Christchurch-based business success story Cookie Time is partnering with the host of global TV phenomenon The Amazing Race, New Zealander Phil Keoghan, to launch one of its products into 6500 stores in the United States.

Cookie Time is aiming to double its size and become a “$50 million business” in three to five years, according to its chief executive Lincoln Booth.

The success of its One Square Meal product in the US will be key to achieving that goal.

One Square Meal is designed as a meal replacement and each “square,” which contains two muesli bars, offers one third of a person’s daily nutritional requirements.

The product was launched three years ago and is currently sold in New Zealand only.

Mr Keoghan, a six-time Emmy award winner and keen bike riding enthusiast, stumbled on One Square Meal while visiting New Zealand and began taking up to 40 packets back to the US to share with members of his bike club.

A year after Cookie Time and Mr Keoghan began talks, the result is a 50/50 partnership where a new company – One Square Meal USA – will sell One Square Meals, co-branded with Mr Keoghan’s brand No Opportunity Wasted, through General Nutrition Centre (GNC) health stores in the US.

GNC is the country’s largest speciality retailer of vitamin, mineral, herbal and sports nutrition supplies.

The first shipment of One Square Meals, worth $1 million, left this week on three Air New Zealand cargo planes.

Mr Booth said the airline, as well as distribution partner Mainfreight, had worked hard to get the first shipment away only two months after the deal was officially signed in December.

“We’ve probably moved the Southern Alps an inch to the left to get this done,” he said.

One Square Meal, which has international patents pending, will initially be stocked in 1000 GNC stores.

This will increase to 6500 in six months time.

Cookie Time has hired 27 new staff and introduced a new night shift to cope with the demand.

Mr Booth said the New Zealand market is quite mature and the dollar dropping had made exporting more appealing.

One Square Meal will sell for a similar price in the US: $US4.50-4.70, versus $4.30-5.00 in New Zealand.

One Square Meal is the first No Opportunity Wasted-branded product that Mr Keoghan has launched, and he said he wouldn’t have pursued the business relationship if Cookie Time hadn’t been a New Zealand company.

“When we leave, we want to support our own,” he said, adding that he considers himself an unofficial ambassador for the country.

“New Zealand feels so much more manageable. It doesn’t feel so overwhelming trying to do something.”

Mr Keoghan is peddling – or should that be pedalling – One Square Meal by riding across the United States.

His ride from Santa Monica to New York will take 40 days and major broadcaster CBS is filming the journey.

Mr Booth said the coverage would be worth an advertising ratecard spend of $20 million.

Cookie Time was founded by brothers Michael and Guy Mayell 26 years ago.

Its “Original Chocolate Chunk” product remains New Zealand’s most popular individually wrapped biscuit.