Bensons well-fed on snack-foods

BENSONS Crisps said today that growing demand in the adult snack- foods sector, the success of its own-name brand business, and the benefits of its recent Country Store acquisition meant profit prospects for its key second half were bright.

Six-month profits rose 12% to GBP 0.9 million on sales up 18% to GBP 20.8 million. The half-year dividend rises 20% to 0.6p. Cyclically lower commodity prices normally make the second half the key profit period for the firm.

Bensons has about 7% of a GBP 5 billion-a-year British snack- foods market that is growing at 8%. It is looking to acquire a processing firm to add value to its savoury-snacks business, which grew 43% year on year. Managing Director Neil Hopkins-Coman said Bensons had also secured major deals from supermarkets to buy its new Space Wars crisps.

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