“It started as a joke and has gotten really out of hand, so I think we are all just lucky to be part of something unique coming out of this food space in DC”
Snacklins started as a “happy little accident” as the Chief Snack Bagger and Founder Samy puts it. After a friendly bet between friends to create a vegan pork rind resulted in the first Snacklin, Samy knew he was onto something great. Since then, Snacklins has grown exponentially and is now available in stores nationwide, including Union Kitchen, Walmart and 7-Eleven. Read our interview with Samy below to learn more about Snacklins growth and what’s next for the crunchy, delicious chip.
1. How has Snacklins grown in the past few years?
We have gone from an idea in a basement of a bar to being sold coast to coast in almost 1000 stores. More importantly, we have started making a meaningful change in how people are snacking.
2. What are you most excited for (short-term and long-term)?
Short term I'm excited to release some of these new flavors we have spent months testing. I think snack time should be a guilt-free adventure and these new flavors are perfect for that! Long term, we will see where this journey goes. It started as a joke and has gotten really out of hand, so I think we are all just lucky to be part of something unique coming out of the food space in DC.
3. What are some obstacles you’ve faced with scaling nationally?
The normal stuff you hear about... Logistics, supply chain, management, etc, but the key for us has been making sure we had good people around. We all trust each other and go the extra mile to make each other successful and that mentality has been the key factor in overcoming the obstacles that we know are bound to come up.
4. Snacklins is working on a rebrand…why did you decide to do this?
We are always in search of self-improvement and innovation. Part of this is elaborating on our story and when your brand is a snack chip in a noisy chip aisle, you have to find a way to tell your story and differentiate from the crowd. I don't think we'll ever be done evolving.
5. What results are you hoping to see from the re-brand?
Our end result is still the same as it was at the beginning. Delicious, crunchy snacks at 80 calories for the WHOLE BAG! Junk food without the junk... Just because we have a new hair style, doesn't mean we have changed…
Snacklins is one of Union Kitchen’s first members to be sold in major accounts from coast to coast. Think you could be next? Apply here.