Calcutta, Aug. 30: Ramesh Chauhan-owned Parle Agro — the maker of juice drink Frooti and packaged drinking water Bisleri — has inked an agreement with Keventer Agro to set up a snack food plant.

The new unit at Barasat will be ready by December and manufacture Parle’s snack brand Hippo. Besides manufacturing, Keventer will be responsible for marketing, sales and distribution.

Mayank Jalan, managing director of Keventer Agro said, “We are excited about the tie-up and confident about Hippo making it among the top snack brands in the east within a year.”

The development comes at a time Parle Agro is extending its snack range.

Nadia Chauhan, joint managing director of Parle Agro, said, “We have decided to partner Keventer for our range of food brands. It is a positive step and will help us leverage our strengths to expand Hippo’s reach in the east.”