A method of manufacturing a starch-based snack food pellet for manufacturing an expanded snack food, the method comprising the steps of: feeding a first starch ingredient into a cooking device; inputting mechanical and thermal energy into the cooking device so as to cook and gelatinise the first starch ingredient in the cooking device, thereby to provide a processed starch component; adding a potato starch ingredient comprising native potato starch to the processed starch component to provide a starch mixture; and forming the starch mixture into pellets by extrusion. Also disclosed is a starch-based snack food pellet for manufacturing an expanded snack food.