Walkers is taking on the likes of McCoy’s with a new crisp featuring ridges it claims are twice as deep as any other.

Brand owner PepsiCo has secured a global patent for the technology used to make crisps with ridges 8mm deep - giving flavourings a greater surface area to adhere to.

It has used the process to create Deep Ridged crisps, which are being supported with what Walkers claimed was its biggest ever marketing spend on a new product.

Rolling out nationally from 13 August and pitched primarily at 25 to 44-year-old men, the new crisps will be available in four flavours - Flame Grilled Steak, Mature Cheddar & Onion, Salt & Malt Vinegar and Ready Salted - in six-bag multipacks (rsp: £1.99).

With the exception of Ready Salted, they will also be available in 50g single-serve bags with an rsp of 73p - slightly higher than the 69p that 50g bags of United Biscuits’ McCoy’s typically sell for in the big four [BrandView 9 July 2012].

PepsiCo is hoping the new line will emulate the success of Walkers Crinkles, which launched last April and secured £54m in sales in its first 12 months on shelf. Walkers’ other ridged product, Walkers Max, has not been sold in supermarkets for some time but the company said it had a strong following and a future in the impulse channel.

Deep Ridged would not cannibalise Crinkles’ sales, said senior brand manager Adam Warner: “It is very different to anything else in our portfolio and will bring incremental growth.”

Support for the range will kick off early in September with activity including a new TV ad featuring Walkers brand ambassador Gary Lineker, cinema ads and social media promotion.

Tyrrells launched Furrows ridged crisps in 2011, while Burts this year rolled out its first branded ridged crisps.

Topics