SpudBros, the jacket potato takeaway run by Lancashire brothers Jacob and Harley Nelson, opened its 21st store this week in Rochdale, part of a 30-store rollout with EG petrol stations and Taster. The launch drew queues of fans, some waiting five hours, to meet the siblings and try their potatoes.
The brothers, aged 31 and 24, started from a tram cab takeaway on Preston's Flag Market in 2020. Their TikTok videos, featuring celebrities like Will Smith and Manchester City's Phil Foden, have helped them amass 9 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
From Preston tram to global brand
Harley Nelson, who struggled at school due to dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia, began helping his father Tony after he took over the iconic potato tram, formerly owned by family friend Keith. Tony's idea to do a funny dance on TikTok quickly gained thousands of views, sparking Jacob's interest.
Jacob spent three months researching social media and marketing before joining, with a vision to build a global brand. He recalls, "I spent 3 months of my time researching about social media and marketing and branding and that's when I said to my dad, if I want to come in, dad, I want to build a global brand."
The brothers' contrasting personalities—Jacob serious, Harley silly—proved a winning combination. "Me and Jake started doing TikToks together and it was just like, it kind of works, we're like chalk and cheese," Harley said. "He is the more serious one and I'm the silly one and people love that about our personalities."
Expansion and economic pressures
Success has led to pop-ups across the country, an EG franchise proposal, and a deal for six franchises in Abu Dhabi after catering at the Grand Prix. The brothers, however, are not yet millionaires. "It takes 4 years for a business to become profitable, right?" Jacob said. "And we are investing in the brand, the people, we want to make it right."
They face economic headwinds, with potato prices doubling from £7 to £14 per bag in two months. High rents have prevented expansion into central Manchester or a permanent Trafford Centre base, where they hosted popular pop-ups. "If we go into Manchester, or Trafford centre or around there, we'd have to sell a potato at £20 just to cover all the costs," Jacob said.
Despite challenges, the brothers remain focused on community and positivity. At the Rochdale launch, 11-year-old Isla Lawrence, who queued five hours to be first, won a trolley dash and gave away toys to other kids. Jacob said, "That's what we want to encourage, we want to inspire young people." The company now employs 200 people, with plans for further growth.
