“The ultimate nibble quencher” is how nibnibs are described on their packaging, but I’m not sure I’d agree. They’re far too dangerously moreish and once you’ve opened a packet, you’ll just keep going…
Hailing from Yorkshire, nibnibs are purveyors of “premium baked British nibbles for the most discerning connoisseur”. Owners Susan and Darren’s mission is to create top grade snacks using local ingredients where possible, for nibbles that not only taste great, but look great too.
Their product range includes cheese straws in four different flavours and “mininibs” in three of these flavours, as well as Yorkshire breadsticks. I was lucky enough to be sent a range of their cheese straws to try for myself…
Now, when I think cheese straws, I think of retro party snacks – flaky puff pastry versions that are never as cheesy as you’d like them to be. These are completely different. A quick glance at the packaging and you’ll see why: the brand will certainly stand out on the shelves, and I love the clear window on the larger packs that allows you to see the product before buying.
The Great Taste Award logo on the packaging of the Cheddar Cheese Straws also bodes well, as does the list of ingredients: the Cheddar Cheese variety include only flour, Cheddar, butter, water, baking powder and salt. Impressive indeed.
In addition to the 175g boxes of the longer straws, nibnibs also offer 65g tins of “mininibs”: bite-sized versions of their cheese straws, which are ideal for taking to work or snacking on the go.
Enough about the packaging…how do they taste? The answer is simple: bloody amazing. Each straw – both large and small – is incredibly buttery and delicious, with a great crunch. Each of the three varieties that I was sent (Cheddar Cheese, Cheddar and Cheeky Onion, and Cheddar and Spicy Chilli) was fantastically cheesy – something that lets other cheese straws down. The onion flavour in the Cheddar and Onion variety was fairly subtle and not overpowering, while the Spicy Chilli variety were fantastic: the Cheddar flavour coming through initially, followed by a kick of chilli at the end. They really are ridiculously moreish…so while one of the recommendations of the nibnibs team is to serve them as a pre-dinner snack, be warned not to put too many out, or appetites will be spoiled!
Great for parties, hampers, picnics or just as a cheeky nibble when you’re peckish, nibnibs are available from a range of stockists across the country (map here). In the Bristol area, it’s currently just Frome Valley Farm Shop in Frampton Cotterell where they’re sold, but I’m really hoping that their distribution in the South West increases!
You can also buy nibnibs snacks online from the AGA Foodhall, where the large boxes are priced at £3.15, and the smaller tubs at £1.79 each.
And that’s where members of the public come in. Until now, nibnibs have only been working with one full-time employee, but want to grow. In order to grow, they need to scale up in a big way – which involves the need for further pastry processing equipment, as well as money for a marketing campaign. They’re actually running a crowdfunding campaign via CrowdCube, aiming to raise the funds needed to expand. With 31% of their target reached at the time of writing, there’s still a little way to go – head over and take a look at their CrowdCube campaign by clicking here.
“Where do you nibble yours?”, reads the nibnibs strapline. In my case, there’s no definitive answer. While I’m working, watching television, preparing dinner…they’re a versatile snack that I’m hoping to see stocked locally in the near future.
Please note: these products were received free of charge, but in no way impacted on our opinion. We were not obliged to write a positive review, and the company did not see this review before it was put up on the site.