Gregg Wallace follows 27 tonnes of potatoes from a farm in Hampshire through the largest crisp factory on earth, as they are peeled, sliced and fried to make more than five million packets of crisps every 24 hours. Once the crisps are flavoured, they are put into bags in one of the craziest rooms Gregg has ever seen, with over 100 machines that can fill hundreds of thousands of bags every hour. Greg discovers how each bag is filled with nitrogen to keep the crisps from going stale and how they are distributed all over the UK - and even as far as the Costa del Sol to satisfy the local expats. Meanwhile, Cherry Healey discovers the secrets of perfect crisp potatoes which are special varieties grown exclusively to make crisps, as well the surprising ways that our brain can be tricked into thinking a crisp is much crunchier than it really is. She also finds out how more than a third of savoury snacks consumed in the UK are made from corn and follows the production of Monster Munch, where the factory transforms 96 tonnes of corn into 12 million monster feet every single day. And historian Ruth Goodman investigates who really invented the crisp - was it the Americans, as is often cited, or the British? Ruth cooks up the earliest known recipe for crisps to uncover the truth. She also discovers how crisp wars between crisp manufacturers erupted in the 1960s and how in the 1980s, they tried to woo customers with strange innovations such as hedgehog crisps. Their determination fuelled our demand and today we get through over a half a billion crisps every 24 hours.
Gregg Wallace investigates Europe's largest biscuit factory in London, while Cherry Healey looks into the chocolate added to the beloved digestive. Plus, Ruth Goodman examines the link between biscuits and digestion.
Gregg Wallace investigates the production of sauces in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Cherry Healey lends a hand with making the glass jars needed for mayonnaise, and Ruth Goodman discovers how Brits first fell in love with mayo in the 1960s.
Gregg Wallace is in Derbyshire at an enormous cherry bakewell factory, where they produce 250,000 of the little tarts a day.
Gregg Wallace is in South Shields at a clothing factory where they produce 650 waxed jackets a day.
Gregg Wallace is in France at an enormous croissant factory where they produce 336,000 flaky pastries a day.
Gregg Wallace is in Leeds at an enormous mattress factory that produces 600 bouncy beds every day. Meanwhile, Cherry Healey learns whether there are benefits to be had from taking an afternoon nap.
Gregg Wallace is at a coffee factory where they produce 175,000 jars of instant coffee every day. He follows the production of freeze fried instant coffee, from the arrival of 27 tonnes of Brazilian green coffee beans right through to dispatch.
Gregg Wallace explores the Manchester factory that produces 700,000 toilet rolls a day. He begins with 940 miles away in Sweden where the raw materials, wood, is harvested from a sustainable forest of one billion spruce trees.
Gregg Wallace explores the North Yorkshire factory that produces 625,000 sausages a day. Meanwhile Cherry Healey is at the University of Chester getting the scientific lowdown on getting the best from your banger. Ruth Goodman is investigates how a German bratwurst became top dog.