Tayto is a major Irish

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 crisps

Potato chip

Potato chips are thin slices of potato that are deep fried...

 and popcorn

Popcorn

Popcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive...

 manufacturer, founded by Joe Murphy in 1954. Tayto invented the first Cheese & Onion crisps as well as the process of the seasoned potato chip/crisps. Tayto crisps are a cultural phenomenon in Ireland, and "Tayto" is sometimes used in Ireland as a synonym for crisps.

Ownership

The company is currently owned by Largo Foods. It was previously owned by Cantrell & Cochrane, who were based in Coolock

Coolock

Coolock is a large suburban area, centred on a village, on Dublin city's Northside in Ireland. Coolock is crossed by the Santry River, a prominent feature in the middle of the district, with a linear park and ponds...

, County Dublin

County Dublin

County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...

, until their factory was closed in September 2005, when production was outsourced to Largo. Largo agreed to purchase the brand from C&C in May 2006 for €62.3 million euro

Euro

The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...

.

Brands

Tayto crisps come in several flavours: Cheese & Onion, Salt & Vinegar, Smokey Bacon, Ready Salted, Prawn Cocktail, and the limited edition flavour Tex Mex.

In the early 2000s, the company targeted the healthy eating market, with its low salt

Salt

In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...

, low fat crisps, originally branded as Honest. Tayto currently refers to this range as the Happy & Healthy range.

Tayto also produce a number of other ranges of products:

Nuts and Popcorn Range

• Popcorn Pleasure
• Salted Peanuts
• Dry-roasted Peanuts
• Bacon Fries

Snacks Range

• Snax
• Mighty Munch
• Chipsticks
• Ketchips
• Waffles
• Wheelies
• Jonny Onion Rings
• Snaps

Happy and Healthy Range

• Treble Crunch Farmhouse Cheddar & Spring Onion
• Treble Crunch Sour Cream & Onion
• Velvet Crunch

Sharing Range

• Bistro Cheese & Onion
• Bistro Caribbean Chutney
• Occasions Thai Sweet Chilli
• Occasions Mature Cheddar Cheese & Red Onion
• Occasions Tortillas Nacho Cheese
• Occasions Tortilla Original Cool

Marketing

Tayto have used their mascot, Mr. Tayto, in a number of marketing campaigns. In the 2007 Irish General Election, Tayto ran an advertising campaign with Mr. Tayto as a fake election candidate. Tayto have claimed that the number of spoiled votes in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency indicate that some actually voted for their mascot, but this is purely speculative. Tayto were fined during the campaign for littering, due to their fake election posters being posted in public places.

In 2009, Tayto Ltd. published The Man Inside the Jacket, a fictional autobiography of Mr Tayto. Tayto indicated that a percentage of the cover price would go to Irish charity Aware

Aware (voluntary organisation)

Aware is a voluntary organisation based in Ireland which aims to assist people affected by depression.-Helpline:The Aware Helpline is a non directive listening service for people who experience depression and concerned family and friends. The Helpline offers a non judgemental listening ear to...

.

Legal action

In 2006, Tayto tried to compel Irish band Toasted Heretic

Toasted Heretic

Toasted Heretic was an Irish rock group who attracted a cult following in the late 1980s and 1990s.-History:The band was formed in Galway in the mid-1980s and came to national attention with a self-published album, Songs for Swinging Celibates , in 1988...

to destroy all copies of their album "Now in New Nostalgia Flavour", which featured an image based on the trademarked "Mr Tayto" icon, although the image had been used since 1988 on Toasted Heretic's cassette album "Songs for Swinging Celibates".