Steak flavoured crisps occupy a strange corner of the snack world. Nobody expects them to taste like actual steak. We’ve collectively agreed to pretend that a vaguely savoury, slightly beefy powder constitutes “grilled steak” and moved on with our lives.
Snackrite’s ridged version commits to this fiction with reasonable enthusiasm. The flavour is meaty in an abstract way, with a smokiness that gestures toward grilling without actually achieving it. There’s a Marmitey, yeasty undertone that provides umami depth.
The ridge advantage
The ridged format helps here. Steak flavouring benefits from surface area, and the corrugated texture holds more seasoning than a flat crisp would manage. Each bite delivers a decent flavour payload.
The crunch is satisfying too. These are sturdy crisps that don’t shatter into disappointing fragments when you bite down.
The aftertaste issue
Where these fall down is the finish. There’s a slightly artificial, almost metallic note that lingers after swallowing. It’s not unpleasant exactly, but it reminds you that whatever you just ate, it wasn’t steak.
Who buys steak crisps?
I’ve never understood the target market. If you want meaty flavours, there are better options. If you want crisps, there are better flavours. These exist in a no man’s land of snacking, satisfying a craving I’m not sure anyone actually has.
Competent but unnecessary.
