A UK crisp brand stocked in major supermarkets including Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s has collapsed after 54 years in business.
The company has stopped trading, leaving almost 100 workers facing redundancy in what administrators have described as a “tremendously sad outcome”.
Glens of Antrim Potatoes Ltd, a Northern Irish potato supplier and crisp manufacturer founded in 1972, has entered administration after struggling with rising costs.
The company, which operated from Cushendall and Ballymena, started out supplying potatoes before expanding into crisps sold across the UK and Ireland.
Administrators from Interpath were appointed on September 21, with the business immediately closing its operations.
Almost all of its 95 employees have lost their jobs, with only a small number staying on to help with the administration process.
Stuart Irwin, managing director at Interpath, said: “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.”
Glens of Antrim Potatoes Ltd has entered administration after struggling with rising costs
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The administrators are helping affected employees following the closure, which has also dealt a blow to the local communities where the company operated.
The business had been struggling with rising farming, staffing, fuel and energy costs.
These increasing expenses, alongside growing cash flow problems, eventually left the company unable to continue trading.
In an effort to keep the business afloat, directors pursued several avenues including refinancing arrangements and attracting fresh investment.
Glens is stocked in major supermarkets including Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s alongside other popular crisp brands
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None of these options ultimately proved workable, leaving administration as the only remaining course of action.
The wider agri-food sector in Northern Ireland has faced sustained financial strain, with rising operational costs squeezing margins for producers and suppliers at every stage of the chain.
Products from Glens of Antrim were stocked by Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, with the firm producing a variety of signature flavours under its own brand.
The company’s former headquarters near Ballymena have been put on the market at £2.6million
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The company’s former headquarters near Ballymena have been put on the market at £2.6 million.
Interpath is now inviting expressions of interest from potential purchasers of the company’s remaining business and assets.
The closure is the latest in a series of UK food businesses going into administration this year.
Fairoak Foods, Millennium Dough Company, Every Fresh Dairy and King Foods have also collapsed in 2026, as rising costs and difficult trading conditions continue to put pressure on the industry.