Smith's Potato Crisps
of Cricklewood (1929), producer of crisps and packaged dried fruits and nuts
of Great West Road, Brentford.
of Caister Road, Great Yarmouth.(1962)
of Stockport Road, Cheadle Heath.
1920 Frank Smith (b.1875)[1] launched his eponymous crisps business; it was a spin-off from a small grocery wholesaling business, initially in Cricklewood[2]
Acquired Carter's Crisps
1929 Public company Smith's Potato Crisps (1929) Ltd was incorporated. The company had 13 factories in England and Scotland[3]
1935 AGM told that much of the machinery used by the company had been designed and created by one of the directors, B. W. Brook and much of the repairs were done under his supervision. The other managing director was Frank Smith. The principal subsidiary, Smith's Corn Flakes, was developing its product which would chiefly be consumed in the summer, thus balancing the seasonal nature of the core business[4].
1936 Created a new public company, Smith's Potato Estates Ltd, as subsidiary to take over an estate in Lincolnshire[5]
1939 Sold the Cricklewood factory to the government, as it adjoined one run by Handley Page who wanted it for extension, and bought another on the North Circular Road[6]
1945 The AGM was told that Mr Frank Smith celebrated his 25 years with the company and his 70th birthday[7]
by 1949 the number of factories had grown to 11 (from 7 in 1929) plus 2 in Australia, and there were 12 depots[8]
1955 Frank Smith retired[9]
1963 Acquired G. and T. Bridgewater, biscuit makers[10]
1966 Became an associate of General Mills
1967 Name changed to Smiths Food Group reflecting the intention of broadening the company's range of products; the famous crisps would continue to be known as Smith's Crispsthe company had Dutch and Tudor Crisp subsidiary companies and was an associate of General Mills which was helping with product development; Snakpak was a subsidiary; opened an extension to the crisping factory at Peterlee[11]
By 1982 was part of Standard Brands of USA.
- 1930 British Standard Brands Ltd was incorporated - not a direct connection with Smiths but later was connected.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Companies house filings