UK-based Burts Potato Chips is making strides towards its goal of being a leader in snacking with the acquisition of popcorn business Savoury & Sweet Ltd.

This is the first acquisition for Burts which is diversifying and expanding its healthy snacking product range to now include popcorn.

“The Burts business has grown significantly over the last five years, from £11.4m (US$15.4 million) in 2013 to an anticipated £37m (US$50 million) post-acquisition for 2017,” says David Nairn, managing director of Burts, who will lead the newly formed business.

“While impressive, our ambition is to drive the business to over £100m in the next five years to become the UK’s biggest player within premium snacking.”

“This is an exciting time for everyone working at Burts and Savoury & Sweet. NPD is high on our agenda and we are looking forward to bringing new and exciting innovation that will challenge the current UK snack market.”

A Savoury & Sweet statement says this “exciting step for both businesses” will effectively create one the leading UK-owned premium snacking companies – bringing together Burts’ impressive potato chip business with the popcorn and healthy snack operation that exclusively makes products for UK household name brands.

Savoury & Sweet will become part of the Burts business, with the production facility, offices and warehouse remaining in Leicester, England and all members of staff will be retained in order meet all current and future orders.

It will continue to operate under the existing brand name for now but will be rebranded as Burts Snacks in due course.

Burts is privately British-owned, located in Devon which has been its home since it was founded in 1997 and has a long history of investing in its business. More than £12m (US$16.2 million) has been invested over the last five years, increasing potato frying capacity to 200 tons a week, as well as it's fast-growing ‘Better for you’ business at its 168-people production facility in the south west of England.