Phileas Fogg snacks
Encyclopedia
Phileas Fogg snacks are a brand of snack
products in the United Kingdom
based on snacks from around the world. Each bag originally featured a cartoon picture of Phileas Fogg
(hero of Jules Verne
's Around the World in Eighty Days) along with a letter from him explaining where in the world he found the particular snack, and the adventures he had trying to acquire it. The products were made more exciting by never being widely available in supermarkets. They were most often found in off licences, as with their strong flavours they made an ideal accompaniment to alcohol. The range included small garlic breads ('Mignons Morceaux') and tortilla chips ('Californian Corn Chips') and a spicy coated nut based product ('Shanghai Nuts').
. There were four directors originally, three of whom had previous experience in snack manufacturing. They saw a gap in the market for a range of snacks specifically aimed at adults, rather than just normal crisps and snacks which were available at the time. In aiming to create a premium brand distinguished by its authenticity, quality and excitement the Phileas Fogg brand name was settled on. They began television advertisements in 1988.
As a result of the products' success the company expanded to three locations and more than 250 employees on Medomsley Road, Consett.
The company became well known in the area for sponsorship activities as well as setting up the Acorn Trust in Consett.
In 1990 Derwent Valley Foods became the first snack company to be accredited with BS5750 (ISO 9000).
In March 1993, the company was sold to United Biscuits
and fell under the umbrella of KP Snacks
. In 2009 the Fogg brand was relaunched with new television advertisements, new products and new packaging. The product line now includes regular potato crisps.
The original non-crisp-based snacks were removed from the range during the re-branding so 'Mignon Morceaux' and 'Shanghai Nuts' ceased to be available; however, certain UK supermarkets (Waitrose and M&S food) have 'own-brand' equivalents of these in larger stores for those lamenting the loss of the more original snacks.
Snack food
A snack is a portion of food oftentimes smaller than that of a regular meal, that is generally eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including packaged and processed foods and items made from fresh ingredients at home....
products in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
based on snacks from around the world. Each bag originally featured a cartoon picture of Phileas Fogg
Phileas Fogg
Phileas Fogg is the main fictional character in the 1873 Jules Verne novel Around the World in Eighty Days.Fogg attempts to circumnavigate the late Victorian world in eighty days, or less, for a wager of £20,000 with members of London's Reform Club. He takes the wager and leaves with Passepartout,...
(hero of Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
's Around the World in Eighty Days) along with a letter from him explaining where in the world he found the particular snack, and the adventures he had trying to acquire it. The products were made more exciting by never being widely available in supermarkets. They were most often found in off licences, as with their strong flavours they made an ideal accompaniment to alcohol. The range included small garlic breads ('Mignons Morceaux') and tortilla chips ('Californian Corn Chips') and a spicy coated nut based product ('Shanghai Nuts').
History
The first Phileas Fogg snack products appeared in 1982. In March of that year a new company, Derwent Valley Foods was founded in a portable cabin in ConsettConsett
Consett is a town in the northwest of County Durham, England, about southwest of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is home to 27,394 .Consett sits high on the edge of the Pennines. In 1841, it was a village community of only 145, but it was about to become a boom town: below the ground was coking coal and...
. There were four directors originally, three of whom had previous experience in snack manufacturing. They saw a gap in the market for a range of snacks specifically aimed at adults, rather than just normal crisps and snacks which were available at the time. In aiming to create a premium brand distinguished by its authenticity, quality and excitement the Phileas Fogg brand name was settled on. They began television advertisements in 1988.
As a result of the products' success the company expanded to three locations and more than 250 employees on Medomsley Road, Consett.
The company became well known in the area for sponsorship activities as well as setting up the Acorn Trust in Consett.
In 1990 Derwent Valley Foods became the first snack company to be accredited with BS5750 (ISO 9000).
In March 1993, the company was sold to United Biscuits
United Biscuits
__FORCETOC__United Biscuits is a British multinational food manufacturer, makers of the BN biscuits, McVitie's biscuits, KP Nuts, Hula Hoops, The Real McCoy's crisps, Phileas Fogg snacks, Jacob's Cream Crackers, and Twiglets...
and fell under the umbrella of KP Snacks
KP Snacks
KP Snacks is a British producer of branded and own-label maize and potato based snacks, "Choc Dips" and nuts. The KP originally stood for Kenyon Produce. The company is based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England....
. In 2009 the Fogg brand was relaunched with new television advertisements, new products and new packaging. The product line now includes regular potato crisps.
The original non-crisp-based snacks were removed from the range during the re-branding so 'Mignon Morceaux' and 'Shanghai Nuts' ceased to be available; however, certain UK supermarkets (Waitrose and M&S food) have 'own-brand' equivalents of these in larger stores for those lamenting the loss of the more original snacks.