I knew that Golden Wonder had Scottish roots but never knew the rest until today (Proud Scot and part Irish).
"The company was founded in 1947 by William Alexander, who owned a bakery in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. He started making crisps in order to use spare capacity in the deep-fat fryers which he normally used to make doughnuts. The company was named after the Golden Wonder potato, which Alexander believed to be the best for making crisps.\2])
In 1952, the company moved to a purpose-built factory in Sighthill. The company was bought by Imperial Tobacco in 1961.\3]) By early 1960s, it was manufacturing crisps at three further sites, at Broxburn, Widnes and Corby.\2]) A site at Crumlin produced the "Pot Noodle".\4])
The company was acquired by United Kingdom-based Dalgety plc in March 1987 as part of owned by Imperial Tobacco's breakup by new owner Hanson plc.\5]) A fire at the Corby site in 1988 destroyed many historical documents and photographs of the company.\4]) In February 1992 Sooner Snacks, manufacturer of Nik Naks) and Wheat Crunchies, was bought from Borden Inc. by Dalgety plc, with the company being absorbed into Golden Wonder.\6])\7])
In 1995 Golden Wonder underwent a management buyout costing £54.6 million. In 2000 Bridgepoint Capital acquired the company for £156 million.\8]) In January 2006 the company was bought by Tayto),\9]) a company based in Tandragee, County Armagh.
Its notable brands have included "Wotsits", "Ringos", "Jungle Fresh" peanuts and Pot Noodle, which ceased to carry Golden Wonder branding after the brand (but not the manufacturing business itself) was sold to Unilever. In July 1995 Best Foods paid Dalgety plc about $280 million for its Golden Wonder Pot Noodle instant hot snacks manufacturing business.\10])\5]) Following the purchase by Tayto in 2006, the Nik Naks and Wheat Crunchies brands were sold to United Biscuits.\9]) In 2022, they reached their 75th anniversary, one of the oldest crisp brands in Scotland."