Golden Wonder

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Golden Wonder
Company typeSnack manufacturer
IndustrySnack Products
Founded1947, in Stoneyburn, near Edinburgh, Scotland
FounderWilliam Alexander
Headquarters North Lincolnshire, England
ProductsGolden Wonder, Transform-A-Snack, Ringos
Owner Tayto
Number of employees
Increase2.svg 800 (2012)
Website Golden Wonder

Golden Wonder is a British company that manufactures snack foods, most notably crisps. These include Ringos, Golden Wonder and Transform-A-Snack. Since 2006, it has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the Northern Irish company Tayto, purchased from administration.

Contents

Founded in 1947, by the 1960s Golden Wonder was the most popular crisp brand in Britain, overtaking Smiths. [1] They were overtaken by Walkers who are the No.1 crisp brand in the UK. [1]

History

The company was founded in 1947 by William Alexander, who owned a bakery in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. He started making crisps in order to use spare capacity in the deep-fat fryers which he normally used to make doughnuts. The company was named after the Golden Wonder potato, which Alexander believed to be the best for making crisps. [2]

In 1952, the company moved to a purpose-built factory in Sighthill. The company was bought by Imperial Tobacco in 1961. [3] By early 1960s, it was manufacturing crisps at three further sites, at Broxburn, Widnes and Corby. [2] A site at Crumlin produced the "Pot Noodle". [4]

The company was acquired by United Kingdom based Dalgety plc in March 1987 as part of owned by Imperial Tobacco's breakup by new owner Hanson plc. [5] A fire at the Corby site in 1988 destroyed many historical documents and photographs of the company. [4] In February 1992 Sooner Snacks, manufacturer of Nik Naks and Wheat Crunchies, was bought from Borden Inc. by Dalgety plc, with the company being absorbed into Golden Wonder. [6] [7]

In 1995 Golden Wonder underwent a management buyout costing £54.6 million. In 2000 Bridgepoint Capital acquired the company for £156 million. [8] In January 2006 the company was bought by Tayto, [9] a company based in Tandragee, County Armagh.

Its notable brands have included "Wotsits", "Ringos", "Jungle Fresh" peanuts and Pot Noodle, which ceased to carry Golden Wonder branding after the brand (but not the manufacturing business itself) was sold to Unilever. In July 1995 Best Foods paid Dalgety plc about $280 million for its Golden Wonder Pot Noodle instant hot snacks manufacturing business. [10] [5] Following the purchase by Tayto in 2006, the Nik Naks and Wheat Crunchies brands were sold to United Biscuits. [9] In 2022, they reached their 75th anniversary, one of the oldest crisp brands in Scotland.

Products

Golden Wonder launched the cheese & onion crisp flavour in 1962. [11] Their first flavoured crisp, the concept was first devised by Tayto in Ireland in 1953.

In the 1970s Golden Wonder produced a line of shell-shaped crisps called Rock 'n' Roller Crisps, named after that decade's rock and roll revival. They were available in salt & vinegar, cheese & onion and crispy bacon flavours. Golden Wonder ceased to make them in the 1980s. [12] [13]

In the 1980s Golden Wonder claimed on television and on their packets to be Britain's Noisiest Crisp. In the following decade a popular series of television adverts with adult actors indulging in childish antics carried another famous slogan: You'll never grow old in Golden Wonderland!.[ citation needed ]

In 2009 the Golden Wonder brand started to be used by Symingtons Ltd, under licence, for the production of The Nation's Noodle and The Nation's Pasta. The new range of instant noodles is similar to the Pot Noodle range, previously produced by Golden Wonder. Golden Wonder branding now features on snacks previously marketed by Red Mill, another snack manufacturer taken over by Tayto.[ citation needed ]

Golden Wonder now produces a number of different flavours of potato crisp; it is also the current owner of the XL Crisp brand. Golden Wonder was the former owner of the Wotsits brand, but when the company changed hands in May 2002 it was sold off separately to rival brand Walkers. [14] Previous snacks Wheat Crunchies, Chips & Burgers and the corn based Nik Naks are now owned by KP. [15]

Administration

Golden Wonder entered into administration on 9 January 2006, threatening about 800 jobs. [16] On 13 January 2006 it was announced that the Corby, Northamptonshire site and the contract for Mini Pringles, as produced by Golden Wonder, would transfer to Northern Irish crisp manufacturer Tayto. [9]

The announcement brought the news that 195 of 350 jobs would be saved initially. [9] On 20 January 2006 it was announced that Tayto was to buy all Golden Wonder's operations in the United Kingdom including the Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire site, although it would sell the Wheat Crunchies and Nik Naks brands to United Biscuits. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Potato chip</span> Deep-fried or baked thin slice of potato

A potato chip or crisp is a thin slice of potato that has been deep fried, baked, or air fried until crunchy. They are commonly served as a snack, side dish, or appetizer. The basic chips are cooked and salted; additional varieties are manufactured using various flavorings and ingredients including herbs, spices, cheeses, other natural flavors, artificial flavors, and additives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twiglets</span> British snack brand shaped like twigs

Twiglets are a wheat-based snack marketed in the United Kingdom that have a "distinctive knobbly shape" similar to that of twigs and a speckled-brown-over-pale-colour appearance. The taste of Twiglets, which has been compared to that of Marmite, primarily derives from the yeast extract used in the coating. Twiglets are packaged in 24 g, 45 g, 105 g, 150 g bags, and in 200 g cylindrical containers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pot Noodle</span> Brand of instant noodle snack foods

Pot Noodle is a brand of instant noodle snack foods from the United Kingdom, available in a selection of flavours and varieties. This dehydrated food consists of noodles, assorted dried vegetables and flavouring powder. It is prepared by adding boiling water, which rapidly softens the noodles and dissolves the powdered sauce.

Tayto Snacks is a crisps and popcorn manufacturer in Ireland, founded by Joe Murphy in May 1954 and owned by German snack food company Intersnack. It owns several brands, including its leading product of Tayto Crisps for which it invented the first flavoured crisp production process. The first seasoned crisps produced were Cheese & Onion. Companies worldwide sought to buy the rights to Tayto's technique. Tayto crisps are a cultural phenomenon throughout Ireland, so much so that in November 2010, Tayto opened their own theme park called "Tayto Park" near Ashbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wotsits</span> British snack food

Wotsits are a popular British brand of cheese-flavoured corn puffs produced by Walkers, a subsidiary of PepsiCo. Known for their light, airy texture and distinctive orange hue, Wotsits are a beloved snack in the UK. Originally launched by Golden Wonder in the 1970s, Wotsits have become a staple in British snack culture. The snack is primarily known for its cheese variant, although other flavors have been introduced over the years. Wotsits are often compared to other puffed corn snacks globally, such as Cheetos in the United States, but are distinguished by their unique texture and flavor profile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Smith's Snackfood Company</span> Snack food manufacturing company

The Smith's Snackfood Company is a British-Australian snack food brand owned by the American multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation PepsiCo. It is best known for its brand of potato crisps. The company was founded by Frank Smith and Jim Viney in the United Kingdom in 1920 as Smith's Potato Crisps Ltd, originally packaging a twist of salt with its crisps in greaseproof paper bags which were sold around London. The dominant brand in the UK until the 1960s when Golden Wonder took over with Cheese & Onion, Smith's countered by creating Salt & Vinegar flavour which was launched nationally in 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tayto (Northern Ireland)</span> Manufacturer of crisps and corn snacks

Tayto Group Limited is a manufacturer of crisps and corn snacks based in Tandragee, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. They describe themselves as the third largest snack manufacturer in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skips (snack)</span> Snack from the United Kingdom and Ireland

Skips are a snack from the United Kingdom and Ireland which were first launched in 1974 in prawn cocktail flavour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monster Munch</span> Baked corn snack

Monster Munch are a British baked corn snack created by Smiths in 1977 and manufactured by Walkers. They are aimed at children and widely consumed in the United Kingdom. Flavours include Roast Beef, Pickled Onion and Sweet and Spicy Flamin' Hot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nik Naks (British snack)</span> Type of extruded corn snack

Nik Naks are a type of extruded corn snack previously manufactured by Sooner Foods in Scunthorpe, England. The snack was introduced as Crunchy Wotsits, with a cheese flavour, in 1981. The brand was purchased by Golden Wonder in 1987 and then sold to United Biscuits in 2006. In December 2012, United Biscuits agreed to sell the KP Snacks brand, including Nik Naks, to the European Intersnack Group. As of 2021, Nik Naks are made in three flavours with different colour packaging for each.

KP Snacks Limited is a British producer of branded and own-label maize-, potato-, and nut-based snacks, "Choc Dips" and nuts. The KP stands for “Kenyon Produce”. The company is based in Slough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Space Raiders (snack food)</span> Brand of snack food

Space Raiders are a British brand of corn and wheat snacks made by KP Snacks. Introduced in 1987, the alien shaped snacks are currently available in Beef, Pickled Onion, Saucy BBQ and Spicy flavours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnott's Group</span> Australian snack food manufacturer

Arnott's Group is an Australian producer of biscuits and snack food. Founded in 1865 by William Arnott, they are the largest producer of biscuits in Australia and a subsidiary of KKR.

Tudor Crisps was a brand of potato crisps produced by Tudor Food Products. The business was started in Sunderland during 1947, and it supplied crisps to the North East of England and Scotland regions, claiming two thirds of the market in these regions. The company was purchased by Smiths Crisps in 1960. The brand continued under the ownership of Smith's by General Mills, Associated Biscuits and Nabisco, but was ended after PepsiCo purchased Smith's in 1989, and concentrated on the Walkers brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walkers (snack foods)</span> British snack food manufacturer

Walkers Snack Foods Limited, trading as Walkers, is a British snack food manufacturer mainly operating in the UK and Ireland. The company is best known for manufacturing potato crisps and other snack foods. In 2013, it held 56% of the British crisp market. Walkers was founded in 1948 in Leicester, England, by Henry Walker. The Walkers family sold the business in 1970 to American food producer, Standard Brands. In 1989, Walkers was acquired by PepsiCo, owners of US snack brand Frito-Lay.

Wheat Crunchies are a crisp wheat snack produced under the British snack producer KP Snacks Ltd. They come in several flavours including Spicy Tomato, Crispy Bacon and Cheddar & Onion. A regular multipack bag contains 20g and a normal retail pack contains 30g.

Real Crisps is a crisp brand. The company was founded in 1997, and expanded over the following decade to become a business turning over £15 million a year. In 2007, it was purchased by the Northern Ireland-based crisp manufacturer Tayto. In 2012, a fire caused the destruction of the 65,000 square feet (6,000 m2) Real Crisp factory in Crumlin, Caerphilly. There are a range of flavours produced, and the company ran a limited edition political themed range prior to the 2010 United Kingdom general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NikNaks (South African snack)</span> South African snack brand

NikNaks, also known as "amaNikNaks," is the brand name for a popular brand of South African Cheese puffs manufactured by the Simba Chips company since 1972. Originally only coming in a "Cheese" flavour. It is normally sold in 55 gram and 135 gram bags, and is primarily made from maize, vegetable oil, salt and cheese.

References

  1. 1 2 "Fat profits: Crunch time for crisps". BBC. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  2. 1 2 Brown, Angie (21 October 2022). "My grandpa founded Golden Wonder but I never saw him eat crisps". BBC News. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  3. ↑ "From big cheese to burnt crisp". The Guardian. 9 January 2006. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  4. 1 2 "My grandpa founded Golden Wonder but I never saw him eat crisps". BBC News. 21 October 2022. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  5. 1 2 City, Our (28 May 2002). "Walkers buys Wotsits in Golden Wonder sale". The Independent . London.[ dead link ]
  6. ↑ "News in brief | Dalgety eats Sooner" . The Guardian. London, England. 8 February 1992. p. 10. Retrieved 5 August 2020– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Bond, Matthew (15 September 1992). "Snacks add weight to Dalgety's results" . The Times. No. 64438. p. 17. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2020– via The Times Digital Archive.
  8. ↑ Cassy, John; Treanor, Jill (29 July 2000). "Golden Wonder is £156m morsel" . The Guardian. London, England. p. 22. Retrieved 5 August 2020– via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tayto buys Golden Wonder Crisps". BBC News. 20 January 2006. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  10. ↑ "Bestfoods -- Company History". fundinguniverse.com. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
  11. ↑ Harrison, Ian (2003). The Book of Firsts. London: Cassell. p.  45. ISBN   1-84403-201-9.
  12. ↑ "UK television adverts 1955-1985". Headington.org.uk. Archived from the original on 5 September 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  13. ↑ "in the 70s, Food of the Seventies, Rock'n'rollers". Inthe70s.com. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  14. ↑ "Golden Wonder sold". theargus.co.uk. 28 May 2002. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2006.
  15. ↑ "United Biscuits - Suitable for Vegetarians (List of United Biscuits / KP Brands suitable for vegetarians)". unitedbiscuits.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2008. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
  16. ↑ "Golden Wonder in administration". BBC News. 9 January 2006. Archived from the original on 23 March 2006. Retrieved 9 January 2006.
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