Pepsi & Walkers

[Priesty]

Do Pepsi own Walkers?

[chinois]

I dont know. Is that helpful?

[Priesty]

Yes, it confirms what i thought, thanks for your time and effort

[gary baldy]

Yup!

http://www.pepsico.com/PEP_Company/BrandsCompanies/index .cfm

[dzug]

Yes - though technically it's that both are owned by the same conglomerate, Pepsico, rather than Pepsi directly owning Walkers

[nickmo]

Yes (just look at the logo shape anyway.......)

Pepsico wanted a premium snack brand a few years ago in the Uk and as they already owned Lays (Fritolays in the EU, Lays Chips in US) they looked about and bought a small crisp maker in Leicester called Walkers. As they were making the usual (dark) type of crisp, the boffins decided that a lighter finish would differentiate them to the other brands at that time so came up with the idea of using Lady Rosetta, or Hermes variety (most often) of potato that result in a light finish to the frying as there is a low sugar content to the potato that means the crips won't brown very much in cooking (the Maillard effect for the techies)

As a result of them chucking several million at Gary Lineker and the introduction of a lighter finish as well, other makers followed the then market leader as they became, and now we have a light flaovourless (before chemical addition) product as the standard.

That has led to the rise of the 'gourmet' style of dark crisps like Kettle, Cape Cod, Terra from the US, and Jonathon Crisp, Burts, Real Crisp, etc from the UK to offer a crisp that actually tastes of potato as a counter to the volume stuff.

Walkers will use potato up to 2 years old for consistency in finsh if there is a supply problem with stock, and when you look at the ingredients - upto 28 in a bag!! - like milk and sweeteners, ask before you buy, what you think all the additives are doing to your system? and why are they there in the first place.

Many countries have a mobile crips makers, like India, Spain, South Africa, etc, and you will find a couple around the UK now as well, like The Crisp Hut, or Country Crisps that serve hot, hand made crisps cooked in front of the customer.

[dogs_nipples]

Which means they also own the current "new" trend: Nobby's crisps and nuts.

[brachiopod]

"...bought a small crisp maker in Leicester called Walkers..."

Errr, don't think so. Walkers were the biggest selling brand way before Pepsico bought them.