Kamil Perry
Cheese and onion crisps are a classic flavour, but who invented them? Ireland's Tayto Company has the best claim to being the first to launch cheese and onion crisps. The company was founded by Joe Spud Murphy in 1954, and he set out to add flavour to crisps, launching cheese and onion soon after. The new flavour was a success, and within two years the business had moved to larger premises. Joe Murphy's marketing flair and innovation made Tayto a success, and the company was eventually sold, making him and his family very wealthy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company | Tayto |
| Founder | Joe "Spud" Murphy |
| Year | 1954 |
| Location | O'Rahilly's Parade off Moore Street, Dublin, Ireland |
| First Employee | Seamus Burke |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Joe Spud Murphy, founder of Tayto
Joe "Spud" Murphy, born on May 15, 1923, was the founder of Tayto, one of the best-known crisp brands in Ireland. Murphy was a crisp enthusiast who found the products on the market rather dull and decided to add flavour to crisps. In 1954, he started his own crisp company, Tayto, in O'Rahilly's Parade off Moore Street, Dublin, with one van and eight employees.
Tayto was not the first crisp maker in Ireland, but its innovation in flavouring made it a success. Before Tayto, crisps were unflavoured and came with small sachets of salt. Joe Murphy and his employee, Seamus Burke, invented the method of adding different flavours to the crisps directly, with the first flavour being cheese and onion. This flavour became a success both at home and abroad, and within two years, the business had moved to larger premises.
Murphy was a marketing genius. He was one of the first sponsors of a Radio Éireann programme and rented space for a neon Tayto sign at a premier location in Dublin, which became one of the great landmarks of the city in the 1960s and 1970s. He continually sought ways to enhance the brand, introducing new crisp flavours and snack products to the Irish market.
Joe Murphy married Bernadette (Bunny) Boylan in 1948, and they had five children: Yvonne, Joseph, Barry, Peter, and Stephen. They enjoyed a quarter-century of retirement in Spain.
The Crafting of Wensleydale Cheese: A Dairy Adventure
You may want to see also
Seamus Burke, employee who created the flavour
Seamus Burke was one of the first eight employees of Tayto, a crisp company founded by Joe Murphy in 1954. Joe Murphy, also known as Joe "Spud" Murphy, set out to add flavour to crisps, which until then were unseasoned and came with a small packet of salt. Murphy's company Tayto is credited with being a pioneer in adding flavour to crisps directly.
Seamus Burke was charged with perfecting the revolutionary new flavour. Working on a kitchen table, he experimented until he came up with a cheese and onion flavour that his boss judged acceptable. The new flavour became a success both in Ireland and abroad, and within two years, the business had moved to larger premises.
The company continued to expand over the decades, and Tayto was bought by Raymond Coyle's Largo Foods in 2006. It was Coyle who pioneered the opening of Tayto Park in Ashbourne, Co Meath in 2010, which he still owns. Largo Foods, however, is now owned by German group Intersnack, which rebranded the company as Tayto Snacks.
Alouette Cheese: A French Delicacy, Made in the USA
You may want to see also
Tayto's success and expansion
Another factor in Tayto's success was its strong marketing strategies. Murphy, who had a background in marketing, understood the importance of promoting his product effectively. He became one of the first sponsors of a Radio Éireann programme, and his iconic neon "Tayto" sign became a landmark in Dublin during the 1960s and 1970s. This contributed to the brand's widespread recognition and helped establish Tayto as a household name in Ireland.
As Tayto's popularity grew, the company expanded its operations. Within two years of launching the cheese and onion flavour, the business had moved to larger premises in Mount Pleasant Avenue in Rathmines. In 1960, they acquired an additional location in Harold's Cross. The company continued to thrive, and in 1964, Beatrice Foods of Chicago bought a majority stake in Tayto, recognizing its potential.
Tayto's innovation in flavour development didn't stop with cheese and onion. The company continued to introduce new crisp flavours and snack products to the Irish market, ensuring a diverse range of options for consumers. In 1972, Tayto acquired the King Crisps company, and Murphy developed unique and separate marketing and sales strategies for both the Tayto and King brands, showcasing his ability to adapt to the changing market.
Over the years, Tayto has continued to expand and diversify. In 1981, they acquired the Smiths Food Group factory in Terenure, further increasing their production capacity. The company has also been acquired and rebranded over time, with ownership changing hands several times. Despite these changes, Tayto has remained a beloved and iconic brand in Ireland, with its cheese and onion flavour crisps holding a special place in the hearts of many.
Cooper Cheese: Where is the CV Sharp Made?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Cheese and onion as the first flavoured crisp
The first flavoured crisp was cheese and onion, launched in 1954 by Ireland's Tayto Company, founded by Joe "Spud" Murphy. Before Tayto's flavoured crisps were launched, crisps were unflavoured and came with small sachets of salt. Joe Murphy set out to add flavour to crisps, and the first flavour he and his employee, Seamus Burke, invented was cheese and onion. The new flavour was an immediate success both at home and abroad, and within two years the business had moved to larger premises. Murphy's marketing flair led him to become one of the first sponsors of a Radio Éireann programme, and he also rented space for a neon sign in one of the premier locations in Dublin, making the Tayto sign one of the great landmarks of the city in the 1960s and 1970s.
Golden Wonder was the first to bring cheese and onion crisps to the British mainland in 1962. Soon, crisp companies worldwide sought to buy the rights to Tayto's technique. Tayto continued to expand over the decades, and in 2006, it was bought by Raymond Coyle's Largo Foods. In 2010, Coyle pioneered the opening of Tayto Park in Ashbourne, Co Meath, which he still owns. Largo Foods is now owned by the German group Intersnack, which rebranded the company as Tayto Snacks. The company owns several well-known snack brands, including Hula Hoops, Perri, and KP, which are still produced in the original Tayto Factory in Co Meath.
The creation of cheese and onion crisps was a significant innovation in the snack food industry, and it is thanks to Joe Murphy and his team that we now have a wide variety of flavoured crisps to enjoy today. Crisps themselves may be the result of a chef's rebellion, and one of the oldest known published recipes for crisps is by William Kitchiner, a Georgian-era celebrity chef. His book, "A Cook's Oracle", published in 1817, included a recipe for "Potatoes fried in Slices or Shavings", served with a sprinkling of salt. However, it was Murphy and Tayto who revolutionised the crisp by adding flavour directly to the fried potatoes, creating the iconic cheese and onion combination that has endured as a favourite for generations.
Swaledale Cheese: A Taste of the Yorkshire Dales
You may want to see also
History of crisps
Crisps, one of the most popular types of snacks, are thin slices of potato fried in oil. One of the oldest known published recipes for crisps is by William Kitchiner, a Georgian-era celebrity chef. His book, 'A Cook's Oracle', published in 1817, included a recipe for "Potatoes fried in Slices or Shavings", which were fried in "lard or dripping" and seasoned with "a very little salt".
In 1954, Joe "Spud" Murphy founded the Tayto Company in Dublin, Ireland, and set out to add flavour to crisps. Before Tayto, crisps were unflavoured and came with small sachets of salt. Joe Murphy and his employee, Seamus Burke, invented the cheese and onion flavour, which became the first flavoured crisp in the world. Soon after its launch, the new flavour became a success, and within two years, the business had moved to larger premises. The company flourished, and Tayto became one of the best-known crisp brands in Ireland.
Following the success of Tayto, crisp companies worldwide sought to buy the rights to their flavouring technique. Golden Wonder was the first to bring Cheese and Onion to the British mainland in 1962. Since then, numerous other flavours have been introduced, including chicken tikka masala and flame-grilled cheeseburger.
The Ultimate Guide to Italy's Cheese Varieties
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Joe "Spud" Murphy, founder of Tayto, invented the first cheese and onion crisps in 1954.
Before Tayto's flavoured crisps were launched, crisps were unflavoured and came with small sachets of salt. Joe Murphy and his employee, Seamus Burke, were the first crisp makers in the world to invent the cheese and onion flavour.
No, Tayto wasn't the first crisp company in Ireland, but its innovation in adding flavour to crisps made it a success.
