​Asda
Address: ASDA Group Limited, Asda House Southbank, Great Wilson St., Leeds LS11 5AD, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Telephone: 0843 557 3638
Email: Website Contact Form
Website: www.asda.com

Asda

This is Asda's own historical profile:
Asda can trace its roots back to a group of Yorkshire farmers who formed Hindell's Dairies in the 1920s, processing and retailing milk and meat to a growing customer base. The company expanded and diversified, acquiring more processing dairies, abattoirs, bakeries, shops, four managed farms and 22 rented farms, and in 1949, the company floated as Associated Dairies and Farm Stores Ltd. 
Meanwhile, an American group, GEM, came to the UK with the idea of opening large stores filled with separate shops. This revolutionary idea was not really taken up by many customers at first, and in 1965 the company was ready to sell their UK holding.
Whilst GEM was exploring new ideas with these out-of-town superstores, the Asquith brothers opened the 'Queen's Supermarket' in Pontefract in 1963, offering "Permanent Reductions" and a shop open until 8pm on Fridays. Sites followed at Edlington in 1964 and South Elmsall in 1965. Despite success, the company needed financial backing. Associated Dairies and Queen's Supermarkets held talks and agreed to merge, creating Asda Stores Ltd. in 1965.
This new company decided to continue being revolutionary and bought the GEM chain in 1965, re-launching the stores in the Asda Queen's name.
​In 1968, Associated Dairies purchased the Asquith's stockholding and the Asda name was now owned by one company.
Stores continued to open throughout the 1970s with great success. The group also bought Allied Retailers and some Gateway stores.
The group had spread too thinly across retail and the share price plummeted during the 1980s. Recovery came slowly, but by June 1999, with the company successful once more, Asda was acquired by Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and became part of the world's biggest and best retailer.

​Asda Smoky Bacon Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test revealed a very slightest bacon aroma. There was a smoky taste, but the bacon aspect of the partnership was weak. It often takes imagination to believe any bacon flavour crisp tastes of bacon, which always has less flavour in reality, but these crisps did feature parity with other crisps of this variety.   
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​Asda Ridge Cut Salt & Malt Vinegar Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test provided me with a hint of vinegar and even a touch of salt, which is rare - The dominant smell of salt and vinegar crisps is almost always vinegar. The taste was also a little surprising because although the vinegar dominated it was not harsh or grimace inducing. However, although these were a little timid, a good salt and vinegar crisp should balance both flavours and these achieved this better than expected.  (12)
​Asda Roast Chicken Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test revealed an accurate roast chicken smell, although it was rather mild. The flavour was more akin to chicken stock than chicken itself, which, when roasted without seasoning, often has little taste. To compare these crisps to peers, it would probably be fair to say that while they were only mildly potato and chicken stock flavoured, the flavour was clear and evident.   
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​Asda Beef & Onion Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test suggested a somewhat fatty meat aroma. The greasy lard like substance that is left behind after a joint of meat is cooked sprang to mind. Fortunately, the taste was somewhat more rewarding. A few crisps at once were required to get the maximum flavour available, but there was a beef stock type of taste, added to by a slightly sweetened potato, with a definite hint of onion. The flavours were all pretty muted, but at least they didn't taste of lard.   
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​Asda Ridge Cut Cheddar & Onion Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test provided me with the anticipated cheese aroma, but also with a hint of onion. As there was so much seasoning powder, I could not resist licking the crisp. The result was a salty cheese that was almost liquid in consistency. The taste was mild sweet onion, with a sharpness that alluded to mature cheddar. The onion was more of a reminder as an after-taste, but overall, they provided a somewhat unique variation of the flavour. While I prefer a more familiar comparison list, the original tasting flavour was still rewarding.  
(15)
​Asda Salt & Vinegar Crisps 
There was a smell with the Nose Plunge Test, but the aroma was of such mild vinegar that it did not auger well for the Taste Test ahead. The most interesting aspect of these crisps was that while they did taste of salt and vinegar, it was as an after-taste. To explain - After the crisps had been eaten and long forgotten, there is often an after-taste reminder . . . ‘Oh yes, I had salt and vinegar crisps for lunch.’ They did not taste of salt and vinegar, but they did remind me of a dim and distant memory of the flavour.   
(5)
Asda Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar Crisps
When I’m greeted by such a standard and unimaginative bag I am rarely enthused by the delights within. A Nose Plunge Test revealed a slight smart of Vinegar, which was more welcome. There was a mild sweetness that hinted towards Cider Vinegar. There was not much salt about, but it was a reasonable attempt.
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​Asda Cheddar & Red Onion Crisps
A nose plunge test suggested a hint of cheese. Nothing major, but it was there. They were particularly crisp and crunchy. The Onion seemed to be missing in the Taste Test, but the cheese was reasonably heavy. The aftertaste was more reminiscent of a reasonable combo, with neither constituent dominating. Reasonable effort.
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​Asda Cheese & Onion Crisps 
There was a very mild cheese and onion flavour. The cheese dominated somewhat, but it was all present and correct, even if it was so muted that it was barely detectable.   
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​Asda Barbecue Rib Ridge Cut Crisps 
There appeared to be a distinct smell of barbecue ribs. Surely not? A second sniff confirmed. Perhaps one of the more certain aromas I have come across. There was a slightly spicy tomato that verged on the sweet, but it was more molasses-like than many of the sweet barbecue flavours among this variety's peers. There was also a black peppery background mixed in with aniseed, which was a first.   
(15)
​Asda Meat Feast Pizza Ridge Cut Crisps (W)
A Nose Plunge Test suggested a sort of barbecued meat aroma. There was also something sweet going on. I was ready to sneer, but much to my surprise, the crisps did taste of pizza. A study of the ingredients list explained that it was pretty much what you get on a meat feast pizza. The food science geniuses have created this from the following ingredients: Sugar, salt, onion powder, tomato powder, yeast extract, wheat flour, cheese powder, natural flavourings, ground black pepper, ground fennel, oregano, ground basil, paprika extract, lactic acid. Interestingly, the overriding taste was slightly spicy and sugary meat, but it was certainly reminiscent of a meaty pizza. 
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​Asda Ready Salted Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test revealed a somewhat oily potato smell. With the sunflower oil accounting for a third of the ingredients, along with potato and salt, it is perhaps unsurprising that a warm, fluffy, oily, slightly acrid potato emerged as the flavour within. Some crisps were a little saltier than others, but overall, it was a steady Eddie variety of ready salted option.   
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​Asda Indian Tikka Ridge Cut Crisps (W)
A Nose Plunge Test revealed a generic Indian sort of aroma - Maybe a little cumin based. This was confirmed by the ingredients list. At first taste there seemed a similarly generic spicy Indian meal type of flavour, but a few crisps in and the tikka flavouring that is synonymous with one of Britain's most popular curries, bounced through. There was also a spicy after-taste that was hotter than most chicken tikka masala dishes.   
(14)
​Asda Ridge Cut Steak & Onion Crisps 
A Nose Plunge Test provided a strange aroma that I would liken to meat fat. The flavour was a little more pleasant, but that imagery would not release itself and I felt that although there was an unmistakable meat flavour, it was fatty and greasy. I could not detect any onion and while the meat could be considered steak-like, it was not the sort of flavour that would have made it to the top price section of restaurant menus.   
(9)
Asda Southern Fried Chicken Ridge Cut  
There was a fried something or other smell when the bag was opened but I couldn’t ascertain whether it was fried chicken. Although chicken flavoured crisps generally taste of chicken stock rather than chicken itself, these certainly hinted towards the flavour description on the bag. They also had a somewhat surprising, and enjoyable,  pepper underlay, which was not mentioned on the bag. If the pepper was the attempt at making it a 'Southern-fried' variety it added an enjoyable extra even if it did not particularly have anything to do with the described seasoning.   
(11)
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​Asda Sweet Chilli Chicken Ridge Cut  
A Nose Plunge Test revealed a sweet chilli aroma, but if a purchase was made on this basis, it would be considered too mild. The flavour was unmistakable. It was sweet syrupy liquorice. The aftertaste also hinted towards liquorice. The crisps were agreeable but not really as described on the bag. 
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​Asda Ridge Cut Salted Crisps 
There was no notable aroma, but the flavour was mild salty potato. The taste was a warm and enriching slightly buttery baked potato, with a smattering of salt.   
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​Asda Handcooked Cheese & Red Onion (W)
There was a good healthy smart of Cheddar to the flavouring, which was complemented very well by an onion of some description. Ordinarily, there is a slightly sweeter flavour with red onion than the usual white onion, but this did not come through dramatically. These were good quality shop brand crisps.   
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Asda Jerk BBQ Chicken Crisps (W)
These highly seasoned crisps promised great things, but sadly let themselves down with an unedifying greasy undertone throughout. There was a mild spiciness that lingered for a short while after eating. There was also a slightly sticky sweetness, but no identifiable chicken. There was also that unremitting oiliness. I didn't get any Caribbean influence.   
(11)