New popcorn company Savory Kernels has got a boost from the America’s Cup.

For the company, founded less than a year ago by Deshun Simmons and business partner Wollette Smith, is to be one of the four “sweet cuisine” retailers in the Dockyard AC Village.

Mr Simmons said: “This is an amazing experience for Bermuda and we feel very honoured to be chosen out of the many vendors that submitted documents.

“We were hoping to be selected and saw that our product would be a good fit in bringing a unique item to the village. We were hopeful and excited to be a part of this momentous occasion.”

And Mr Simmons said he hoped the massive sailing event would help the company launch new products in the future to add to the 70-plus popcorn flavours, as well as cotton candy, already available.

He added: “We all know this is not just a great opportunity for us as a company but Bermuda as a whole — everyone is excited for us.

“We are hoping that this will afford us the opportunity to branch out into the new products that we have on our road map as well us showing locals, and tourists alike, what we have to offer with our gourmet popcorn and cotton candy.

“We believe that our products will also be familiar with a lot of visitors as many come into our shops and say it reminds them of a store that’s in their area that they visit often — it’s good to see familiarity when travelling.”

While Mr Simmons and Ms Smith have no plans to add any extra flavours for the Cup, they will add snowballs to their other offerings of cotton candy and popcorn, a trio they believe will be “a great combination.”

And Mr Simmons predicted the America’s Cup would benefit the entire island, as well as his own Queen Street, Hamilton-based company, which also has an outlet in St George’s.

He said: “The Cup, in our opinion, has afforded a lot of businesses, both large and small, a great opportunity with some already seeing additional revenue that might not have been there prior to the Cup,

“We have also seen, even with us, businesses having to hire additional part-time staff to get them through these last and next few months ahead.

“That additional income to these individuals has a ripple on effect which then impacts other businesses around the island.

“Think about the hotels, taxis, bike rentals, vacation rentals, et cetera that have seen a positive influx of business leading up to and during the Cup — these are industries that haven’t seen numbers like this in a while which shows that Bermuda is hopefully, moving in the right direction.”

Mr Simmons added: “Bermuda is not only gaining a lot of international exposure from this event, but a lot of additional infrastructure that will be left at the end of this event.

“From technological infrastructure to improved land and buildings, things that may not have happened at all, or as quickly, without a push from the Cup.

“We are hoping that this exposure can show the world that although we are a small island, we have the means and the drive to support events of this magnitude and can support other events if they wish to utilise our island.”

America’s Cup Village ticket holders will be able to sample a range of food from local vendors, as well as other attractions.

Tickets and transportation can be booked online at www.americascup.com/tickets