Potatoes are one of the most consumed foods in the UK. While homemade potatoes are unbeatable, sometimes a quick frozen potato from your local supermarket does the job – and sometimes even better.
In a blind taste-test survey conducted by Which?, 65 people tasted roast potatoes from well-known brands such as Aunt Bessie’s and McCain, and supermarket-branded alternatives from Aldi, Asda, Morrisons, and Tesco. The final results revealed that a supermarket brand topped the rankings.
The results were anonymous, and the roast potatoes were served in random order. Therefore, the tasters didn’t know what brand they were trying each time. The scores were on flavour (50%), appearance (25%), texture (15%), and aroma (10%). Who would’ve thought the cheapest product would turn out to be the best one?
Aldi’s Specially Selected Beef Dripping Roast Potatoes and Marks and Spencer’s Maris Piper Roast Potatoes tied for the highest scorers in the taste test, with a 74% overall satisfaction. The site said: “Tying for top place, these good-looking potatoes had a flavour that impressed our testers.”
However, Aldi took the crown for also being the cheapest product. Its delicious flavour impressed the panel, who described it to be fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Shoppers can get their hands on them for £2.59 per kilo, compared to M&S ’ brand for £3 for only 800g. This means that Aldi offers more quantity for a lesser price!
In third place, Aunt Bessie’s Duck Fat Roast Potatoes scored a total score of 72% in satisfaction. Despite many loving its cunchiness and colour, others thought it was “too weak” and slightly dry. Priced at £4.50 for 700g, Aunt Bessie’s potatoes have duck fat, whereas the rest use beef fat.
Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco had a lower percentage than Aunt Bessie’s, followed by Co-op, Waitrose, and Asda. Two-thirds of the tasters said that Waitrose’s roast potatoes lack flavour and crunchy exterior, compared to other brands.
Lastly, McCain came in last place because of its lack of flavour and presentation. The site explained: “Aunt Bessie’s also put in a good showing, ranking third, but McCain failed to impress, coming in last overall.”
The potatoes in the test were premium range roasties, which typically use beef or goose fat to enhance the flavour. Therefore, they aren’t suitable for vegetarians or vegans. However, ready-made roast potatoes that use vegetable oil are widely available in UK supermarkets, making them an alternative option for vegetarians and vegans.
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