Kellogg leaps into the major savourysnacks league with Pringles acquisition

Kellogg's move to snap up the Pringles brand from Procter & Gamble (P&G) for a cool £1.7bn was one of the biggest announcements of the past month.

The deal, which was clinched following the failure of Pringles' planned sale to Diamond Foods, vaults Kellogg into the major league in savoury snack foods, with a number two position in the category, according to its chief executive John Bryant.

Pringles is reported to have global sales of around $1.5bn and will become Kellogg's second largest brand after its cereal Special K. The sale will complete P&G's exit from the food sector.

Julian Wild, food group director with Rollits, told FoodManufacture.co.uk: "It is a big punt into the snack foods market and for the sort of money we are talking about, it was always going to be one of them."

Industry commentators are waiting to see what Kellogg will do with the brand.