Rishy Crisps

Rishy XL Crisps

Rishy Crisps was founded in the 1950s in Lancashire. The company moved into a former woollen mill in Great Harwood in the early 1960s. It was later acquired by another Lancashire snacks company, Burtons.

There was possibly a factory fire some time in the 1960s:

“I remember a big fire there in the 1960’s, the floor was covered in hot oil, it ruined our fire boots which were made of leather, after that the brigade changed to a thick soled rubber boot with a steel toe protector.”

Comment via AcringtonWeb.com/forum

Rishy Crisps became known for XL Crisps which were hugely popular in the North of England and Scotland for a time. The XL brand was revived in the 1980s, but just two years later, in 1986, all but two of the staff at the Great Harwood factory were made redundant and the factory ceased production.

Rishy Crisps advert on the back of a bus, Ribble 1961 – Photo C.Wright. (Collection)
Boxes of Rishy Crisps on a platform, Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway 1971.
1950s Rishy Potato Crisps large display advertising tin – via Etsy.
Rishy Crisps beer mat – via Etsy.

9 thoughts on “Rishy Crisps

    1. They used to sell bags of xl cheese crisps at Darwen Baths. Can we still get them? They were the best I have ever tasted.

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      1. Yes, you can still buy them, only now they are part of the Golden Wonder group. They were very popular in the NW. During the 1950s I can remember sitting in a pub car park in the Lake District and being supplied with Rishy XL cheese flavoured crisps. These crisps ever.
        Still available by the box on ebay and amazon

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  1. Yes, you can still buy them, only now they are part of the Golden Wonder group. They were very popular in the NW. During the 1950s I can remember sitting in a pub car park in the Lake District and being supplied with Rishy XL cheese flavoured crisps. These crisps the best ever.
    Still available by the box on ebay and amazon

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Most shops and pubs in and around Carlisle stock these, as far as I’m aware they’ve never been off the shelves and are still among the most common empty bags seen blowing across the street.

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  3. Rishy crisps cheese flavour were the best ever, had them all the time in the fifty. Our local shop sold out they were great 👍.

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  4. Remember working as a Contractor at their factory in the early 80’s. Some knob in procurement cocked up by buying inferior potatoes and Rishy lost the Marks and Spencer contract. We got laid off in favour of Rishy’s own fitters team. They had a great canteen too. Its a shame one pillock cost them so dearly

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  5. I remember rushy crisp being across from my school in Great Harwood and smoke coming out of the chimlies. I went to the Western County infants and the primary school next door. I loved their crisp the one with the small packet of salt and prawn cocktail happy memories

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