We tested Walkers unexpected new crisp flavour – and it divided opinion

The crisp giant has unveiled a new look and flavour for 2026

The flavour stirred up debate in our office (Walkers)

It’s safe to say that the hot honey flavour has made waves in the food industry. Arguably the new Marmite, we either hate it or can’t get enough. Whether it be jars of the sweet and spicy condiment on supermarket shelves, its addition to brunch menus or drizzled on pizza – it's here to stay.

Now, the crisp giant Walkers is getting in on the action with the release of a hot honey crisp flavour, which hit shelves on 12 January. It’s available in a 6-pack for £2.15 from all major supermarkets.

Hot honey is made by blending sweet honey with spicy ingredients like crushed red chilli flakes or hot sauce. The IndyBest team were among the first to test the flavour, and it’s safe to say the reaction was mixed.

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As you can see from our test, we weren’t majorly impressed by the new flavour. While it has a nice punch of spice, we found the sweet taste overpowering and wanted more of the salty seasoning. However, for those who are big fans of hot honey that’s not overly powerful, I can imagine these would be moreish.

The new flavour is part of Walkers’s re-branding, which includes changes to the packaging and range.

Packets rolled out a new sun-inspired logo and now feature founder Henry Walker’s signature, alongside a shake-up of the brand’s range. From mid-February, the 45 per cent less salt selection will be renamed Walkers Lightly, while Walkers Baked became Oven Baked in December. The Walkers Oven Baked Range includes two new flavours, too: slow roasted beef and sun dried tomato & basil, which were announced earlier this month.

The hot honey pack joins Walkers’s new ‘inspired by flavours of the world’ series which already encompasses masala chicken and sticky teriyaki.

To celebrate all things potatoes, Walkers is also offering more than 500,000 prizes as part of its ‘Golden Potato’ promotion which kicks off today (26 January).

The hunt invites snackers to find a ticket featuring a golden potato inside Walkers ready salted, cheese & onion, and variety multipacks containing ready salted or cheese & onion flavours. If you find a golden potato ticket, you could win one of five £10,000 cash prizes, while if you chance on a gold pack, it secures you an e-voucher worth £1.10 that you can use to try the new flavour (valid until 24 May 2026).

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