Rogue, a Los Angeles-based high-protein snack company, has announced a $2.5 million pre-seed funding round led by Science Inc., with participation from Uncommon VC, Simple Food Ventures, and additional strategic investors. The capital will support inventory production for a national Walmart launch, expand creator and affiliate partnerships, hire across operations and retail, and prepare for broader wholesale distribution.
Built in-house by Science Inc. — the venture studio behind Dollar Shave Club, Liquid Death, and online snack disrupter Final Boss Sour — Rogue marks the studio’s first entry into the high-protein snack market. The brand’s chips and puffs combine at least 10 grams of protein per serving with active probiotics, bold flavoring, and a formulation free of seed oils and artificial ingredients. Rogue will launch online in early May and nationally in 2,800 Walmart stores in July, securing placement in the protein and sports nutrition aisle. The rollout will feature four SKUs, including a retail-exclusive Churro flavor available only at Walmart.
Beyond the shelf, Rogue is building a creator-led commerce engine to reach digital-first consumers through a network of health, wellness, and fitness creators driving awareness and direct purchasing via TikTok Shop and Amazon. The dual-channel strategy — national retail footprint from day one combined with a digitally native brand — reflects Science Inc.’s intent to invert the traditional consumer packaged goods playbook of winning shelf space before building brand equity. U.S. demand for protein-forward snacks is projected to reach approximately $1.8 billion in 2025 and grow at an annual rate of roughly 8-9% over the next decade.
KEY QUOTES:
“Protein snacks have become a massive category, but consumers have been forced to sacrifice taste for function. We created Rogue so you don’t have to compromise — you can have wild and delicious flavors, real performance benefits, and clean ingredients in one snack.”
Tommy Riggs, Co-Founder, Rogue
“Protein snacking is a massive and growing category, but most brands are still being built for the old playbook of win the shelf first, figure out the brand later. Rogue flips that model. We’ve built a digital-first brand with retail scale through Walmart. That ensures a national footprint from day one and combines product innovation, creator-led distribution to accelerate adoption.”
Michael Jones, General Partner, Science Inc.
