What Happened To Walkers Beef And Onion Crisps? A Full Guide

Are you a fan of Walkers Beef and Onion crisps?

Do you remember the excitement when they were brought back as part of the Bring it Back campaign?

Or perhaps you were one of the many who voted for them to stay on shelves.

But have you ever wondered what happened to this beloved flavour?

In this article, we’ll explore the history of Walkers crisps, the success of their campaigns, and the current state of their flavours.

Join us as we dive into the world of Walkers Beef and Onion crisps.

What Happened To Walkers Beef And Onion Crisps?

Walkers Beef and Onion crisps were first introduced as a flavour in the 1980s and quickly became a fan favourite. However, like many other flavours, they were eventually discontinued.

In 2015, Walkers launched their Bring it Back campaign, which allowed fans to vote for their favourite discontinued flavour to be brought back. Beef and Onion was one of the five flavours chosen for the campaign, and it received an overwhelming 480,000 votes, making it the winner.

As a result of the campaign’s success, Walkers brought back Beef and Onion crisps in November 2015. They were available in a six-pack single format and were sold alongside the newly reintroduced Marmite flavour.

However, despite their popularity, Walkers Beef and Onion crisps have not been immune to production issues. In recent years, Walkers has experienced shortages affecting the production of several flavours, including Beef and Onion. This has led to empty shelves in some stores and frustration among fans.

The History Of Walkers Crisps

Walkers Crisps were first created in 1948 by Henry Walker, a local butcher from Leicester, England. During the post-war era when meat was scarce, Walker began looking for alternative products to sell. With the guidance of managing director R.E. Gerrard, the firm began frying potato slices in a fish fryer, and Walkers Crisps were born.

The company quickly gained popularity among the public, and in 1954, they introduced their best-selling Cheese and Onion flavour crisps. Over the years, Walkers continued to innovate and introduced several new flavours, including Salt and Vinegar in 1967 and Ready Salted.

In 1989, Walkers was acquired by Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo. The acquisition brought Walkers and Lay’s under single control. In 1993, PepsiCo merged Walkers and Smith’s, another snack food manufacturer. This move made Walkers the largest crisp production plant in the world, with their factory in Leicester producing over 11 million bags of crisps per day and using about 800 tons of potatoes.

Since then, Walkers has continued to expand its product line with the introduction of Doritos in 1994 and Sensations sub-brand in 2002. Additionally, Walkers has run several successful marketing campaigns over the years, including their “Do Us a Flavour” campaign which challenged the British public to come up with unique flavours for their crisps.

Despite some production issues affecting certain flavours, Walkers remains one of the most popular snack food manufacturers in the UK and Ireland.

The Bring It Back Campaign

The Bring it Back campaign was launched by Walkers in 2015 to allow fans to vote for their favourite discontinued flavour to be brought back. Five classic flavours were chosen for the campaign, including Toasted Cheese, Barbecue, Cheese and Chive, Lamb and Mint, and Beef and Onion.

The campaign was a huge success, with over 1.3 million votes tallied from across the UK. Beef and Onion proved to be the most popular flavour among crisp lovers, receiving almost half a million votes. The second most popular flavour was Cheese and Chive, followed by Lamb and Mint, Toasted Cheese, and Barbecue.

As the winner of the campaign, Beef and Onion crisps were brought back in November 2015 and were available to buy in stores nationwide in a six-pack single format. The success of the campaign exceeded all expectations, with Walkers’ Marketing Director Rachel Holmes commenting on the incredible passion of crisp fans who voted thousands of times for their preferred flavour.

The Success Of Walkers Beef And Onion Crisps

The success of Walkers Beef and Onion crisps can be attributed to the brand’s Bring it Back campaign, which allowed fans to vote for their favourite discontinued flavour. The overwhelming response from fans, with 480,000 votes for Beef and Onion, demonstrated the passion and loyalty of crisp lovers. The campaign was a huge success, exceeding all expectations and generating widespread media coverage.

The reintroduction of Beef and Onion crisps was also a testament to Walkers’ willingness to listen to their customers and respond to their demands. By bringing back a classic flavour that had been discontinued for years, Walkers showed that they value their customers’ opinions and are committed to meeting their needs.

The popularity of Beef and Onion crisps has continued since their reintroduction, with many fans expressing their delight at being able to enjoy their favourite flavour once again. However, production issues have led to shortages in some stores, highlighting the high demand for this flavour.

The Current State Of Walkers Flavours

Currently, Walkers offers a wide range of flavours for their crisps, including Ready Salted, Salt & Vinegar, Cheese & Onion, Smoky Bacon, and Prawn Cocktail, which are their most common flavours. Other flavours such as Beef & Onion, Marmite, and Worcester sauce are also available in different coloured packets.

In 2021, Walkers expanded their non-HFSS (high in fat, salt and sugar) Max Strong range with two new flavours: Fiery Prawn Cocktail and Hot Sauce Blaze. These new strong flavours contain lower levels of fat and salt and are aimed at appealing to the younger generation while delivering maximum flavour.

Walkers has also introduced two “trending tastes” inspired by street food from across the world: BBQ Pulled Pork and Spicy Sriracha. These new flavours were launched as part of a TV campaign that brings the inspiration of the flavours to life by placing them within the setting from which they came.

However, Walkers has faced production issues in recent years due to IT trouble that caused a shortage of crisps leading to some of their best-known flavours being absent from supermarket shelves. Despite these challenges, Walkers continues to offer a variety of flavours for their customers to enjoy.