UK crisp company enters administration after more than half a century

The company's crisps were sold in major UK supermarkets

The company, which started in 1972, supplied potatoes to retailers across the UK and Ireland.

Among other major supermarkets, Glens of Antrim Potatoes Ltd crisps were sold in Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

The company also launched its Glens of Antrim Crisps brand in 2015.

After 54 years in the business, the company from Cushendall and Ballymena (Northern Ireland), has ceased trading.

Administrators appointed as staff made redundant

On September 21, Stuart Irwin, Ian Leonard, and Robin Coughlin of Interpath were appointed as joint administrators.

“Glens of Antrim has been growing and supplying potatoes across Ireland for over 50 years, so this is a tremendously sad outcome for the business, its dedicated team, the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland, and the wider community in Ballymena and Cushendall”, Irwin, managing director at Interpath said.

Nearly all of 95 members of staff from Glens of Antrim have now been made redundant, while to support the administration process, only a small number have been retained.

Glens of Antrim faced significant cash flow challenges, and company's collapse comes as rising costs across the agri-food sector put pressure on businesses throughout the supply chain.

While the company’s directors explored options such as refinancing and seeking new investment, they didn’t prove viable.

Affected employees are now receiving support from the administrators and their employment team.

“This is a tremendously sad outcome for the business, its dedicated team, the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland, and the wider community in Ballymena and Cushendall”, Irwin said.