KP Snacks has been hit by a cyber attack that is expected to result in a UK stock shortage across its range of popular brands.
The targeted attack on the company’s IT systems could mean that Skips, Nik Naks, Hula Hoops, McCoy’s crisps and KP Nuts themselves are in short supply for the next two months.
A statement from KP Snacks, which was sent out to stores across the UK, said that deliveries could face delays and cancellations up until “the end of March at the earliest”, as “at this stage we cannot safely process orders or dispatch goods.”
It went on to reveal that the ransomware attack took place on Friday 28 January and that the company would be limiting the size of orders to retailers in order to manage the stock it had remaining.
Read more: Sainsbury’s payroll system targeted in cyber attack affecting 150,000 employees
“As soon as we became aware of the incident, we enacted our cybersecurity response plan and engaged a leading forensic information technology firm and legal counsel to assist us in our investigation,” KP Snacks later told Sky News.
“Our internal IT teams continue to work with third-party experts to assess the situation.
“We have been continuing to keep our colleagues, customers, and suppliers informed of any developments and apologise for any disruption this may have caused.”
The cybercriminals who carried out the attack are threatening to release information stolen from the company’s IT systems as they try to force it into making a payment to decrypt its files to continue operations.
Click here to sign up to Grocery Gazette’s free daily email newsletter
