Potato farmers-cum-crisp makers are celebrating their best year to date.

Fairfields Farm Crisps, based at Wormingford, near Colchester, said the business had gone from strength to strength following the opening of its farm factory last year.

Farmer Robert Strathern said successes including winning a contract to supply British Airways was “a real pat on the back”.

The crisps won Best Food Product in the Essex Life Food & Drink Awards, and picked up a coveted Great Taste Award for its Parsnip Crisps with Essex Honey and Black Pepper. “This year we’ve achieved so much supplying British Airways along with export to the Far East. Then winning two coveted awards really was the icing on the cake,” said Robert.

“We are still a young business, so successes like this are a real pat on the back for the whole team, it’s great to know that we are getting it right and that we have loyal customers both locally, and beyond.”

The business has launched three new crisp flavours this year – turkey with sage and onion, sweet potato with chilli and lime and parsnip crisps. All the flavours are natural and sourced throughout the East Anglian region.