Potato farmers are steaming into new markets after securing a prestigious contract to supply crisps to Greater Anglia trains.

In a deal that has taken many months to complete, four varieties of Fairfields Farm Crisps, made at Robert and Laura Strathern’s potato farm at Wormingford, near Colchester, will now be stocked on the company’s trains.

Fairfields Farm grows and processes all the potatoes used in its hand-cooked crisp range.

Sales manager Alan Balm said: “This is an exciting time for us.

“For a long while our snacks have mainly been confined to the shelves of delis and farm shops. Now they will be winging their way all over the region by train.”

He added: “We are very pleased to be working with Greater Anglia and hope this deal will increase awareness of the Fairfields Farm Crisp brand and allow an even greater number of consumers to try them,”

Charlotte Bindley, on board services manager for catering at Greater Anglia said: “Where possible, we always like to support local suppliers and local producers, and promote their goods on board where they can be purchased from our on board cafes.”

Fairfields Farm Crisps was established in October 2006 as a diversfication from the family’s potato farming enterprise.

All the flavours used in the crisps are sourced in the East Anglian region.