the nation by storm, captivating millions on TikTok and drawing food enthusiasts from around the world. Ben Newman, affectionately known as "Spudman," has become an unlikely viral sensation with his humble jacket potatoes, a staple of UK home-cooking featuring simple toppings like tuna mayonnaise or baked beans. Despite the dish's simplicity, Spudman's videos have racked up hundreds of millions of views over the last six months, leaving him astounded by the phenomenon. "I'm sure we're good, but we are just a humble spud van," he remarks.
Before his TikTok fame, Newman's food truck in Tamworth, Staffordshire, would sell around 300 jacket potatoes a day, a business he has operated for 22 years. In 2020, he began posting videos on the platform to maintain customer engagement during the pandemic. By mid-2023, his following had grown to around 350,000, comprising both Brits who appreciated the familiarity and international viewers intrigued by the quintessential British fare. However, a random video in 2023 featuring a jacket potato garnered nearly half a million views, catapulting his following to a staggering 3.5 million.
The surge in popularity has translated into a remarkable 400% increase in business for Spudman, with daily sales now reaching up to 1,500 potatoes. Customers often queue for hours to get their hands on a jacket potato, which starts at £4 ($5) for options like cheese and beans. The impact of Spudman's success has rippled through Tamworth, benefiting local shops and cafes as customers fortify themselves before joining the queue. Newman notes, "The knock-on effect for the whole town has been great too. Lots of local businesses come to me and say they've had the best January and February they've ever had."
Spudman's fame has even attracted international attention, with customers going to extraordinary lengths to sample his jacket potatoes. "One guy flew to Gatwick from the Philippines, hired a car, drove up to meet us and eat a potato, stayed overnight in a hotel and then flew back," Newman recounts. "One of our customers last week was from Wyoming."
However, the local jacket potato scene has recently been shaken by the emergence of the Spud Bros, brothers Jacob and Harley Nelson, who have launched their own jacket potato van in Preston, Lancashire. With 1.7 million TikTok followers, the Spud Bros showcase traditional toppings alongside the Lancashire specialty, parched peas. The rivalry between the two accounts has sparked clashes among fans, but Spudman remains unfazed, stating, "Imitation is the finest form of flattery."
Danny Malin, host of the YouTube channel Rate My Takeaway, has dubbed the rivalry "jacket potato wars." While he slightly prefers Spud Bros, he acknowledges the appeal of both, highlighting Spudman's homemade chicken curry and coleslaw and the Spud Bros' flavored butters. However, Malin believes that customers are drawn to the experience of meeting Spudman and sharing their visit on social media, rather than solely for the potato itself.
Inspired by the craze, other vendors like Lauren Jones of the Baked Potato Company have joined the fray. Jones debuted her van in Barnsley, West Yorkshire, last autumn and experienced a two-hour wait on opening day. She attributes the popularity of jacket potatoes to their status as a traditional British comfort food that is both affordable and healthier than many fast food options. "It's a proper British staple food and comfort food, but it's not unhealthy either," Jones explains. "When I go on holiday and come home, the first thing I want is a jacket."
