Tayto bought 7% of Irish potato crop this year
This represents almost 7% of the total potato crop in Ireland which averages almost 300,000 tonnes per annum.
Tayto, which has lost ground recently in the highly competitive crisp and snack food industry is still the market leader with 45% of crisps sales and 35% of snacks sales.
A spokesman declined to give the percentage fall in market share, but said it was a single digit figure.
Increased competition, mainly from Walkers forced Tayto to consolidate and close its Terenure plant at the end of October with the loss of 164 jobs.
The company’s snack products will now be outsourced to a unit of Largo Foods in Donegal.
Tayto will use the 20,000 tonnes of potatoes to produce an estimated 500,000 packets of Tayto crisps per day to satisfy demand.
Tayto is one of the biggest purchasers of potatoes in Ireland and the company uses five varieties of Ireland’s best quality potatoes to produce its market leading crisps and snacks.
The varieties used are Saturna, Lady Claire, Lady Rosetta, Homeguard and Premier.
It is this combination that gives Tayto crisps the unique flavour and texture that has made them the market leader for almost half a century.
Irish people munch their way through in excess of half a million packets of Tayto crisps every day, almost 185 million packets per year.
For almost half a century Tayto has been supporting potato growers in Ireland with its annual purchase which now averages 20,000 tonnes per annum.
Tayto has also responded to changes in market needs over the years.
Recently Tayto has introduced new varieties including a low fat variant Tayto LFC’s, and most recently the ‘Xtra Cheesy’ variety.
Tayto Ireland product manager Dara O’Donnell said the company has always been a supporter of Irish agriculture and this year was no different.
