The company behind Real Crisps, Newport-based Sirhowy Valley Foods, has been acquired by the Tayto Group.
Northern Ireland-based Tayto is the third biggest crisp brand in the UK, having already acquired Golden Wonder, and the acquisition takes the group from a £15m turnover to more than £100m in six years of accelerated growth.
Real Crisps was established in 1997 with the aim of supplying the pub and independent retail market with designer hand-cooked crisps. In 1999, investment by the directors of Bar and Restaurant Foods enabled rapid growth and the company changes its name to Sirhowy Valley Foods.
Sirhowy, which has a £12m turnover, already supplies 37 Tesco stores in South Wales, as well as branches of Sainsbury and Asda, from its 65,000sq ft modern factory at Newport, Gwent.