Industry | Potato crisps |
---|---|
Founded | 25 May 1954 |
Founder | Joe Murphy |
Headquarters | , |
Area served | Ireland |
Owner | Intersnack |
Website | taytocrisps |
Tayto Snacks is a crisp and popcorn manufacturer in Ireland, founded by Joe Murphy in May 1954[1][2] and owned by German snack food company Intersnack.[3] It owns several brands, including its leading product of Tayto Crisps for which it invented the first flavoured crisp production process.[4] The first seasoned crisps produced were Cheese & Onion.[5][6] Companies worldwide sought to buy the rights to Tayto's technique.[7] Tayto crisps are a cultural phenomenon throughout Ireland,[8] so much so that in November 2010, Tayto opened their own theme park called "Tayto Park" near Ashbourne.[9]
The company is entirely separate from Tayto Group Limited in Northern Ireland, which has a similar product range. Tayto in the Republic of Ireland owns the name and mascot, and Tayto in Northern Ireland uses both under a licensing agreement. The Northern Irish Tayto is widely sold in both Northern Ireland and Great Britain, while the Republic of Ireland brand is sold in the Republic.