Seabrooks Potato Crisps expands flavour range and shelf space

Crisp-maker Seabrook will next week expand the range of flavours it supplies to Morrisons and increase the shelf space its products occupy in the chain’s 422 stores.

It is a crucial development in the Bradford firm’s continued growth and comes as a £1m investment in two new state-of-the-art packaging lines comes on stream, which will increase Seabrook’s output by more than 30 per cent.

The deal with Morrisons also fits with Seabrook’s aim of boosting its name-awareness in a bid to become the nation’s favourite crisp brand.

This will see a concerted marketing campaign using a range of techniques such as free sampling through the national and regional press and a possible return to TV advertising.

Seabrook are also the favoured crisps in leading TV soaps such as Emmerdale, Coronation Street, EastEnders and Hollyoaks.

Managing director John Tague said the new lines took capital investment to more than £5m in the past couple of years to improve efficiency and meet rising demand which saw growth in all areas of the UK.

In Scotland, sales have soared by 89 per cent and are up by 42 per cent in London, 36 per cent in the South-East and in Wales, and by more than a quarter in the Midlands.

Mr Tague said: “We are seeing phenomenal sales growth in all areas of the country which keeps us on track to meet our targets. Overall, however, we still only have four per cent of the market, so still have a long way to go.”