Hear about the fastest-growing snack brand from the CEO & founder of Chomps
Pete Maldonado started his career as a personal trainer, whose clients were unable to find healthy products to eat on the go. That’s when he took $3,250 (matched by his partner) and a brilliant idea, to introduce Chomps to the better-for-you food scene, in 2012. Their well-known meat sticks are made with grass-fed protein that has a positive impact on the environment with a focus on animal welfare and no sugar or artificial ingredients. Tune in to the most recent episode of “The Irresistible Factor”, for a surprising interview with CEO and founder of one of the fastest-growing snack brands in the US, today. Pete explains why his approach is different from other entrepreneurs. This conversation may remind you that not all success stories are the same. Listen to the full episode here and read below for some of the most interesting insights I learned along the way.
Pete explains why he has not (and might not) raise outside capital.
Prior to Chomps, Pete had another business and he raised capital from an investor who wasn’t aligned with his values. So he didn’t want to make that same mistake twice. “You’re introducing a whole new level of risk and chances are, if you’re getting in bed with a private equity group, you’re giving up complete control of your own destiny.” Although this may not be a reality for many start-ups, it’s working for Chomps.
He believes every new brand should focus on extreme discipline.
Chomps went to market with only two SKUs and for its first 4 years was only sold D2C on a website that Pete and his partner built themselves. The brand took off, due to the success of FB ads and happy, repeat customers. But by 2016, Trader Joe’s was calling them and that’s what turned a side gig into a full-time career. His advice to entrepreneurs on high velocity and profitability is, “You should set a strategy and run like hell but it’s a matter of staying on course. Don’t get distracted by other brands and what they’re doing. Figure out your path and stick to it.”
Chomps hopes to be a solution for a lot of people; helping them discover the difference in eating healthy.
Pete wants consumers to know, when you see the Chomps logo on any package, “We went to the end of the earth, literally, to make sure that we have the best ingredients and the best possible product for you.” Tune in to hear more about the decisions that have led to the growth of this awesome brand. And if you’d like to be featured on The Irresistible Factor or need help figuring out how to make your brand Irresistible, reach out to me at kbridges@sawtoothgroup.com