San Nicasio
- Rafael del Rosal Lopez
- Carmen Osuna
San Nicasio is a Spanish brand of gourmet potato chips, established in 1999. The slow cooked chips have won a number of food industry awards for quality and have received a level of notoriety due to the high price tag of the product.
History
San Nicasio was established in 1999 in Priego de Córdoba, in the Andalusian mountains of Spain, by Rafael del Rosal Lopez and his wife Carmen Osuna.[1] They are being distributed by Fayrefield Foods in the UK, who are targeting distributors such as Harvey Nichols and Harrods.[2]
Product
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Himalaya-Salz-1.jpg/220px-Himalaya-Salz-1.jpg)
San Nicasio are handmade small-batch potato chips, made with Catalan potatoes, extra virgin olive oil and Himalayan pink salt (a marketing term for rock salt mined in Khewra Salt Mines, Pakistan).[3][4] The olive oil used has the "Priego de Córdoba" denomination of origin.[5] As of 2012[update], they are only available in salted flavour and two sizes, 40 g (1.4 oz) and 190 g (6.7 oz).[6]
Cooking
The chips are slow cooked, unlike most other brand-name chips.[6][7][8] According to owner Lopez this is "to prevent the formation of undesirable substances".[6]
Pricing
The product received significant press coverage on release in the United Kingdom due to the financial market at the time and the £4 pricing for the larger packet, almost double the market standard.[2][3] Grocery magazine The Grocer asked "will British crisp-lovers fork out almost four quid for a new super-premium snack?", although it did not speculate on the answer to this question.[9] The Rich Times stated that analysts "are as yet divided" as to whether or not a product at this price point "makes any sense".[10]
Awards
The brand has won a number of food industry awards and certifications.
- 2008 Monde Selection Gold medal[8][11]
- 2009 Monde Selection Gold medal[8][11]
- 2010 Monde Selection Gold medal[8][11]
- 2010 Monde Selection International High Quality Trophy (for 3 consecutive gold medals)[12]
- 2011 Monde Selection Gold medal[11]
- 2011 Expoliva award for "Best Food made with Olive Oil"[13]
- 2012 Monde Selection Gold medal[11]
References
- ^ "San Nicasio Crisps". Reality Sense. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ a b "£4 San Nicasio luxury crisps to hit the shops in UK". Metro. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ a b Sayid, Ruki (18 May 2011). "Posh crisps to go on sale for £4 a bag". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012. Alt URL
- ^ "You need to know about: Lambrucha and San Nicasio Patatas Fritas". Time Out New York. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ "Capital move for Spanish crisps". Fayrefield.com. 13 March 2012. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ a b c "Official product page". SanNicasio. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ "Healthy Spanish Potato Chips | International Food Blog". Ziibest.com. 19 March 2012. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d "San Nicasio premium Spanish crisps". Regional Food & Drink. 6 June 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
- ^ "Top-tier crisps to tap into taste for tapas | FMCG News". The Grocer. 14 May 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ "London gets 'Luxury Crisps' – that's Posh Potato Chips for the rest of us". The Rich Times. 18 May 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Quinta medalla de oro a la calidad". Info Restauracion. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.(in Spanish)
- ^ "The International High Quality Trophy – 2010". Monde Selection. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ "Una segunda jornada de Expoliva repleta de actos". Diario Digital Agrario. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2012.(in Spanish)
External links
- Official website