New snack sensation promises to be “sweet as”
Bill Neal is bringing his new snack sensation, kettle corn, to the masses at Fieldays this week and is pretty certain people will agree that it’s “Sweet As.”
Bill Neal is bringing his new snack sensation, kettle corn, to the masses at Fieldays this week and is pretty certain people will agree that it’s “Sweet As.”
The only challenge to his product, according to Bill Neal, is getting people to taste his product, and after that it’s a running joke that not many will get further than five steps away before they’re back to buy a bag.
“We have no idea what to expect from Fieldays but we’ll be popping around the clock to get ready.”
The first bag of Neal’s home-made, slightly sweet and slightly salty, kettle corn was sold at the Frankton markets in Hamilton just eight months ago.
Since then the gluten and dairy-free snack has been selling at video stores and cinemas around the North Island, and as of next week will be available at Pak’n’Save supermarkets in Hamilton.
Within five months, Neal’s “one man show” in the garage of his Raglan home could no longer keep up with demand.
But now, with a new base at the Ruakura Research Centre and the arrival of a deluxe fully-automated popcorn machine worth $400,000 from Chicago, Sweet As kettle corn production has gone from 32 bags an hour to 10 times that.
With the ability to pump out over 100,000 bags of popcorn a week, Neal is now able to supply school shops, expand his flavour range – next up is Kiwi-style light caramel corn – and offer Sweet As kettle corn as a fundraising product.
Everything about the product is proudly Kiwi sourced, from New Zealand made packaging to corn kernels from Gisborne.
“No matter what, we will stay a Kiwi company… I’m the only thing not quite Kiwi about this company.”
Hailing from San Diego himself, the keen surfer moved to Raglan six years ago and began working as a contractor before a back injury left him looking to try something else.
Bringing kettle corn to New Zealand had crossed Neal’s mind, but it wasn’t until his then one-year-old son, Ryan, miraculously chose “popcorn” as his first word that he knew it was the right thing to do.
“This is the funnest thing I’ve ever done. I get so many smiles and I make people’s day. I’m living the dream,” he said.
Kettle corn takes its name from the giant cauldron-style kettle used to make it. Once popped, the corn is caramelised with just the right amount of sugar – 30 per cent less than what Americans like – and finished off with a good dash of salt.
It is a healthy alternative to most snack-food with each large bag containing only one and a half tablespoons of sugar.
