Glasgow businessman Fraser Heenan is bringing the Cornitos snack brand he discovered on a visit to India to shops across the UK.
New Zealander Heenan tried the chips while on a business trip for mobile group Three, for whom he worked in Glasgow.
He left to set up marketing business Blaze XK in 2018 and found a wholesaler for Cornitos in London and the Midlands last May. Now he has signed a deal with United Wholesale in Glasgow which will take the brand into convenience stores across Scotland.
Cornitos are already being sold in grocery chain One O One's 45 shops in Scotland and have been signed up by Global Foods wholesale in Cardiff. United Wholesale will also stock Cornitos at its Gateshead warehouse.
Heenan is a former Sky executive who is also on the board of Glasgow City FC. At Three, he was in charge of the telecoms firm's contact centres in India and South Africa.
He said: “I brought some home and we liked them so much that I got in touch with the brand owner to agree an exclusive distributor contract for the sale of Cornitos in the UK.
“We’ve very much tailored the flavours to the local market and will launch a further exciting flavour before the end of the year.”
Cornitos come in a 70g sharing pack. They were previously launched by Dhamecha Cash & Carry group and wholesaler Suma Wholefoods but are little known in Britain. They are available in Lime and Mint, Barbeque, Thai Sweet Chilli, and Peri Peri.
Blaze XK, which Heenan founded with business partner Gordon Bremner, also has the UK licences for Kids Base Layers and Squishmallows.
Heenan added: “Cornitos has been extremely well received by trade partners and customers alike with over 100,000 packs already in convenience channels in the two months since we launched.
“Cornitos brings a new dimension to the healthier snacking category with natural flavours from the Himalayas and around the world giving it a point of difference in the snacks aisle.”
