Former chief executive of Yodel chips in at Tayto Group, bringing fresh seasoning to the company’s global ambitions..'I am excited to be helping to unlock the potential'

Northern Ireland’s largest savoury snack manufacturer, Tayto Group, has appointed Mike Hancox as its new chief executive officer.

Mike will take over from Fergal McCann, who will retire in January after 13 years with Tayto as finance director and then CEO.

Mike, who will start at Tayto on the 1st of January 2026, is an experienced CEO with experience of leading businesses in the Food Manufacturing, Retail and Logistics sectors as well as holding non-executive board roles in Technology, Infrastructure and Licensing companies. He joins Tayto Group after six years as the chief executive of Yodel, the parcel delivery company.

Tayto Group executive chairman, Stephen Hutchinson, said: “I’d like to thank Fergal for his substantial contribution to our growth and success over the past 13 years.

"We wish him well in his retirement. I’m delighted to welcome Mike to Tayto, bringing with him a wealth of experience leading similar businesses to deliver outstanding results.

"We look forward to him joining the business and building on the strong foundations that we have in place.”

Mike said: “I am excited to be joining Tayto Group and helping to unlock the potential of its products and brands. Tayto is a successful business with a very solid base on which to grow, and I can’t wait to get started.”