The owner of one of Ireland’s best-known brands, Tayto, said it had its best year since taking over the business, with revenue growth in Ireland of more than 11 per cent year on year.
Tayto Snacks’ German-based parent, Intersnack AB Group, said 2021 sales were boosted by a record performance in December. The performance by the Irish unit contributed to overall revenues at Intersnack, increasing by 6 per cent to €2.47 billion last year.
The group’s profits after tax increased by €34 million, or 55 per cent, to €95.65 million.
The strong performance followed a pandemic-hit 2020 where Intersnack’s Irish business was hit by retail shutdowns, particularly in the key impulse purchase business.
The actual revenue and profit figures for the Tayto Snacks business are not disclosed. The last year that Irish sales figures were broken out, 2019, saw Tayto Snacks revenues rising 1.3 per cent to €100.6 million, from €99.3 million.
The Tatyo Snacks website says that, “when combined, our brands hold a market-leading position of almost 50 per cent of the Irish snack food market”. The company’s Irish manufacturing HQ in Ireland is based at its 80,000sq ft (7,432sq m) factory in Ashbourne, Co Meath.
Tayto Snacks has been part of the Intersnack Group since 2007 and produces brands including Tayto, Hunky Dorys, King, Perri and Velvet Crunch in Ireland. The company also distributes KP Snacks’ portfolio of brands including KP Nuts, Hula Hoops and McCoy’s.
Intersnack employs a total of 13,402 people across Europe and Asia at 38 production locations.
The directors said the main growth driver for the brand was the UK, where revenue topped €500 million for the first time.
The directors said the Covid-19 pandemic only had a negligible impact on the group’s business performance last year.
On the outlook for 2022, the directors are forecasting “a noticeable increase in revenue compared to 2021″ on the back of a full-year contribution by Unisnack Holdco Pty and its subsidiaries, which only contributed to the figures in November and December of last year.
