If 2005 was a year of controversy for Jonathan Crisp, with its outrageous on-pack caricatures upsetting the Church of England and Buckingham Palace, then last year was one of growth and profitability.
The company has spent the past 12 months boosting distribution, adding Budgens to its list of stockists, and has also managed to break the £1m turnover barrier.
But fans of the eccentric crisp brand have no cause for concern, because in 2007 the company will be up to its old tricks again, according to MD Paul Saxby. "We were less controversial last year but we are hoping to make up for it this year," he promises.
The latest flavour in its Crisps for Snobs range, for example, a black pepper & ginger variant, bears a caricature closely resembling Victoria Beckham, and Saxby hopes that these packs will once again push the company into the limelight
As well as hoping to cause controversy, this year Jonathan Crisp is also switching its attention back to NPD with a host of product launches planned, including what Saxby says is a much overdue entry into the vegetable chips category. "Vegetable chips was something that we wanted to do last year but have now rolled over to this year. It was quite niche within crisps but as more companies have got involved it has become more mainstream."
It is launching two flavours in March - a parsnip and a parsnip, beetroot & sweet potato mix - and is also about to enter the nuts category with a six-strong product range.
In the second half of the year it will turn its attention to its Crisps for Snobs range with a host of super-premium lines.
Saxby is confident the company will continue to grow as interest in speciality crisps remains high. "The speciality crisps market has seen a lot of activity over the past few years but there is more than enough room to accommodate all the current players."
The company has spent the past 12 months boosting distribution, adding Budgens to its list of stockists, and has also managed to break the £1m turnover barrier.
But fans of the eccentric crisp brand have no cause for concern, because in 2007 the company will be up to its old tricks again, according to MD Paul Saxby. "We were less controversial last year but we are hoping to make up for it this year," he promises.
The latest flavour in its Crisps for Snobs range, for example, a black pepper & ginger variant, bears a caricature closely resembling Victoria Beckham, and Saxby hopes that these packs will once again push the company into the limelight
As well as hoping to cause controversy, this year Jonathan Crisp is also switching its attention back to NPD with a host of product launches planned, including what Saxby says is a much overdue entry into the vegetable chips category. "Vegetable chips was something that we wanted to do last year but have now rolled over to this year. It was quite niche within crisps but as more companies have got involved it has become more mainstream."
It is launching two flavours in March - a parsnip and a parsnip, beetroot & sweet potato mix - and is also about to enter the nuts category with a six-strong product range.
In the second half of the year it will turn its attention to its Crisps for Snobs range with a host of super-premium lines.
Saxby is confident the company will continue to grow as interest in speciality crisps remains high. "The speciality crisps market has seen a lot of activity over the past few years but there is more than enough room to accommodate all the current players."
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