Tayto potato crisps are an institution here in Ireland with their unique cheese and onion flavoured crisp, topping the flavour polls in every lunchbox, corner shop and pub in Ireland. They are certainly addictive and cause a lifetime of longing in expats worldwide that can only be satiated by the Mammy sending out a box! 10% of our potato crop goes into making these special crisps. HISTORY OF TAYTO In 1954 Joe Spud Murphy began what is today’s largest snackfood company with just two rented rooms off Moore Street, Dublin. Truly, a remarkable story of one mans determination, his initial set up costs was just £500. The entire staff consisted of Joe, his eight employees and a single van. At the time Tayto crisps sold for 4 pence per bag. They were sold in attractive tin boxes that contained 18 bags of crisps and sold to shops for 4 shillings. The crisp bags were hand glued with a tiny paintbrush to guarantee freshness. Salt was provided in a 'twist' of paper in each packet. Not many people know this but it was actually Joe Spud Murphy who invented the now world famous Cheese & Onion flavour. Spud tested it out starting with a number of different varieties - Plain Golden, Onion, Cheese & Onion and Cheese flavoured crisps. In 1954, Tayto sold 347 packs per day. Today, Tayto sells over 525 packs a minute. We tip our hat to Joe Spud Murphy. Inventing the Cheese and Onion crisp and a home grown snack young and old have enjoyed on our fair Isle since the 1950's.