IRISH Biscuits has entered the Irish snack food market with the launch of the Jacob's Chipster. The Chipster will "straddle the mainstream crisps market and the upper end of the adult snacks market, where brands like Pringles and Phileas Fogg have found a niche," the company said. The launch will be supported by a sampling and visibility campaign. Plans are also in progress to develop advertising for 1997.

Jacob has made a strategic alliance with Largo Foods, which has a 30 per cent share of the snack food market. Largo will distribute the product.

According to Irish Biscuits managing director Mr Bill McConnell, the snack food market is worth £90 million and is growing at almost 10 per cent a year.