'Our videos and banter has made jacket spuds sexy'

A pair of brothers from Lancashire said they would remember 2024 as the year they made jacket potatoes "sexy again".

Jacob Nelson, 29, and his 22-year-old brother Harley run Spud Bros from an old tram carriage in Preston's Flag Market.

Videos showing them dishing out their cheeky "northern banter" along with jacket potatoes loaded with various fillings have taken social media by storm this year.

Millions have watched the videos and the Spud Bros now boast 3.3 million TikTok followers.

One video, watched more than 77.8 million times, showed them giving away free jacket potatoes to their first customers of the day - two teenage girls who both opted for a classic cheese-and-beans combo.

"The main reason why we wanted to go on to TikTok was to basically make jacket potatoes sexy again," Jacob said.

"I think it's just authentic [and] relatable, selling the humble jacket potato, which is a British delicacy.

"We put ourselves out there. We're very open, transparent and it's refreshing for people. What you see is what you get."

The Nelson brothers are also known for their generosity, serving a free jacket potato to the first and last customers of the day, and occasionally treating lucky individuals to free televisions as they wait in line.

"It's just giving back to what people have given us," said Harley.

"It feels amazing to be able to make someone's day, to be able to make them happy."

Jacob added: "We are a big believer in the more you give out, you'll probably gain in other ways."

They took over the business from their father's friend Keith Roberts, who Jacob said had given him his "first ever Saturday job selling potatoes when I was 14".

The Lancashire lads credit their father for their unlikely fame.

"It was actually my dad who started the TikTok account," said Jacob. "He got up to 60,000 followers and he was doing these little dances around the tram in Preston.

"We rebranded to Spud Bros in 2023, 13 months ago, and I think within two or three days of posting a video, I think our second video went viral.

"It just snowballed from there."

The brothers said their vision for Spud Bros was to inspire young people from "a little potato tram in Preston" to pursue their passions and learn "how you can build a brand and a business in a positive way".

"Literally, one video can change your life forever," said Jacob. "If you have an idea or a vision, just absolutely go for it."

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