KP Snacks has taken over the Herefordshire hand- made crisps brand Tyrrells from The Hershey Company.

Tyrrells "posh crisps" were founded by Leominster potato farmer and entrepreneur William Chase who later sold his stake and went on to create award-winning Chase Vodka.

Mark Thorpe, CEO of KP Snacks, part of the German based Intersnack Group, said: "Tyrrells is an iconic brand with a big personality that has performed well both in the UK and international markets.

"This acquisition is a fantastic opportunity for us to add premium hand-cooked crisps to the KP business and a brand which further increases our capability in the sharing category. We can now offer our consumers and customers a total savoury snacking category portfolio."

Maarten Leerdam, executive chairman of Intersnack Group, said: "The Intersnack Board is delighted about this opportunity. It is an excellent strategic fit which not only strengthens our market coverage in the UK and France with the Tyrrells brand but also adds Aroma Snacks in Germany and their promising brand Lisa organic potato chips."

Malcolm Burns, managing director of Tyrrells International, said: "I am incredibly proud of everything the Tyrrells team has achieved, starting in our farmhouse kitchen 16 years ago to become a brand loved internationally across more than 40 countries.

"We bring our award-winning capabilities in hand cooked crisps and popcorn to join with the UK's fastest growing scale snacks manufacturer. KP Snacks offers a great long-term home for Tyrrells, Aroma and YVSF, providing a stable platform for growth over the coming years."