A malfunctioning sign above his seat on an Air New Zealand flight was the catalyst for a Richmond businessman landing a key contract to supply nutritious snack bars to first-class travellers.

Carl Thornalley produces a range of Cannon bars and sauces from a property in Champion Rd, Richmond.

He started the business a couple of years ago with his former partner Shannon, who has since returned to the United States. They began selling their products at the Nelson market and got "a pretty nice little following".

Returning from a visit to the US, Mr Thornalley found that the call sign above his seat kept going off and ended up down the back of the plane, drinking bloody marys and chatting with the cabin attendants. They suggested that he get in touch with the airline's caterers -- and with "a little bit of luck and a little bit of perseverance", he landed a contract.

Mr Thornalley's company supplies the airline with about 3600 bars a month -- most of the company's total production -- which go to first-class passengers on long-haul flights. The business employs just one person, and every bar is hand-wrapped....