How Dr. Juan Salinas Built a Healthy Snack Brand That Took Over Shark Tank

What happens when a food scientist and bodybuilder creates a snack that’s as nutritious as it is delicious? Dr. Juan Salinas, founder of Perfect Life Nutrition and creator of Pnuff Crunch, joins the Founders’ Forum to share his journey from Honduras to Shark Tank and beyond.

After two decades in the food industry, Dr. Salinas launched Pnuff Crunch—a high-protein, peanut-based snack designed for performance and taste. In this episode, he talks about the entrepreneurial highs and lows, his Shark Tank experience, and what it’s like to have Mark Cuban as a business partner.

He also shares how he's combining fitness, food, and purpose to inspire healthier lifestyles, and why he believes collaboration is key to scaling sustainable manufacturing.

Key Takeaways:

• Creating snacks that taste great and fuel performance
• The real impact of appearing on Shark Tank
• Overcoming manufacturing and scaling challenges
• Using fitness as a brand-building tool
• What legacy means to Dr. Juan

About Dr. Juan Salinas:

Dr. Juan Salinas is the founder and CEO of Perfect Life Nutrition LLC, a manufacturer of peanut-based and other plant-based protein snacks. A native of Honduras and now a resident of New Jersey, he holds a Ph.D. in Food Science from Rutgers University and a Master’s in Sports Nutrition from the International Olympic Committee. He started the company after spending over 20 years working as a snack innovator and product developer for several of the largest CPG food companies in the U.S. Combined with his passion for health and fitness, and his experience as a professional natural bodybuilder and amateur endurance athlete, he is on a quest to create snacks that are not only delicious but also nutritious. 

Connect:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/pnuff/, linkedin.com/in/juan-salinas-76a7783
Instagram: instagram.com/pnuffcrunch, instagram.com/drjuanpnuff
Facebook: facebook.com/pnuffcrunch/, facebook.com/drjuanpnuff/
TikTok: tiktok.com/@pnuffcrunch, tiktok.com/@drjuanpnuff
YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=wp45o5i7zhE

This episode is brought to you by The Plant a Seed Inspire a Dream Foundation; Empower a Child’s Passion. Go to plantaseedfoundation.org to learn more.

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