Masters of Scale How to sell a billion dollars of snacks, with the founders of Chomps
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Oct 2, 2025 Rashid Ali and Pete Maldonado, co-founders of Chomps, transformed a side hustle into a booming snack brand focusing on healthy meat sticks. They share how a pivotal call from Trader Joe's led to fulfilling a staggering order of 1.1 million sticks. The duo discusses lessons from past failures, their strategic pivot to target health-conscious women, and the challenges of rapid growth. Key insights on fundraising, building a brand, and the importance of transparency during crises make this conversation invaluable for aspiring entrepreneurs.
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Founder Meet Cute Turned Side Hustle
- Pete and Rashid met at a poker game and quickly turned a diner conversation into a partnership backed by a simple partnership agreement drafted by Rashid's wife.
- They treated the venture as a side hustle initially to test the idea while keeping demanding day jobs.
Burned Once By The Wrong Investor
- Pete's previous frozen-meals startup failed after raising capital from the wrong investor who pulled funding and took the company.
- That experience shaped Chomps' founders to avoid reliance on risky external capital and to build a self-sufficient business.
Grow Gradually To Control Fate
- Throttle growth early to avoid overexposure and preserve control when infrastructure isn't tested.
- Grow gradually (double or triple year-over-year) to validate product-market fit before seeking outside capital.