of Leicester
British snack food manufacturer mainly operating in the UK and Ireland. The company is best known for manufacturing potato crisps
1880s Walker moved from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire to Leicester to take over an established butcher's shop in the high street.
Meat rationing in the UK after World War II saw the factory output drop dramatically, and so in 1948 the company starting looking at alternative products. Potato crisps were becoming increasingly popular with the public; this led managing director R. E. Gerrard to shift the company focus and begin hand-slicing and frying potatoes.
1970 Company sold to the American food producer Standard Brands
1995 Walkers Crisps was renamed Walkers Snack Foods
It dominated the UK market for potato crisps.