The Smith's Snackfood Company

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The Smith's Snackfood Company is a company best known for producing and selling a range of snack food such as crisps/chips in Australia (despite being started in the UK). It is now owned by New York based company PepsiCo.

Smith's Potato Crisps Ltd. was first formed by Frank Smith in the UK after World War I. 'Smith's Crisps' were first manufactured in Australia in 1931 by Mr. Smith and an associate, George Ensor in leased premises in Sydney's Surry Hills. They were originally made in a 20 gas fired cooking pots, packed by hand and distributed by Nestle confectionery vans.

'Smith's Potato Crisps' sold its early crisps in three penny packets, 24 to a tin. "Twist of salt" sachets were included before pre-salting had been introduced. In March 1932, Smith's Potato Crisps Ltd. went into voluntary liquidation as a result of the Depression. However three months later George Ensor tendered for the business put up for sale by the liquidators, and on 13 May 1932, 'Smith's Potato Crisps (Australia)' was formed with the UK Smith's Company holding a majority interest over minor shareholders. Growth after World War II was rapid so a continuous cooker process was introduced to replace the individual cooking pots and in 1960 the production of a one shilling pack for movie theatres and a box pack for four shillings was initiated. In 1961 Smith's introduced its first flavoured crisp - chicken. It remains Australians most popular flavour, influencing most competitors at the time to adopt a Chicken variation. Other flavours released were Original and Salt & Vinegar.

Seven years later Associated Products and Distribution Pty Ltd (APD), partnered with AMATIL Ltd, which had built up a significant snack food company that sold chips and nuts and bought a 41.5% share of Smith's Potato Crisps (Australia)s parent company. Over the next 20 years other takeovers and new products (including Twisties and Burger Rings brands) drove growth. By May 1989, the parent company involved with Smith's, APD and AMATIL Ltd was agreed to be bought out by the Coca-Cola Company. In October 1989, Coca-Cola Amatil was formed and in March 1990, the APD name was replaced by 'CCA Snackfoods'. On 4 January 1993, the Coca-Cola Amatil sold CCA Snackfoods to the United Biscuits of the United Kingdom and The Smith's Snackfood Company was formed.

The Smiths Snackfood company in 1998 was Australia’s largest producer of salty snack foods and was acquired in August 1998, by Frito-Lay the second largest producer of salt snack foods in Australia, which is owned by PepsiCo. To prevent the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) from intervening for unfair trading practices Frito-Lay divested a range of brands, manufacturing facilities, including plants in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. The package was named Snack Brands Australia and was sold to Dollar Sweets Holdings. Co-incidentally Frito-Lay's British subsidiary Walkers are the successor to the original Smiths Crisps Ltd. of England.

In that package included the brands sold were CC's, Cheezels, Thins and Samboy.

[edit] Currently sold products

Smith's Crinkles (Crinkle Cut Potato chips)
Smith's Crisps (Thinly sliced Potato chips)
French Fries (Small crisp potatoes straws similar in appearance and taste to french fries)
Doritos (Corn chip)
Twisties (Cheese flavoured snacks)
Cheetos (Cheese flavoured balls)
Burger Rings (Onion flavoured snack)
Parker's (Pretzels)
Nobby's (Nuts)