Meet the Tiny Food Company that’s Taking on Doritos
As healthy eating, gluten-free diets, and veganism all have gained steam, they've spread into the snacking category. Still, that hasn't kept Americans from buying classic junk foods in far greater quantities, according to Nick Desai, the CEO of Snack it Forward, which makes Snacklins competitor Peatos, a crunchy cheese-flavored snack that's made from protein-packed peas instead of corn. In 2019, snack foods were a $43 billion market, according to research company IBISWorld.
For startups, that means a huge opportunity but also a huge challenge to market their products effectively. Desai says that despite Peatos' slightly healthier content, he isn't marketing toward a health-conscious consumer: "I think the market is going to shift back toward indulgence. These things--our love for fat and salt--are hard-wired into us." As the packaging for Snacklins has evolved, Kobrosly has made similar decisions. He's removed references to the snack being vegan from the front of package, which instead now has a tagline encouraging indulgent snacking: ’Eat the whole bag!