Growing Bradford-based snack manufacturer Seabrook Crisps is looking to develop a second factory within the next five years.

The company, which in the last three years has become the UK’s fastest growing potato crisp brand supplying all major supermarkets, intends to have a second factory up and running by 2015.

The new site is likely to be in the Midlands or the south of England to enable easier distribution.

Managing director John Tague said no timescale for developing a new factory had been finalised, but a second production base to handle an expanding range of products would be needed within the next five years.

He said £5.2m had been invested in the Bradford factory over the past two-and-a-half years, including the first robotic packing machine of its kind in the UK snacks industry.

He said: “We have ambitious plans and intend to widen our crisp range, including some innovative new products.

“We currently use another crisp maker to handle extra capacity, but a second factory will be needed.

“We are proud to be a Bradford-based business but, as we become a national brand, it will make sense to have extra production elsewhere. This will make transportation easier.”

Mr Tague told guests at the Bradford Chamber of Commerce annual lunch that Seabrook was on target to increase sales to £50m by 2015 and had ambitions to grow to £80m. Since 2007 sales had risen from just over £12m to £29m, transforming a failing local business into a national success.

A drive to increase shelf space in leading supermarkets had recently included Morrisons’ most successful crisp promotion which saw 1.7m packs of Seabrook crisps being sold in its stores in one week Seabrook also plans to boost funding for marketing, such as links with Yorkshire County Cricket Club.