SpudBros: From Preston’s Flag Market to global fame
From humble beginnings on Preston’s Flag Market to a global phenomenon – The SpudBros’ remarkable growth story continues.
Jacob and Harley Nelson have turned their jacket potato business, operating from an old tram carriage in the city centre, into a worldwide social media sensation.
And on the way the brothers have become proud sponsors of Preston North End, opened outlets in London and Liverpool and have plans to create multiple franchises across the UK.
Millions of people have watched their videos from the city centre tram, with people coming from all corners of the world and queuing for hours to sample their spuds.
SpudBros now boasts nearly five million TikTok followers and more than eight million followers worldwide on all their socials. These are staggering numbers.
The business has also made national and international headlines with journalists and film crews attracted to their remarkable story.
As another proud Preston-based business, WNJ is playing its role in this continuing success story as the SpudBros’ accountants and business advisors.
Their father Tony Nelson, aka ‘The Spudfather’, says: “As the business has grown rapidly over the last 18 months, we’ve benefited greatly from WNJ’s support and its sound advice.
“It’s not just about the accounts and figures. We have built a close relationship with Michael Barker and the WNJ team. They are trusted advisors who we can talk to and get valuable feedback from and that’s important and what we need as the business continues to expand.”
The sale of hot potatoes on the Flag Market can be traced back to 1955 when Ernie Rhodes set up his hot potato cart before eventually it was passed on to Keith Roberts.
His son Keith junior, a legendary figure in the city, followed in his father’s footsteps.
Following his untimely death in 2020, at the age of just 43, family friend Tony and his son Harley bought the tram and took the business on. Things really took off when Jacob, 29, joined them, and the social media side exploded, with amazing results.
The SpudBros have taken the humble jacket potato, put their own twist on it and elevated it to new levels through the toppings they offer to customers who flock to the tram.
Headline-making initiatives have included an event on The Flag Market where they gave away over 1,000 free spuds funded by social media superstar Mr Beast.
And this season, following a sponsorship deal with the Championship club, the SpudBros logo now sits proudly on the shirts of Preston North End players.
There are also a number of shops appearing on the High Street. These are operated under the ‘SpudBros Express’ brand, which is owned and operated by food company Taster.
An exclusive licensing agreement has granted Taster the rights to use the SpudBros name. Further down the line there are overseas targets too.
Tony says: “Things have developed so quickly and it really shows the power of social media. I don’t really get it but the boys do, they really understand it and how to use it to drive momentum.
“We’re just exploring all these opportunities at the moment and just seeing where that takes us. It’s exciting times.”
Closer to home, the SpudBros new-look tram is about to make its appearance on the Flag Market.
The business won planning permission this summer for the new shopping-container design which is set to become a city centre landmark and attract even more interest from their global fanbase.
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