Whether you’re grabbing a packet as part of a meal deal or just fancying a quick snack, Walkers has long been a reliable choice for crisp fans across the country. Now the brand is stepping things up considerably, launching an entirely new premium range designed to compete with some of the more upmarket names already sitting on supermarket shelves.
Known as Walkers Gold, the new range has been described by the brand as being crafted to make any occasion feel a little more special, offering something with a bit more character than the everyday multipack. It marks a real departure for a brand best known for its classic, affordable range.
What flavours are in the new range?
The Walkers Gold lineup features three considerably more sophisticated flavours than fans might be used to, including Black Truffle, Sea Salt & Olive Oil, and Somerset Mature Cheddar & Onion. Each comes in a 140g sharing bag, positioning the range as a direct rival to established premium crisp brands already popular in UK supermarkets.
For now, the only place to get hold of them is online, where a pack costs £2. Shoppers who prefer buying in person won’t have to wait too long though, since the range is set to roll out nationwide from October 12, with a slightly lower recommended price of £1.50 once it reaches physical stores.
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How Walkers is describing the new crisps
According to Walkers’ senior marketing director, the new range has been designed to feel truly indulgent, with each crisp slow cooked for extra crunch and character, and cut thinner than usual for a more rustic texture. The aim, in the brand’s words, is bringing a bit of extra luxury to the crisp aisle.
The range has been positioned as an occasion crisp specifically, ideal for hosting friends and family over the festive period, or serving as a pre-dinner party snack. According to Walkers, anyone keen to try the new flavours can already order online, with wider availability arriving in stores from mid-October.
How this fits into Walkers’ wider changes this year
This isn’t the only shift happening at Walkers recently either. Earlier this year, the PepsiCo owned brand unveiled what it described as its biggest revamp in eighty years, introducing a modern sun inspired logo featuring rays of light radiating from the centre, a considerable change from its long-standing branding.
According to Walkers, the new design was intended to champion the real, 100 per cent British potatoes used in every pack, and each bag now also carries the signature of the brand’s original founder, Henry Walker, as a nod to its long-running heritage and commitment to quality.
Why some experts think there’s more change coming
The rebrand sparked plenty of discussion among marketing experts at the time, with some speculating it could be a sign of considerably bigger changes ahead for the brand. One marketing professor told Metro he expects Walkers to eventually branch out into products beyond crisps entirely.
According to the professor, brands typically refresh their logo either to simply modernise it, or to signal fundamental change to customers. He argued the previous logo, featuring an iconic yellow crisp at its centre, clearly communicated exactly what the brand sold, which becomes less necessary once a brand is already firmly established. The new sun icon, by contrast, has little obvious connection to crisps at all, which he suggested only really makes sense if Walkers has ambitions to expand well beyond its current product range.
What Walkers has said about its future plans
When approached directly about these wider speculations, Walkers offered little in the way of a firm answer, simply responding with a playful “watch this space” rather than confirming or denying any bigger changes ahead.
That kind of teasing response naturally leaves plenty of room for speculation, particularly given how significant this year’s rebrand and now the Walkers Gold launch have both proven to be for a brand that’s traditionally stuck closely to its classic crisp roots.
Whether or not Walkers eventually branches out beyond crisps entirely, the new Gold range certainly signals a brand keen to push into more premium territory, so grab a bag online now if you’re curious to try it before it reaches shelves nationwide next month.
