Snack It Forward is a company on a mission to upgrade America’s favorite snacks by replacing the old-school base of corn with mighty peas and taking the “junk” out of junk food. The company’s flagship product is PeaTos, a snack brand that replaces the old-school base of corn with peas. With non-GMO ingredients, PeaTos has two times the protein and three times the fiber of its traditional counterparts like Cheetos and Funyuns and contains no artificial ingredients or cheese. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Snack it Forward CEO and founder Nick Desai to learn more.
Nick Desai’s Background
Desai was born and raised in the USA, but his parents are from India, so he traveled there frequently. “I started my career as a lawyer in the entertainment business and ended up owning a snack company,” said Desai.
Formation Of PeaTos
How did the idea for PeaTos come together?
“I loved chips like Cheetos growing up, and I also loved Indian snacks. Indian snacks are made from legumes like peas and lentils instead of corn, and I noticed they were much higher in protein and fiber. One day I was like, ‘I wonder if you can make Cheetos out of legumes instead of corn… And here we are,” shared Desai. “The goal with PeaTos was always to re-invent America’s favorite snacks with better ingredients, so we have crunchy curls (like crunchy Cheetos), we have rings (like Funyuns), and we have puffs (like Cheetos Puffs).
Favorite Memory
What has been Desai’s favorite memory working for PeaTos so far? “So many amazing memories but one of my favorites was the day Kroger told us we were being launched in 2000 stores nationally just a few weeks after we launched the brand, and overnight we were on the map,” Desai reflected.
Challenges Faced
What were Desai’s challenges in building the company, and has the current macroeconomic climate affected his company? “Getting the product right was a big challenge in the beginning. We ultimately developed a lot of proprietary technology and know-how to make great-tasting snacks from nutritious ingredients like peas and lentils,” Desai acknowledged.
Significant Milestones
What have been some of PeaTos’ most significant milestones? “There have been so many great milestones that were key to building this brand, and there will be many more. We are excited that the company will be profitable by next year, which is remarkable,” Desai revealed.
Customer Success
When I asked Desai about customer success, he cited PeaTos as gaining over 6,000 new distribution points since the start of 2023. “We are in Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market, HEB, Walmart, CVS, and Amazon. We have been among the top 10 selling snacks on Amazon multiple times,” Desai noted.
Funding
Desai told me that many high-profile backers and veterans of the snack industry have invested personally in the company. And the company has multiplied yearly since its launch and will be profitable by next year.
“I want to thank our loyal fans that have helped build and spread the PeaTos mission, and I want to thank all of our retail partners, investors, and of course, our dedicated team,” Desai highlighted.
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market size is PeaTos pursuing? “Salty snacks are a $20 billion market in the USA alone. Cheetos and Funyuns are over $2 billion in sales. Desai assessed.
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates PeaTos from its competition? “Taste. We are delivering the full junk food taste and eating experience while using better for you natural ingredients. The best part is research shows kids love PeaTos,” Desai emphasized.
Future Company Goals
What are some of the future company goals? “Our primary goal is to keep creating a better version of snacks we already know and love,” Desai concluded.
