Here is a list of some of the crisp brands and producers that were formed in the UK and Ireland in those early years:

In 1980, Largo Food’s CEO, Raymond Coyle, was supplying Tayto with potatoes which he grew on his family farm just outside Ashbourne, Co Meath. Today, he owns the company!

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Tassy Goodall, a chef who works with Sainsbury’s to develop its Taste the Difference crisps, says that the UK crisp market has been influenced by global food trends. “Because the UK is so multicultural and we’re quite well connected with different cultures through restaurants specialising in different cuisines like Middle Eastern food and regional Indian dishes, it gives us more leeway to use more unusual or interesting flavours.” However, flavoured powders were likely the most significant breakthrough in the crisp sector. These powders, which are manufactured from a combination of natural and artificial flavours, are sprinkled onto crisps during the manufacturing process to provide a blast of flavour with each mouthful. Some of the most popular flavouring powders in the UK are Worcestershire sauce, sour cream and chive, and beef and onion. Walkers Crisps, which would go on to become the UK's biggest crisp brand, is founded by Henry Walker in Leicester. Climate change is going to change agricultural production: people will eat less meat, there will be finite availability of certain kinds of produce, or at least a higher cost to pay,” she says. “But I think, because flavour is potent in very small quantities, it’s one of the things you’ll be able to expand.” As our food options shrink, Berenstein argues, artificial flavourings could become more prevalent as we look to mix up our limited diets.

These are just a few of the many crisp companies that have grown up in the United Kingdom and Ireland throughout the years. Each had an own flavour, trademark, and tale to tell. Crisps. For good reason, they are among the most beloved treats on the planet. Nothing beats the delightful crunch of a perfectly cooked crisp or the taste explosion that comes with each bite. But where did these tasty morsels come from? Who were the creative minds behind them as well? Explore the fascinating history of crisps to find out!So, as we continue to enjoy our favourite crisp flavours, consider the influence our eating habits have on the world around us. Let us also recognise the several crisp companies that have offered us so much joy throughout the years. Hovey works on roughly 12 new flavours at any one time, but he says only half of these see the light of day. “I spend a lot of time working in the future. It takes me eight months to make a seasoning, so I’m trying to make something that’s going to be bang on trend in eight months’ time.” Sometimes this means the chef misses the mark – his team have been known to cry: “What are you making?!” – while other flavours make it to taste-testing groups that ultimately disapprove.