South Africa Potato Chips Industry Introduction

Today the global potato chip market generates total revenues over $16.4 billion. This accounts for 35.5% of the total savory snacks market of $46.1 billion.

Potato Chips in South Africa

As we all know, potato chips was accidentally invented by George Crum, but do you know Crum is actually an African American? Yes, Crum was an African American chef at the Moon Lake Lodge resort in Saratoga Springs, New York. In Africa, Simba Chips is one of the most popular food or snacks in Africa. In fact, Simba Chips and Lay’s are both wholly owned by PepsiCo. Simba is only the local producer of many of that company’s Frito-Lay brands.
Being the same as Lay’s, Simba chips are also fried potato chips not compound potato chips. As for the difference between fried potato chips and compound potato chips, you can refer to our another Newsletters Sliced Potato Chips VS Compound Potato Chips. It can be seen that Africans are interested in fried potato chips more. Apart from the normal flavor potato chips we eat, like Cheese and Grilled Chili Lay’s, Mushroom Lay’s, Crab Lay’s, Garlic Prawn Lay’s etc. they have some unique potato chip flavors that make them very different, such as Caribbean Onion and Balsamic Vinegar chip that is yummy.
Lay’s Potato Chips, thin light and crispy. One of the most popular chips in South Africa. Because they are made from specially selected potatoes and produced with the highest quality standards. For most of us, Lay’s or Simba chips are Naturally Irresistible!

What makes people like potato chips so much?

1. Both live in close quarters with others and can be eaten as a snack.
2. Some are crispy and some are oily; some smooth, others wrinkled.
3. There are light-skinned chips and dark-skinned chips (some are light but dark around the edges).
4. There are famous-name chips and chips we have never heard of before.
5. Chips come in all sizes, shapes and colors … just like us.
6. Maybe the most important reason is that they are indeed so delicious.

How to Make Typical South African “Slap” Chips (French Fries):

Slap (as in “cup”) in Afrikaans means “soft” and African slap chips are soft with a crunchy exterior. The potato slices are first given a vinegar bath which gives the chips/fries that unique flavor and are then fried twice to get the “crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside” effect.

Preparation

1. Start by peeling the potatoes and cut into chips.
2. Pour the vinegar into a square container if you have it or a bowl if not. Drop the chips into the vinegar and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Using a colander, drain the chips of the vinegar (don’t rinse them). Lay them out on paper towels and pat dry.
3. Heat the oil to 350ºF using a thermometer to check the temperature. Carefully lower small batches of the cut chips into the oil and fry for about 5 minutes until the chips are tender but NOT brown. Remove from the oil and lay on paper towel to allow the oil to drain.
4. Once all the potatoes have gone through one step of frying, reheat the oil to 375ºF. 5. Once again, in small batches, fry the chips a second time until they crisp up and turn golden brown. Remove from the oil and lay on paper towels to allow the oil to drain.
5. Allow to rest for about 1 minute before salting the chips. Serve with steak, chicken or fish

The above making method is only suitable for homemade use. Actually, a Complete Commercial Potato Chips Processing Plant includes the following eight procedures:

Potato washing and peeling → Potato slicing → Potato blanching → Potato dehydrating → Potato crisps/chips frying → Potato crisps/chips de-oiling → Potato crisps/chips flavoring → Potato crisps/chips packing

Anyway, with the advantages of large area of potato planting and large number of population in Africa, potato chips is certainly welcomed by people, so potato chips enjoy a bright future in African Consuming Market. Besides, potato chips processing plant is absolutely an useful tool to reduce African pressure of importing potato chips.

Company Profile

Adhering to the principle of managing scientifically and honesty and credit,our factory has passed ISO9001-2000 quality system certification. Now, Our factory can provide potato dry cleaning machine, potato washing machine, potato peeling machine, potato sticks cutting machine, potato grader, potato chips production line, potato starch production line, potato mesh bag packing machine, potato dosing packing machine.

Our potato processing products have passed with CE,ISO and SGS Certificates and has been widely sold all over the world.