"Preston, potatoes and people" - SpudBros Jacob & Harley on what their home city means to them

SpudBros are the stand-out viral sensation of the social media age, but have never forgotten their roots.

Infact, they say their home city is the key to their success - and hope to give back and inspire others in the community.

Here brothers Jacob and Harley (SB) share their thoughts on their heritage and their journey, as the Lancashire Post (LP) celebrates its own 140th anniversary.

LP: What does it mean to you to be from Preston? Is it fair to say you're proud Prestonians?

SB: "Absolutely! Everyone should be proud of where they come from, and we’re definitely proud Prestonians. We were born here, grew up here and now Preston is right at the heart of SpudBros and where the whole journey started for us.

"To be able to represent our city to millions of people online is something we’re really proud of. No matter how much SpudBros grows or where we end up around the world, Preston will always be home. It’s cushty!"

LP: "Your business can trace its history back decades, and has been a key feature of Preston town centre for generations. What does it feel like to have that tradition? Is it something you've been keenly aware of celebrating with the SpudBros colours and imagery on your new truck?"

SB: "It’s massively important to us to remember where you came from and the people who helped you get there.

"Our family took over the potato business from Keith Roberts Jr after he sadly passed away, and we always knew we wanted to keep that legacy going. Our dad carried it on before eventually passing the business down to us, so there are generations of history behind what we do.

"We never want to lose that. If you look back at old photos of the vans, trucks and trams over the years, we’ve deliberately tried to keep elements of the original colours and style alive.

"Our new Preston unit takes that even further. We’ve got an amazing mural on the side celebrating Preston and some of the things that make the city special. We might have a much bigger platform now, but the roots are still exactly the same: Preston, potatoes and people!

LP: "How important is it to you to back local suppliers and producers?"

SB: "Everything!

"When we took over from our dad, one of the biggest things we wanted to focus on was the quality of the food. So many of our core ingredients come directly from Lancashire farmers, producers and Preston suppliers, including our potatoes, cheese, butter, garlic chilli chicken, chilli and fresh produce.

"We still get the ingredients for our coleslaw from Baz at Fresh & Fruity on Preston Market, which is something we love because those relationships go back years.

"When we were approached by Taster about expanding SpudBros through the SpudBros Express franchise network, one of our biggest priorities was trying to keep as much of that original Preston supply chain as possible. It wasn’t easy when expanding around the country, but we’ve managed to take a number of those core products across the network. That’s amazing for us because as SpudBros grows, some of the local businesses and suppliers who have been with us from the beginning can grow with us too."

LP: "How would you describe Lancashire/Preston people you work with and serve?"

SB: "Lancashire people are salt of the earth. They’re down to earth, friendly, hardworking and they love a chat! Sometimes someone will come to the container for the first time and within five minutes of making their spud we know their full life story. We love that.

"There’s a proper community feel in Preston. People support one another, they have a laugh, they graft and they don’t take themselves too seriously. That’s a massive part of what SpudBros is about as well."

LP: "How does it feel to give back to the local community you're from?"

SB: Giving back has always been part of the business, even long before SpudBros existed.

"When Jacob worked with the Roberts family, they would always look after people who needed it. Sometimes it could be something as simple as giving someone a potato, but that small gesture could make their whole day.

"Our dad carried that on, and now we do the same. We’ve always said that as the business grows, the amount we give back should grow with it. Whether that’s giving away free spuds, supporting somebody having a difficult time or helping another local business, giving back is something that sits right at the heart of our values as both a business and a family."

LP: "What would you say to other young/upcoming business people from Preston? What key pieces of advice would you share to inspire them to follow their dream?"

SB: "We started out like anybody else. We had a small family potato business in Preston and simply wanted to use social media to get more people through the door. Then people started falling in love with the spuds, the characters and the brand, and we realised we had something special.

"There isn’t a secret formula. Be yourself, work hard, believe in what you’re doing and have a vision for where you want to go.

"From quite early on, our vision was to build a global brand using social media, while hopefully inspiring the next generation to believe that you can build something huge from somewhere like Preston. It’s incredible how far we’ve come, but we also know how lucky we are. Without the people who support us both online and in Preston, none of it would be possible.

"Our biggest advice would be: don’t think you have to leave your hometown or pretend to be something you’re not to be successful. Be proud of where you come from, use it as part of your story and just start."