McCoy's

McCoy's is a United Kingdom crisp brand produced by KP Snacks. The brand is centered on ridged, crinkle-cut potato crisps, a format that gives the product a heavier texture and a distinctive appearance compared with conventional flat crisps. It was first produced in 1985 and became associated with substantial, strongly seasoned flavours such as Flame Grilled Steak, Salt & Malt Vinegar, and Cheddar & Onion. The name draws on the expression “the real McCoy,” allowing the brand to present itself as an authentic or definitive version of a familiar snack. Its historic positioning was unusually direct for the crisps category: United Biscuits, which formerly promoted the brand, described McCoy's as an overtly male-targeted crisp brand. Advertising used the line “The Real McCoy's – Accept No Imitations,” while later advertising adopted “Don't Deny the Beast.” The brand's visual and flavour identity has generally emphasized boldness, indulgence, meat-inspired seasonings, and a more substantial eating experience. McCoy's core range has been supplemented by several extensions. McCoy's Specials introduced more experimental or restaurant-inspired flavour combinations, including Jalapeño Chilli with Cheese, Cheddar with Mango Chutney, Oriental Ribs, Thai Sweet Chicken, and Peppered Rib Eye Steak. The Oriental Ribs flavour was renamed BBQ Ribs in 2012. McCoy's Jackets, introduced in early 2007, used ridge-cut crisps with the potato skin left on and included flavours such as Chilli Beef, Sour Cream & Chive, and Melted Cheese & Bacon. McCoy's Specials Tortillas, a ridged tortilla-chip line launched in 2006, were later relaunched as MUCHOS in 2019, with flavours including Nacho Cheese, Smoked Chilli Chicken, and Sour Cream & Onion. The brand has also used packaging and format innovation to distinguish itself. In 2013, it presented a bag concept designed to open along the longer side, creating a wider opening intended to make it easier for consumers with larger hands to reach the crisps. The concept was developed by BTL Brands. McCoy's has additionally used limited-time flavour introductions to respond to changing snack trends and to create novelty around the range. McCoy's has held a significant position in the United Kingdom bagged-crisps market. Reference material describes it as the market's third-biggest brand, with approximately five million packets consumed weekly and consumption reaching nearly one-third of UK households at the time of reporting. The brand has also participated in sports marketing, sponsoring Premier League Darts for two years in 2012 and 2013. Its current portfolio remains focused on ridged potato crisps, thick-cut products, jacket-style crisps, tortilla chips, multipacks, and rotating flavour concepts.

McCoy's was first produced in the United Kingdom in 1985 and developed as a branded ridged-crisp alternative within the growing packaged-snacks market. Its defining product characteristic was the crinkle-cut or ridged potato slice, which provided a thicker-looking, more textured eating experience than standard flat crisps. From its early positioning, the brand connected this format with assertive seasoning and robust flavours, including steak, cheese, onion, salt, and malt vinegar profiles. The McCoy's name references the phrase “the real McCoy,” a familiar expression for something genuine or authentic. This association supported the early advertising line “The Real McCoy's – Accept No Imitations.” The brand was also promoted as a notably male-oriented crisp brand, an unusual positioning choice in a category generally marketed to broad household audiences. Later advertising used the slogan “Don't Deny the Beast,” retaining the emphasis on appetite, strength, and indulgence. As the brand matured, its product architecture expanded beyond the original core range. McCoy's Specials provided more adventurous combinations, including Jalapeño Chilli with Cheese, Cheddar with Mango Chutney, Oriental Ribs, Thai Sweet Chicken, and Peppered Rib Eye Steak. In early 2012, Oriental Ribs was renamed BBQ Ribs. The use of meat, spice, and restaurant-style flavour references became a recurring feature of the brand's product development. McCoy's also developed new formats. McCoy's Specials Tortillas launched in 2006 as ridged tortilla chips. McCoy's Jackets followed in early 2007, using ridge-cut crisps with their skins left on. The Jackets range included Chilli Beef, Sour Cream & Chive, and Melted Cheese & Bacon variants, and broadened the brand's interpretation of a substantial potato snack. The tortilla line was later relaunched as MUCHOS in 2019, with products such as Nacho Cheese, Smoked Chilli Chicken, and Sour Cream & Onion. Packaging innovation formed another part of the brand's development. In September 2013, McCoy's presented a bag design that opened along its longer side rather than its shorter side. The wider opening was intended to make it easier for consumers, particularly those with larger hands, to access the product. BTL Brands developed the concept. Although this was presented as a packaging concept rather than a change to the crisp itself, it reflected McCoy's broader emphasis on usability and a distinctive consumption experience. The brand has used multipacks and a broad flavour system to reach both individual-snack and household-sharing occasions. Core multipack configurations have included classic assortments containing Salt & Malt Vinegar, Salted, and Cheddar & Onion, alongside combinations organized around meaty or spicy flavours. Thick-cut products and tortilla formats have provided additional variety. Some flavours have been discontinued or replaced, while others have been renamed or used as limited-time propositions. McCoy's has been described as the third-biggest brand in the United Kingdom's bagged-crisps market, with reference material reporting approximately five million packets consumed each week and almost one-third of UK households consuming the product at the relevant time. These figures are historical market descriptions rather than current audited results. The brand has also invested in promotional activity outside conventional product advertising. It sponsored Premier League Darts in 2012 and 2013, associating the brand with a high-energy televised sporting property. Today, McCoy's is produced by KP Snacks and remains an active United Kingdom snack brand. Its portfolio is built around ridged potato crisps, thick-cut and jacket-style variants, tortilla chips, multipacks, and frequently changing flavour ideas. Its enduring identity combines a recognizable ridge-cut format with bold seasoning, meat-inspired flavours, and an intentionally confident brand voice.

• 2022

  Limited-time flavour trend noted

  [1]McCoy's (crisp)en.wikipedia.org

  Reference material notes that McCoy's regularly introduces trend-led flavours intended for limited shelf availability.

• 2019

  Tortillas relaunch as MUCHOS

  [1]McCoy's (crisp)en.wikipedia.org

  The former McCoy's Tortillas range is relaunched under the MUCHOS name.

• 2013

  Longer-side-opening packaging concept unveiled

  [1]McCoy's (crisp)en.wikipedia.org

  McCoy's presents a packaging concept intended to provide a wider opening for reaching into a crisp bag.

• 2012

  Oriental Ribs is renamed BBQ Ribs

  [1]McCoy's (crisp)en.wikipedia.org

  The Oriental Ribs flavour in the McCoy's range is renamed BBQ Ribs.

• 2012

  Premier League Darts sponsorship begins

  [1]McCoy's (crisp)en.wikipedia.org

  McCoy's begins a two-year sponsorship of Premier League Darts.

• 2007

  McCoy's Jackets launch

  [1]McCoy's (crisp)en.wikipedia.org

  McCoy's introduces ridge-cut crisps made with the potato skins left on, creating the Jackets range.

• 2006

  McCoy's Specials Tortillas launch

  [1]McCoy's (crisp)en.wikipedia.org

  The brand expands into ridged tortilla chips through the McCoy's Specials Tortillas range.

• 1985

  McCoy's is first produced

  [1]McCoy's (crisp)en.wikipedia.org

  The McCoy's crisp brand is first produced in the United Kingdom, establishing its core identity around ridged or crinkle-cut potato crisps.

Bold, substantial, heavily seasoned ridged crisps with a historically masculine and indulgent brand personality.

• Ridged potato crisps · 1985

  Ridge Cut Classic Flavours

  The core McCoy's range consists of ridged potato crisps in familiar savoury flavours. Referenced examples include Cheddar & Onion, Salt & Malt Vinegar, and Salted. The range establishes the brand's signature combination of a substantial ridge-cut texture and assertive seasoning.

• Flavoured ridged potato crisps

  McCoy's Specials

  McCoy's Specials extends the core range with more adventurous combinations and meat-inspired or globally influenced profiles. Referenced flavours include Jalapeño Chilli with Cheese, Cheddar with Mango Chutney, Thai Sweet Chicken, Peppered Rib Eye Steak, and the former Oriental Ribs flavour, later renamed BBQ Ribs.

• Jacket-style potato crisps · 2007

  McCoy's Jackets

  Introduced in early 2007, McCoy's Jackets are ridge-cut potato crisps made with the skins left on. The range was associated with hearty flavours such as Chilli Beef, Sour Cream & Chive, and Melted Cheese & Bacon, reinforcing the brand's substantial and indulgent positioning.

• Ridged tortilla chips · 2006

  McCoy's Specials Tortillas

  This line brought the McCoy's ridged-texture identity to tortilla chips. It launched in 2006 and was associated with flavours such as Hot Chilli, Nacho Cheese, Cool Ranch, and BBQ Chicken before the range was later reworked under the MUCHOS name.

• Ridged tortilla chips · 2019

  MUCHOS

  MUCHOS is the 2019 relaunch of the former McCoy's Tortillas range. Referenced flavours include Nacho Cheese, Smoked Chilli Chicken, and Sour Cream & Onion. The relaunch preserves the connection with ridged tortilla snacks while giving the line a distinct identity.

• Crisp multipacks

  McCoy's Multipacks

  McCoy's multipacks combine individual bags into assortments or repeated single-flavour packs. Referenced configurations include classic combinations of Salt & Malt Vinegar, Salted, and Cheddar & Onion, as well as meaty and spicy assortments built around flavours such as Flame Grilled Steak, Thai Sweet Chicken, and Sizzling King Prawn.

• 2012Premier League Darts sponsorship

  United Kingdom

  McCoy's sponsored Premier League Darts for two years, using a high-profile sports property to reinforce its energetic and assertive brand personality.

  Outcome. The sponsorship ran during 2012 and 2013.

  Source
• The Real McCoy's – Accept No Imitations

  United Kingdom

  The historic advertising platform used the expression “the real McCoy” to present the crisps as authentic and distinctive, while emphasizing that the brand's ridged format and bold flavours should not be copied.

  Source
• Don't Deny the Beast

  United Kingdom

  A later advertising slogan framed McCoy's as an indulgent, powerful snack and continued the brand's confident, appetite-led tone.

  Source

• 2019

  Tortillas relaunch as MUCHOSGeneration change

  Background

  The brand refreshed its tortilla-chip proposition with a separate name and identity.

  Action taken

  McCoy's Tortillas were relaunched as MUCHOS with a revised flavour line-up.

  Aftermath

  MUCHOS became the distinct name for the relaunch of the ridged tortilla offering.

  Source

• 2013

  Longer-side-opening bag conceptOther

  Background

  McCoy's explored packaging as a way to improve the physical experience of eating crisps.

  Action taken

  The brand unveiled a bag concept that opened along the longer side to create a wider access point.

  Aftermath

  The concept was developed by BTL Brands; the available reference does not establish the extent of its commercial rollout.

  Source

• 2012

  Renaming of Oriental RibsStrategy

  Background

  McCoy's adjusted the naming of one of its flavour concepts.

  Action taken

  The Oriental Ribs flavour was renamed BBQ Ribs.

  Source

• 2007

  Launch of McCoy's JacketsProduct launch

  Background

  The brand pursued a more substantial potato-snack format consistent with its hearty positioning.

  Action taken

  McCoy's introduced ridge-cut crisps with their skins left on under the Jackets name.

  Aftermath

  The format broadened the brand's portfolio beyond its standard ridged crisps.

  Source

• 2006

  Expansion into tortilla chipsProduct launch

  Background

  McCoy's sought to extend its ridged-snack identity beyond potato crisps.

  Action taken

  The brand launched McCoy's Specials Tortillas, a range of ridged tortilla chips.

  Aftermath

  The tortilla range was later relaunched as MUCHOS in 2019.

  Source

1. 1McCoy's (crisp)en.wikipedia.org