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Walkers
Company typeSubsidiary of PepsiCo[1]
IndustrieSnacks
Gegründet1880s
HauptsitzLeicester, England, UK
ProdukteSee below
A pack of Walkers "Salt and Vinegar" crisps

Walkers is a British snack food manufacturer operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland and to a lesser extent on the European continent. They are best known for manufacturing crisps, and other non-potato based snack foods. They hold 47 per cent of the British crisp market.[2] The Walkers site in Leicester is one of the largest crisp production plants in the world, producing over 11 million bags of crisps per day and using about 800t of potatoes. The 3 main flavours of walkers crisps are ready salted, barbecue ribs and salt and vinegar[2]

History

In the 1880s Henry Walker moved from Mansfield to Leicester to take over an established butcher's shop in the high street. Meat rationing after World War II saw the factory output drop dramatically and the company looked at alternatives to make use of the wasted capacity. With potato crisps being increasingly popular with the public, managing director R.E. Gerrard helped the company shift focus and began hand-slicing and frying potatoes.

Present day

Walkers is now owned by PepsiCo with the current logo as a derivative of the North American Lay's logo, and the company is still a significant presence in Leicester. Gary Lineker, formerly a Leicester City footballer, is now the face of the company, featuring in most of their advertising campaigns. The official website states that an estimated "11 million people will eat a Walkers product every day". The company employs over 4,000 people in fifteen locations.[citation needed]

In February 2006, Walkers changed their brand label and typeset. They also announced they were to reduce the saturated fat in their crisps by 70%.[3] They started frying their crisps in SunSeed oil, a variety of sunflower oil, claiming the oil's higher monounsaturated fat content made it healthier than the sunflower oil which they used previously.[4] They once again changed their packaging style in June 2007, rather similar to the logo used from 1998–2006.

Many of Walkers brands were formerly branded under the Smiths Crisps name. This comes from the time when Walkers, Smiths and Tudor Crisps were the three main brands of Nabisco's UK snack division with Tudor being marketed mainly in the north of England and Walkers in the south. After the takeover by Pepsico the Tudor name was dropped and the Smiths brand has gradually been phased out in favour of Walkers. The only products currently retaining the Smiths brand are Salt & Vinegar and Ready Salted Chipsticks, Frazzles and the "Savoury Selection", which includes Bacon Flavour Fries, Scampi Flavour Fries and Cheese Flavoured Moments.

File:Do-us-a-flavour.JPG
The six finalists of the "Do Us A Flavour" campaign

In 1997, Walkers became the brand name of the Quavers and Monster Munch snacks. In August 2000 Walkers launched Max, a brand with a range of crisps. More Max flavours were introduced in 2001. In the same year Walkers bought Squares, a range of snacks from Smiths.

In 2002 Walkers bought Wotsits from Golden Wonder. In May 2002 Walkers launched Sensations, a range of crisps in the UK. Walkers introduced the Quavers flavours Salt & Vinegar and Prawn Cocktail in July 2002.

In 2003, Walkers bought Salt & Shake, Scampi Fries and Bacon Fries from Smiths. In 2005 Walkers launched Wotsits Twisted, a range of cheese puffs in the UK. Nutrition information has appeared on the front of Walkers crisps packets since 2006.

In 2007, Walkers launched Sunbites, a range of crisps made using wholegrains.[5]

In July 2008, Walkers launched its "Do Us A Flavour" campaign, challenging members of the public to think up a unique flavour of crisp. In January 2009 six flavours were picked and released as special editions, available until May 2009. During this period, consumers could vote on their favourite and the winner would become a permanent flavour.[6] The winner of the competition was Builder's Breakfast by Emma Rushin from Belper in Derbyshire. This flavour was itself discontinued a year later in May 2010 in order for Walkers to focus on the upcoming 'Flavour Cup'.

In summer 2009 Walkers launched its premium Red Sky brand of "all natural" potato crisps and snacks.[7]

In April 2010 the company launched a promotional campaign entitled the 'Walkers Flavour Cup' to find the world's favourite flavour.[8] The flavour with the most fans at the end of the tournament would be declared the winner. Walkers encouraged people to engage in social media activity and upload photos and videos to their website proving people's Superfan status of Walkers Crisps. The best fan from each of the 15 flavours won £10,000.[9] In the end, English Roast Beef & Yorkshire Pudding won the flavour cup.

For the 2011 Comic Relief, four celebrities; Jimmy Carr, Stephen Fry, Al Murray and Frank Skinner each represented four new flavours and the three whose crisps sell the least amount would be waxed by Denise Van Outen on the 18 March 2011 on Red Nose Day (see below).[10]

Product lines

Current flavours

  • BBQ Rib (Black)
  • Cheese & Onion (Blue)
  • Pickled Onion (Yellow)
  • Prawn Cocktail (Pink)
  • Ready Salted (Red)
  • Roast Chicken (Orange)
  • Salt & Vinegar (Green)
  • Smoky Bacon (Dark Red)
  • Steak & Onion (Brown)
  • Tomato Ketchup (Dark Brown and Dark Green - originally branded as Heinz Tomato Ketchup flavour)
  • Worcester Sauce (Purple)
  • Turkey & Stuffing (Dark Green)
  • Spicy (Peach)
  • Cheddar Cheese & Bacon (Dark Yellow)
  • Sour Cream & Chive (Cream)

Former flavours

The following flavours were available for a short time either because they tied in with special promotions, or failed to meet sales expectations:

  • Baked Bean (Orange) Comic relief 2003 limited edition
  • Baked Ham & Mustard (Orange)[11]
  • Barbecue (Black, renamed BBQ Rib)
  • Cheese & Branston Pickle (Dark Green)
  • Cheese & Chive (Green & Yellow)
  • Chicken Tikka (Brown)
  • Ham & Mustard (Dark Pink)
  • Jamaican Jerk Chicken (Light Green)
  • Lamb Curry (Dark Yellow)
  • Lamb & Mint Sauce (Dark Green)[11]
  • Marmite (Yellow/Black)
  • Ploughmans (Light and Dark Green)
  • Roast Gammon (Pink and Black)
  • Roast Turkey & Stuffing (Dull Green & Snowflakes) Christmas edition
  • Roast Turkey with Paxo Sage & Onion Stuffing (Dark Purple) Christmas edition
  • Sausage & Heinz Tomato Ketchup (White)
  • Spicy Chilli (Dark Purple)
  • Spicy Mango Chutney (Yellow)
  • Spring Onion (Light Green)
  • Toasted Cheese (Yellow)

For the 2010 FIFA World Cup:

  • American Cheeseburger
  • Argentinean Flame Grilled Steak
  • Australian BBQ Kangaroo
  • Brazilian Salsa
  • Dutch Edam Cheese
  • English Roast Beef & Yorkshire Pudding
  • French Garlic Baguette
  • German Bratwurst Sausage
  • Irish Stew
  • Italian Spaghetti Bolognese
  • Japanese Teriyaki Chicken
  • Scottish Haggis
  • South African Sweet Chutney
  • Spanish Chicken Paella
  • Welsh Rarebit

For Red Nose Day 2011:

Mystery Flavours 2012:[12]

  • Sour Cream & Spring Onion (Mystery Flavour A)
  • Lincolnshire Sausage & Brown Sauce (Mystery Flavour B)
  • Birmingham Chicken Balti (Mystery Flavour C)

Others

Variations

These are all the different variations of Walkers:

  • Baked
    • Cheese & Onion
    • Ready Salted
    • Salt & Vinegar
    • Sour Cream & Chive
    • Bacon & Cheddar
    • Mango Chilli
  • Cheese Heads (Similar to Potato Heads)
    • Cheese
    • Cheese and Onion
  • Crinkles
    • Cheddar and Onion
    • Simply Sea Salt
    • Salt and Malt Vinegar
    • Sweet Chilli
  • Extra Crunchy (150g bags, launched in 2010)[13]
    • Cheddar and Sour Cream
    • Flame Grilled Steak
    • Salt and Malt Vinegar
    • Simply Salted
    • Sweet Chilli Chicken
  • Lights (formerly Lites) (Low fat)
    • Cheese and Onion
    • Simply Salted (Ready Salted)
    • Sour Cream and Chive
  • Max
    • Cheese and Onion
    • Cheese Burger
    • Chargrilled Steak
    • Paprika
    • Chip Shop Curry (no longer in stores)
    • Salt & Vinegar (no longer in stores)
  • Potato Heads (Discontinued in 2008)[14]
    • Prawn Cocktail
    • Cheese and Onion
    • Ready Salted
    • Roasted Chicken
    • Salt and Vinegar
  • Salt 'n' Shake
    • Original
  • Sensations
From launch the flavours changed in 2006 and again in 2009. Current flavours are:[15]
  • Thai Sweet Chilli
  • Roasted Chicken & Thyme
  • Roasted Tomato & Aromatic Spices (Launched 2010)
  • Vintage Cheddar & Onion Chutney
  • Caramelised Onion & Balsamic Vinegar
  • Southern Style Barbecue
  • Buffalo Mozzarella & Herbs
  • Oriental Red Curry
  • Smoked Monterrey Chilli with Goats Cheese
  • Mexican Fiery Sweet Chipotle (Launched 2011)
  • Poppadoms - Lime & Coriander Chutney
  • Oriental Crackers - Peking Spare Rib
2006 re-branded flavours:
  • Gently Infused Lime & Thai Spices
  • Chicken with Italian Spices
  • Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemon & Thyme
  • Sea Salt
  • Vintage Cheese & Onion Chutney
  • Thai Sweet Chilli
  • Balsamic Vinegar and Caramelised Onion
  • Sensations Poppadoms
  • Sensations Oriental Crackers
  • Sensations Corn Chips
Original launch flavours:
  • Chargrilled Steak & Pepper Sauce
  • Four Cheese and Onion
  • Oven Roast Chicken & Thyme
  • Roast Lamb & Mint Sauce
  • Roasted Onion & Balsamic Vinegar
  • Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper
  • Thai Sweet Chilli
  • Sensations Oriental Crackers
  • Sensations Poppadom Bites
  • Sunbites (Wholegrain Crispy Snacks)
    • (Sun Ripened) Sweet Chilli
    • Cheddar (and Caramalised Onion)
    • Sour Cream (and Cracked Black Pepper)
    • (Oven Roasted) Onion and Rosemary
    • (Lightly) Sea Salted

Pack sizes

The common pack sizes are:

  • 32.5g (formerly 34.5g) Standard Bags (Crisps)
  • 32g Standard Bags (Crinkles)
  • 25g (formerly 27.5g) "Multipack" Bags
  • 28g Crinkles "Multipack" Bags
  • 40g bags (Sensations or Monster Munch only)
  • 50g (formerly 55g) "Grab Bag" bags, produced primarily for the pub trade
  • 95g Bags (Sensations Thai Sweet Chilli only)
  • 120g Bags (Cheese & Onion & Ready Salted)
  • 150g Big Bags (Sensations Share-It Bags & Crinkles Share-It Bags)
  • 300g Sharing Bag (available around Christmas time only)

The 50g bag size for the pub trade was produced following a survey by Walkers regarding the average size of a social group in a pub, and the average number of crisps people would take when a bag was passed around; on average, the purchaser should be left with the same weight of crisps in their Grab Bag after passing it around their friends as would be found in a standard 34.5g pack.[citation needed]

Other types of snack food

  • Chipsticks
    • Ready Salted
    • Salt and Vinegar
  • Doritos
    • Cool Original
    • Tangy Cheese
    • Chili Heatwave
    • BBQ Rib
    • Flamin' Cheeseball (hard to find)
    • Dippas Lightly Salted
    • Dippas Hint Of Lime
    • Collisions: T-bone Steak & Green Pepper
    • Collisions: Chicken & Zesty Salsa
    • Jalapeño Fire (sometimes mentioned as just "Fire")
  • French Fries
    • Cheese and Onion
    • Salt and Vinegar
    • Ready Salted
    • Worcester Sauce
  • Frazzles
    • Bacon
  • Squares
    • Ready Salted
    • Cheese and Onion
    • Salt and Vinegar
  • Quavers
    • Cheese
    • Ketchup (discontinued)
    • Prawn Cocktail
    • Salt and Vinegar
    • Tangy Tomato (discontinued)
  • Mega Monster Munch
    • Pickled Onion
    • Flamin' Hot
    • Roast Beef
  • Wotsits
    • Really Cheesy
    • Flamin' Hot (multipack only)
    • Prawn Cocktail (multipack only)
  • Snaps
    • Spicy Tomato
    • Cheese (discontinued)

References

  1. ^ "FAQ". PepsiCo UK. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
  2. ^ a b http://www.packaging-gateway.com/projects/walkerscrisps/
  3. ^ Walkers Crisps - Better for you | less saturated fat
  4. ^ "All about SUNSEED oil". Archived from the original on October 9, 2007. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
  5. ^ Sunbites website
  6. ^ "Squirrel-flavoured crisps go on sale in UK". Metro.co.uk. 2008-01-09. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  7. ^ Red Sky Potato Chips from Walkers
  8. ^ http://www.walkers.co.uk/flavourcup/faqs.html#/help/faqs
  9. ^ http://www.brandown.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=164:walkers-flavour-cup&catid=49:supermarket&Itemid=23
  10. ^ Dunkerley, Jennifer (4 February 2011). "Comedians battle for Denise van Outen". Daily Star. Retrieved 5 February 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ a b part of the "Great British Dinner" range
  12. ^ Bamford, Vince (2012-03-14), "Walkers reveals its three mystery flavours", The Grocer, William Reed Business Media, retrieved 2012-04-25
  13. ^ "Indies clash over Walkers Extra Crunchy coup", The Grocer, William Reed Business Media, 2010-08-21, retrieved 2012-05-03
  14. ^ "Walkers abandons Potato Heads line". Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  15. ^ Sensations range
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