Tayto Park to be renamed as facility seeks ‘new identity’

Tayto Park is to be renamed next year after the Co Meath-based theme park and the famous Irish crisp brand announced the end of their relationship in its current form following more than a decade of collaboration.

Tayto Snacks and Tayto Park said on Tuesday that the title sponsorship for what is one of Ireland's most popular attractions will come to an end on December 31st.

There will be a new name and identity for the theme park from January 2023.

It’s understood the park, which also incorporates a zoo, is looking at a range of possibilities in terms of a new sponsor, but an announcement could be made in the coming weeks.

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Tayto Park founder Raymond Coyle said the move was being taken now as the park is looking to expand and meet new targets.

Mr Coyle has a long association with Tayto Snacks and Tayto Park. He founded Largo Foods, which was previously Tayto’s parent company, in 1982.

Largo acquired the Tayto and King brands in 2006 from Irish food and drinks company C&C Group for €62 million.

When Mr Coyle opened Tayto Park in 2010, it carried the Tayto brand following a sponsorship deal arising from his involvement with the crisp brand.

However, Mr Coyle sold a 15 per cent stake in Largo Foods to German firm Intersnack in 2007 for €15 million, before losing control of the company after selling his final 25 per cent stake to Intersnack in 2015.

At that point, he resigned from Largo Foods but continued to run Tayto Park, which he owns.

Largo, which also owned Hunky Dorys, then rebranded as Tayto Snacks in 2019 to boost its public association with the eponymous crisp brand.

“I am delighted to have aligned with one of the most iconic Irish brands, so successfully, for over a decade,” said Mr Coyle on Tuesday. “Our partnership with Tayto Snacks has helped to create one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions in little over 12 years.

“We have decided that in order to expand and meet our ambitious targets for the park, now is the opportune time to rename the park to better reflect the exciting rides, attractions and zoo that are coming over the next few years.

“We now look forward to a new and exciting chapter for the park, with many new developments planned, including an investment of €30 million over the next two years.

“On behalf of myself and my team I would like to thank the management of Tayto Snacks for its belief in our vision. It has been a very special partnership and we look forward to the year ahead and indeed continuing our journey and close relationship with Tayto Snacks.”

John O’Connor, managing director of Tayto Snacks, said he was “immensely proud” of the group’s title sponsorship of Tayto Park over the past decade.

He said the relationship has “supported the creation of one of Ireland’s most successful tourist attractions welcoming more than 5 million visitors since it was established in 2010”.

“Our sponsorship of the park during that time has helped us to further enhance the emotional connection Tayto has with Irish consumers,” he continued.

This had been achieved “by reinforcing the brand’s values around family and community in addition to continuing to foster the great affection they hold for Ireland’s most popular crisps and snacks brand since its creation over 65 years ago”.

“We . . . look forward to further collaboration with them as we pursue new initiatives to support the ambitious plans we have in store for the Tayto brand in its next phase of growth,” he added.