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Smith's Potato Chips, commonly known as Smith's Chips, are indeed made in Australia. The brand was introduced to the country from England in 1931 by Frank Smith and George Ensor, who started the first factory in Surry Hills, Sydney. Over the years, Smith's has become Australia's largest snack food company, with factories in Brisbane and Adelaide. The company uses Australian potatoes, grown by local farmers, to produce its iconic chips, which have become a beloved snack for Aussies across generations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year introduced in Australia | 1931 |
| Founders | Frank Smith and George Ensor |
| Place of origin | Surry Hills, Sydney |
| Current owner | Pepsico |
| Number of factories | 2 (Brisbane and Adelaide) |
| Number of employees | 570 |
| Number of potatoes processed daily | 320 tonnes |
| Number of potatoes processed annually | 65,000 tonnes |
| Number of Australian canola oil used daily | 14 tonnes |
| Number of unique potato varieties | 47 |
| Number of potatoes produced annually | 110,000-120,000,000 kg |
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What You'll Learn
- Smith's Chips were first sold in the UK in 1921/1931
- Frank Smith and George Ensor set up the first factory in Sydney's Surry Hills
- The company was first launched in Australia in 1931
- Chicken was the first flavoured chip variety launched in Australia in 1961
- PepsiCo ANZ owns The Smith's Snackfood Company
Smith's Chips were first sold in the UK in 1921/1931
Smith's Chips have a long history that dates back to the early 20th century. The story of this beloved snack began in the United Kingdom, specifically in the year 1921 or 1931, depending on the source.
In 1921, Frank Smith introduced potato chips to the British market, becoming the first to mass-market them. However, to distinguish his product from the traditional fish and chip shop offering, he coined the term "crisps." These early crisps were unflavoured and sold in threepenny packets, allowing consumers to add their own twist of salt.
A decade later, in 1931, Smith's Chips were introduced in Australia. Frank Smith, along with his partner George Ensor, started the first factory in Sydney's Surry Hills. The chips were cooked in gas-fired pots, carefully hand-packed, and then sold. This marked the beginning of Smith's Chips' journey in Australia, where it would go on to become a beloved snack for generations.
Over the years, Smith's Chips evolved and expanded its reach. In 1961, they introduced their first flavoured potato chips, with the first variety launched in Australia being Chicken flavour. This innovation delighted consumers and solidified Smith's place in the snack food market. The company continued to thrive, attracting the attention of multinational companies. By the late 1960s, Pepsico had acquired a significant shareholding, and by 1998, Smith's became wholly owned by Pepsico through its subsidiary Frito-Lay.
Today, Smith's Chips is a household name in Australia, known for its delicious potato chips made from Australian potatoes grown by local farmers. The brand has introduced various flavours over the years, catering to the diverse tastes of its loyal customers. The success of Smith's Chips in Australia is a testament to the enduring popularity of this iconic snack, which first began its journey in the UK many decades ago.
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Frank Smith and George Ensor set up the first factory in Sydney's Surry Hills
Smith's Potato Chips were first sold in the UK by Frank Smith and George Ensor in 1921. They were mass-marketed and manufactured in gas-fired pots and packed by hand. In 1931, Frank Smith and George Ensor set up the first factory in Sydney's Surry Hills. The chips were cooked in gas-fired pots, hand-packed, and sold in tins. The chips were unflavoured and were accompanied by a twist of salt that was added by the consumer.
The manufacturing methods have evolved over the decades, with automation now playing a major role at the remaining factories in Brisbane and Adelaide. The Smith's Snackfood Company factory in Brisbane employs 570 people and processes 320 tonnes of potatoes daily, or 65,000 tonnes annually. The company contracts 120 million kilograms of potatoes annually from 47 sites ranging from northern Queensland to southern Victoria.
Smith's Chips are proudly Australian-made and use Australian potatoes grown by Aussie farmers. The company has introduced many flavours over the years, with the first flavoured chip being Chicken in 1961. In the late 1960s, Pepsico acquired just under 50 per cent of the shareholding and by 1998, Smith's was wholly owned by Pepsico via its subsidiary Frito-Lay. By this time, Smith's was the largest snack food company in Australia, with other brands including Twisties and Burger Rings.
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The company was first launched in Australia in 1931
Smith's Chips were first launched in Australia in 1931 by Frank Smith and George Ensor. The pair started the first factory in Sydney's Surry Hills, where the chips were cooked in gas-fired pots, hand-packed, and sold in tins. The company introduced Australia to a flavoured chip for the first time in 1961, with the first variety being chicken flavour.
Smith's Chips are proudly Australian-made and use Australian potatoes grown by Australian farmers. The company has celebrated over 90 years of manufacturing in Australia, with the Smith's Snackfood Company factory in Brisbane playing a major role in production. Over 110,000 tonnes of potatoes arrive at their Australian manufacturing plants each year, which equates to about 3,000 truckloads.
The company was acquired by Pepsico in the late 1960s, which now owns Smith's Snackfood Company. PepsiCo ANZ contracts 120 million kilograms of potatoes annually from 47 sites ranging from northern Queensland to southern Victoria. The potatoes are grown by dedicated farmers, with some farms having supplied Smith's for over 50 years.
Smith's has since become the largest snack food company in Australia, with many other brands including Twisties and Burger Rings. The company has continued to innovate, launching new products such as Poppables and Oven Baked in 2020.
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Chicken was the first flavoured chip variety launched in Australia in 1961
Smith's Potato Chips, now known as The Smith's Snackfood Company, is a British-Australian snack food brand owned by PepsiCo. It was founded by Frank Smith and Jim Viney in the United Kingdom in 1920 as Smith's Potato Crisps Ltd. The company packaged a twist of salt with its crisps in greaseproof paper bags, which were sold in London.
Smith's Crisps were first manufactured in Australia in 1931, with Frank Smith setting up a business in Surry Hills, Sydney, alongside his associate, George Ensor. The early product was cooked in gas-fired pots, hand-packed, and sold in threepenny packets with a "'twist of salt' sachet".
In 1961, Smith's introduced its first flavoured chip, chicken, which became Australia's first flavoured chip. This flavour was influential, with most competitors at the time adopting a similar variation. The chicken-flavoured chip was also notable for being gluten-free and containing no artificial colours or flavours.
The success of Smith's chicken-flavoured chips attracted the attention of multinational companies, and in the late 1960s, Pepsico acquired almost 50% of the company's shares. By the 1990s, Smith's had become the largest snack food company in Australia, with brands such as Twisties and Burger Rings.
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PepsiCo ANZ owns The Smith's Snackfood Company
Smith's Potato Chips, or "crisps" as they were originally known, were first sold in the UK by Frank Smith and George Ensor in 1921 or 1931. The product was mass-marketed in Britain, and later introduced to Australia in 1931, where they were cooked in gas-fired pots, hand-packed, and sold in tins. Frank Smith set up a business in Surry Hills, Sydney, and the manufacturing methods have evolved over the decades, with automation now playing a major role at the remaining factories in Brisbane and Adelaide.
Smith's Snackfood Company introduced Australia to a flavoured chip for the first time in 1961. The first flavour launched in Australia was Chicken, and many other flavours were to follow. The success of the company attracted the attention of multinationals, and in the late 1960s, PepsiCo acquired just under 50% of the shareholding.
Smith's became wholly owned by PepsiCo ANZ, via its subsidiary Frito-Lay, in 1998. By this time, Smith's was the largest snack food company in Australia, with many other brands including Twisties and Burger Rings. PepsiCo ANZ, the company that owns The Smith's Snackfood Company, contracts 120 million kilograms of potatoes annually from 47 sites ranging from northern Queensland to southern Victoria. Some 20 years went into developing each of the proprietary potato varieties made specifically for crisping and maximized for year-round supply.
Today, Smith's Chips are proudly Australian-made and continue to use Australian potatoes, grown by Aussie farmers. Over 110,000 tonnes of the freshest potatoes arrive at their Australian manufacturing plants in specially made trucks every year. Their state-of-the-art potato processing machinery meticulously washes, sorts, peels, and slices each potato. The potato slices are then cooked in hot sunflower and canola oil until they reach the legendary Smith's crispness.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Smith's Chips are proudly Australian-made.
Smith's Chips were first manufactured in Australia in 1931 by Frank Smith and George Ensor, who started the first factory in Sydney's Surry Hills.
Frank Smith first mass-marketed potato chips in Britain in 1921. He then moved to Australia and set up a business in Surry Hills, Sydney. In 1961, Smith's produced their first flavoured potato chips, with the first flavour launched in Australia being Chicken.
Smith's Chips are made from Australian potatoes, grown by Aussie farmers. Over 110,000 tonnes of potatoes arrive at their Australian manufacturing plants every year.
Smith's Chips is owned by PepsiCo ANZ, which contracts 120 million kilograms of potatoes annually from 47 sites across Australia.
