Welsh mineral water brand Radnor Hills is making its first move outside the drinks industry by investing in a new snacking brand.
The firm has secured the sales, marketing and distribution rights for beleaguered Burts Snacks, a well-established brand with a widely available crisp range, through a new venture named Canny Snacks.
Radnor Hills said the new business will build on its established expertise, infrastructure and customer relationships to “unlock growth” within the adjacent and complementary snacking market.
Canny Snacks is set to operate as a standalone business, led by grocery business development manager Tom Carne and supported by Radnor Hills’ wider commercial and operational teams.
The firm will also be guided by William Watkins, founder and chief executive officer of Radnor Hills, alongside Adrian Carne, former chief executive officer of Yeo Valley.
“Canny Snacks allows us to explore growth beyond drinks and into the fast-growing snacking market, building on the experience, infrastructure and relationships we already have at Radnor Hills,” said Watkins.
“This is an exciting opportunity for Radnor Hills to expand into a category that naturally complements our core drinks business – after all, great drinks and great snacks are the perfect combination.”
For its part, Burts Snacks will remain in the ownership of Europe Snacks, which acquired the brand and its Plymouth production facility in 2023.
Europe Snacks will remain the exclusive manufacturing partner for the Burts brand, with production continuing in Plymouth using the same sourcing and manufacturing processes.
Radnor Hills is one of the UK’s leading soft drinks manufacturers and, alongside its flagship mineral water, produces ginger beer, cordials, lemonade, squash and juice drinks.
Canny Snacks co-founder and director Carne added: “We’re delighted to be launching this new partnership by securing the sales and marketing rights for Burts Snacks, with the transition taking place in the coming weeks.”
“We see a huge opportunity to unlock the potential of the Burts brand and build a scalable snacking business. By combining the strengths of Radnor Hills, Europe Snacks and our wider partners, we are well placed to drive future growth through a collaborative approach.”
