Bensons exit sparks hunt for marketer

Bensons Crisps, one of the leading crisp producers in the country, is looking for a marketing director, following the departure of John Mudd, who has quit to set up his own company.

In a tough market, dominated by PepsiCo-owned Walkers, Bensons is trying to carve a niche for itself by specialising in licensed products. The latest example of this is the Rugrats range of three-dimensional potato snacks.

It is strong in own-label production – accounting for about 59 per cent of its crisps sales and supplies all major retailers. It is also known for innovation: it was Bensons which launched hedgehog-flavour and jacket crisps.

Last September it entered an agreement with WT Foods to manufacture La Mexicana brand tortilla chips.

The company is now the fourth largest crisp producer in the market behind Walkers, KP and Golden Wonder.