Seabrook Crisps owner grows turnover to £56.9m after boosting multipack and sharing snacks

The category as a whole has reported a decline in volume of -4 per cent during the period, according to Kantar data, meaning the business has performed ahead of the category.

Bradford-based Seabrook Crisps, which was purchased by the UK subsidiary of Japanese snack food giant Calbee in 2018, reported 14 per cent growth in the year ended December 2022.

The manufacturer increased the distribution of its core crisps range, with additional focus on new formats.

The company invested more than £3m into new technology at its Deeside snacks site in Wales. The increased capacity allowed the business to extend its multipack and sharing snacks range with the launch of Seabrook Loaded Curly Fries and Seabrook Crunchies.

Calbee also launched Harvest Snaps, its better for you range. Securing a strong position within the market from its launch in 2021, the brand has £6.4m retail sales value, according to Kantar data, with predictions that this will increase as consumers continue to choose healthier options.

The Deeside factory, which previously only made pea snaps, now produces a range of maize and plant-based snacks for the growing healthier snacks market.

Meeting with the demand for crisps and snacks manufacturers to reduce the high fat salt and sugar (HFSS) content in products, Calbee has also launched a non-HFSS compliant, licensed product with Hasbro, Peppa Pig Cheesy Puffs.

Daniel Woodwards, Calbee UK managing director, said: “It is testament to our agility, flexibility, and continuous investment as a business that we ended 2022 in such a strong position.

“This is in no small part thanks to our focus on producing delicious crisps and snacks at everyday affordable prices, meeting with the needs of our retail customers and shoppers alike.

“As we head towards 2024, I am proud of the way our business has performed at a time of unprecedented change in the industry. Our long-term strategy and ambition for greater scale, across both branded and own label, will remain consistent and promise exciting years ahead.”

In April last year, Seabrook continued its partnership with Alton Towers Resort for the fifth year and expanded the offer to include Thorpe Park Resort.

Seabrook, which employs 170 people, produces 2,000 bags of crisps a minute from its Bradford site alone, including straight cut crisps for Asda and Aldi own label.

When Calbee snapped up the business in 2018, it had revenues of £29.8m and profit (EBITDA) of £5m.

The figures followed a full-scale turnaround of the business in 2015 when chief executive Jonathan Bye led a management buy-out with Mr Woodwards, marketing director Kevin Butterworth, and commercial director Jon Woods, backed by private equity firm LDC, which took a majority stake in the company.