Queen’s Xmas cracker maker is booming

IG Design Group is a leading provider of stationery and gifts

Its Tom Smith brand is the supplier of Christmas crackers to the Queen

The brand has been providing the Royal Family with its crackers since the reign of King George V in 1910

Tom Smith invented the Christmas cracker in 1847, developed from bon-bon sweets which were sold in a twisted wrapper

The ‘snap’ element of the cracker was created after Tom Smith was inspired by the crackling sound of logs on a fire

Tom Smith’s crackers are designed in Wales and hand manufactured in a factory in China for distribution worldwide

Tom Smith makes more than 74 million crackers a year

THE maker of the Queen’s Christmas crackers has posted strong results following a boom in its US business and other overseas markets.

IG Design, which owns Tom Smith, the upmarket supplier of festive wrapping paper and Christmas crackers, posted a 15pc increase in profits to £35.4m in the six months to the end of September. Sales jumped 14pc to £166.5m, driven by its US business which enjoyed an 18pc rise to $91.3m.

The firm makes and distributes stationery, gift wrapping and cards for retailers worldwide. Customers include Poundland, Harrods, Selfridges and Tesco. Compared to its overseas operations, IG Design’s UK business saw the least growth but still posted a 4pc rise in sales to £57.5m.

The company also expects to benefit from sales linked to the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle next spring. Paul Fineman, chief executive, said: ‘It provides a bit of a feel-good factor.’