Cornitos is the largest brand in the Nachos Crisps category in India and the brand portfolio includes Nachos Crisps, Veggie Nachos, Taco Shells, Chunky Salsa Dips, Tortilla Wraps, DIY KITS, Corn Nuts, Party Mix, SuperSeeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Roasted Premium Nuts – Cashews & Almonds, Coated Green Peas, and Pickles – Jalapeno Peppers & Gherkins. The complete range of products is available at the e-commerce website.
In an exclusive chat with Medianews4U, Vikram Agarwal, Managing Director, Cornitos talks about the launch of the brand, Indian snacking preferences and much more.
Cornitos the brand, when was it launched?
Cornitos is a Made in India brand, which started operations in 2009. While launching Cornitos, the focus was entering an uncontested space where competitors were yet to step in, thus reducing entry costs and getting better value. We slowly overcame all roadblocks and now our portfolio includes Nacho Crisps, Veggie nachos, Taco Shells, Dips, Mexican Delights, Nuts & Seeds, Combo Packs, Festive Packs, DIY Kits and Tortilla Wraps. Complete Range of Products available in Retail, E-Retail, and Modern Trade stores. We recently launched our e-commerce website – https://shop.cornitos.in/ which is also doing exceedingly well.
Across India, savoury snacks are very popular, each region has its own variety and is very popular, how did Cornitos enter this market, and what were the challenges in getting people to shift from traditional snacking to Cornitos?
In India, traditional namkeen still dominated people’s taste buds. I researched the Indian snack market and found a gap between the ubiquitous Indian namkeen and Western crisps. I thought this gap could be filled with tortilla chips. Nachos weren’t an established snack category when Cornitos first launched. After a few years of struggle, Cornitos has become the largest nachos brand in India in terms of market share. Consumers are continuing to broaden their concepts of snack foods beyond potato chips and cookies. Cornitos is seeing an upward trend and is moving in a positive direction due to the changing consumer preference for healthy snacking.
Why IPL & why Delhi Capital?
As an associate sponsor for Delhi Capitals in the past IPL season, we had taken up this opportunity to reach out to the masses in Tier II and Tier III cities. We had launched our economical range in order to appeal to the masses and Cricket is the best time to snack and cheer for favorite teams. We would also be launching a social media campaign under the umbrella name of ‘Crunch Ka Superhero.’
This collaboration gave us a platform to reach more people and give our existing consumers a new opportunity to enjoy the product offerings. IPL is one of the most beloved sports in our country wherein brands get a chance to reach the masses. In order to create a bigger buzz we had giveaway contests on social media and offered special discounts to consumers on our e-commerce website – shop.cornitos.in.
Has snacking become more prevalent now thanks to WFH?
The changes in the habits are majorly in the choice of snacks. People are going towards more healthy snacks with natural ingredients. The people are going for smaller packs but frequent times. There has been an incessant rise in mindful snacking and domestic brands are following this trend to innovate their products by introducing small packages or healthier variants or a mix of both.
Cornitos Veggie Nachos saw a rise in sales during the pandemic, as consumers were conscious of their consumption. Along with this Cornitos also has a range of healthy products like Cornitos Roasted Cashews and Almonds, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, Super Seeds (A combination of pumpkin, sunflower, watermelon, and flax seed), and Roasted Corn Nuts launched in 3 flavors i.e. Lemon chili cilantro, Spanish Tomato, and Cheesy Jalapeno.
Today there are many options in the market, most claiming to be healthy snacking options, what is Cornitos USP?
Cornitos Nachos Crisps is a Mexican snack in International flavors catering to the Indian palate. Cornitos offers snacks that are unique flavors, healthy ingredients, Gluten-Free, and are cooked in healthy Corn oil. All products are Non-GMO, Zero Trans Fat, Zero Cholesterol, and High in protein and fiber with nature-identical seasoning.
Any innovative marketing ideas for the festive season?
The festive offering from Cornitos includes packs like Nachos Fiesta, Indie Nuts, Utsava- Bag of Happiness, Party Packs, FestiveBlaaast. We are launching a new range of baked snacks that would promote healthy snacking. All our products are available on the e-commerce website, retail stores, mom& pop stores. E-Gift Cards are the new addition that is available exclusively on https://shop.cornitos.in/ and is the perfect gifting option for loved ones. There was an exclusive discount offer on Cornitos E-Commerce website, buzz for the same was created on Cornitos social media pages.
Today everything is on the digital platform, has it helped Cornitos to drive sales for this festive season?
Yes, Cornitos has an array of festive offerings like curated gift boxes in attractive packaging as well as E-Gift Cards in two denominations for consumers to choose from. The sales took place from on-ground stores as well as digital platforms. The Cornitos E-Commerce Website had attractive discount offers, as well as loyalty program benefits named Cornitos Crunchy Points to help consumers shop from the website often. They were promoted on social media pages along with digital advertisements.
Trends in the coming years when it comes to snacking?
The current trend is healthy snacking and it will continue to be one of the major trends for the upcoming year. The brands are taking care of this by introducing immunity-building products like our Super Seeds, Corn Nuts, and Veggie Nachos range which is a combination of healthy and tasty snacks which can be enjoyed while binging watching on their favourite shows or working from home.
The next trend is an interesting take on easy cooking that can be made for intimate get-togethers with family and close friends. The rise in DIY cooking has been infinite with restaurants joining the food bandwagon and introducing chef-made kits that are easy to assemble on a lazy afternoon. We have launched CORNITOS DIY KITS that come in three variants of Hara Bhara Kebab Wrap, Falafel Wrap, and Shami Kebab Wrap. They are ready to cook and can be prepared in less than 10 minutes.
Sustainability is an important aspect and all industries should take part in saving the environment. We pay attention to the packaging of the products. Our products like CornNuts, Super Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, all Nuts and Seeds come in resalable packs that allow consumers multi time usage while preserving their freshness. During the festive season, Cornitos launched the Utsava Gift Range, an eco-friendly jute bag that can be reused.
