Proper Snacks and KFC have teamed up to launch chicken-flavoured popcorn, and it’s just landed in UK supermarkets today.
If you cast your minds all the way back to… yesterday, you’ll recall that Heinz launched bags of hash browns filled with tomato ketchup exclusively at Iceland stores, and they’re already sounding sure to be a go-to snack for those lazy Sunday mornings – and now we’ve just heard that KFC and Proper Snacks have joined forces for another obscure delicacy.
Or can it even be considered that obscure? After all, everyone’s familiar with the KFC menu staple that is Popcorn Chicken, so is it really that hard to wrap your head around chicken-flavoured popcorn?
Unsurprisingly, KFC and Proper Snacks’ newest creation is actually inspired by Popcorn Chicken.
Image: KFC x Proper Snacks
Apparently meant to taste just like fried chicken, with the flavour of the fast food chain’s iconic 11 Herbs and Spices coated all over, but still gluten free and suitable for vegans to tuck into too, the new KFC Proper Corn is said to “push the boundaries of taste and texture”, and is stocked on supermarket shelves for a limited time only.
Exclusively launching in Co-op stores right across the UK from today (23 August), before hitting all other major supermarkets in the coming weeks, bags of the new chicken-flavoured popcorn come in two sizes – 20g and 70g – and will either set you back £1 or £1.80, depending on the size you go for.
KFC and Proper Snacks have called the collaboration “a huge moment” for both brands.
Image: KFC
“Our take on the finger-lickin’ classic brings a little extra seasoning to your go-to snack,” claimed Proper Snacks’ founder Cassandra Stavrou on the launch of the new product.
KFC’s innovation director, Kate Wall, added that the fast food chain prides itself on “doing the unexpected”, adding that the partnership with Proper Snacks is about “combining two iconic products” so that people can “enjoy our distinctive taste in new ways”.
“This collaboration pushes the boundaries of taste and texture in a fun and exciting way, and we can’t wait for our fans to try it,” Kate concluded.
KFC x Proper Popcorn Chicken Popcorn is available at the Co-op now.
Food critic Camilla Long visited Leeds for her latest review for The Times with her sights set on Horsforth's finest - Bavette Bistro.
Ever since opening back in 2024, Bavette Bistro nestled in the leafy suburb of Horsforth has made waves across the country for its sheer brilliance.
It's pretty much received five star reviews across the board and been handed awards from left, right and centre. And rightly so.
The Good Food Guide crowned Bavette the best local restaurant of 2024, and Michelin handed them a well deserved Bib Gourmand - so it's safe to say it's not just us who think it's really something special.
So it was only a matter of time until The Times popped in for a review, and this one is truly glowing.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The review labels Bavette as "warm, unmannered and unpretentious" as well as "authentically French".
Long describes the food as "gorgeous, confident, surprising" with a menu that "isn’t too long" and "filled with sturdy, noble dishes, whiffing mightily of the sea and the soil."
It continues: "All of it made with generosity and cheer, served fast by nimble waiters, with a long, if slightly eccentric, wine list. To bang out French dishes with this much fiddly detail and to do it to a full room is not easy. Yet all four courses came in under two hours, for about £75 a head, which in London terms is nothing.
"It’s not that this place was perfect, it’s that it was decidedly not perfect. A bit too much chat about the menus; the oeufs in the meurette not quite runny enough. But the point is: it didn’t matter. All of it came charmingly together. It felt relaxed, just right."
The review is then wrapped up with a pleasing five stars, the cherry on top of the cake.
It's a review only restaurants can dream of, and we can't think of a more deserving team - congratulations Bavette.
Team behind Headrow House and Belgrave to take over and reopen Woodside just one year after opening
Clementine Hall
The foodie-favourite restaurant and bar is now under new management.
The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that Woodside has sadly been closed for a few months.
We certainly have, and ever since December we've had a Woodside Sunday roast-shaped hole in our hearts that's been gasping for one of their glorious Marmite glazed parsnips.
But luckily, it has now been confirmed that Woodside isn't going anywhere as Superfriendz, the team behind Headrow House, Belgrave and many other top Leeds spots will be taking over. Hallelujah.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Woodside opened at the end of 2024 from the owners of The Brunswick and The Melbourne.
Labelling itself as a 'neighbourhood eatery and bar', Woodside quickly became a favourite amongst Leeds foodies and was known for its smoked meats, great cocktails and stellar Sunday roasts (do I need to talk about the parsnips again).
The menu was fresh and innovative, with oysters topped with kiwi granita and an incredibly garish banana split standing out as highlights.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We hope that the new management continues to maintain Woodside's brilliance, but mainly we're just so glad that it's sticking around.
Superfriendz take care of a whole host of spots in the city, including proper Leeds favourites Headrow House, Belgrave Music Hall and Waterlane Boathouse.
Announcing the news to Instagram, Woodside said: "After a longer-than-expected winter break, Woodside is back and will reopen on Thursday 19th March!
"Your favourite neighbourhood bar and eatery returns with the same warm welcome, but an all new management team.
"We can’t wait to see you so keep your eyes on our socials for news on great food and drinks, big screen sports, quizzes and more.
"We’d also like to thank Sam and the original team for all the hard work that went into setting-up the venue. We hope we can do it justice."
Emily Sergeant -
23rd August 2023 
